Airbus Helicopters and the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) have signed a Follow-on Support Arrangement contract to provide support to the Royal Air Force Puma 2 fleet over the planned service life of the aircraft. The contract, worth an initial £100m, is the first of two pricing periods which will see Airbus Helicopters provide full technical support and logistics until March 2022.

The contract can be extended until the currently planned out-of-service date (March 2025), subject to the agreement of both parties.

Airbus Helicopters will provide repair and overhaul services in addition to a parts-by-the-hour programme. The contract also includes the provision of training to all Puma avionics and mechanical technicians as well as engineering managers.

The contract follows on from the previous Interim Support Arrangement, which has seen Airbus Helicopters support the aircraft since the first upgraded Puma 2 entered service in 2012.

UK Puma 2s are currently deployed to Afghanistan under Operation TORAL. They were also involved in the UK’s recent disaster relief effort, Operation RUMAN, in the wake of Hurricane Irma.