On Monday, November 24, 2025, the European company Airbus Helicopters (part of the Airbus Group) announced that the Korean National Police has ordered a single H225 Super Puma medium multirole helicopter, becoming a new operator of this type of rotorcraft.
Image: Airbus Helicopters
As stated in the Airbus Helicopters press release, this multirole helicopter will serve as a key platform for a wide range of public missions, strengthening national security and crisis-response capabilities.
The H225 will be used primarily for law-enforcement and counterterrorism operations, and will also support critical missions such as search and rescue, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response.
“We are honoured to welcome the Korean National Police Agency to the Airbus family,” said Vincent Dubrule, Head of Asia-Pacific at Airbus Helicopters. “The H225 has earned a global reputation as a reliable, multi-mission workhorse. We are confident it will become a cornerstone asset for the police agency, enabling them to carry out complex missions with precision and safety.”
The Korean National Police currently operates about 21–22 helicopters, including four Bell 412SP and 412EP, two or three Bell 206L-3 / 206B / B3, two Leonardo AgustaWestland AW119Ke/Mk.2, three Mil Mi-172, and ten KAI KUH-1P Surion (Chamsuri). Recently, two AgustaWestland AW109C and one Bell 212 were retired.
As the newest member of the Super Puma family, the H225 is valued for its high performance in demanding conditions, as well as its long range and payload capacity. Its state-of-the-art avionics and 4-axis autopilot system enhance safety while reducing pilot workload.
With a maximum takeoff weight of 11,160 kg, the H225 offers an extended range of more than 832 km (1,107 km with external fuel tanks) and an unmatched external payload capacity of 4,750 kg — essential for missions such as disaster relief and firefighting. Airbus Helicopters aims for this model to be capable of flying on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by 2030, a capability already demonstrated at ILA Berlin 2022.
Neighboring Japan also operates H225s in public-service roles: the Ministry of Defense, the National Police Agency (Keisatsu-chō), and various semi-public agencies actively use 24 H225 helicopters that perform critical functions ranging from search-and-rescue and aerial firefighting to VIP transport and the movement of personnel and cargo. Most recently, at the end of July this year, another unit was ordered by the Tokyo Fire Department.
Worldwide, more than 360 H225 Super Puma and military H225M Caracal helicopters are in service, with a combined flight time of nearly 980,000 hours. Military customers include Brazil, France, Hungary, Indonesia, Iraq, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Singapore, Thailand, and Morocco.
The Korean National Police Agency (@polinlove) has ordered one Airbus #H225, where the multi-purpose helicopter will primarily be deployed on law enforcement and counter-terrorism operations, while supporting other critical missions.
Read more on the purchase:… pic.twitter.com/irCO95vFYz
— Airbus Helicopters (@AirbusHeli) November 24, 2025
