The Chilean Army has taken delivery of a tenth heavyweight, twin-engine H215M, the final delivery in a programme that began in 2008 with the purchase of eight helicopters, to which two more were added in 2013 and 2014 respectively. The new rotorcraft, delivered in early December, will serve alongside the previous nine in the Helicopter Battalion of the Chilean Army’s Air Brigade. 


The Army’s H215M fleet has logged more than 10,000 flight hours in missions ranging from the provision of aid to remote areas and medical evacuations to firefighting and disaster relief. The Chilean Army’s Air Brigade played a crucial relief role during the floods that hit the Atacama region in 2015, carrying out 56 missions to provide support for flood victims.


In addition to the ten H215Ms, the Chilean Army operates a number of other Airbus Helicopters rotorcraft, such as the single-engine AS350B3, the twin-engine AS355NP and the Puma SA330L. 


There are currently more than 100 Super Puma family helicopters operating in Latin America.