British Akrotiri Base in Cyprus Receives First Jupiter HC2 Helicopters

The UK Ministry of Defence said that on 17 June 2026 the first two new Airbus H145 Jupiter HC2 helicopters arrived at Akrotiri Air Base. The aircraft have been handed over to the Royal Air Force’s 84 Squadron to carry out general support tasks in the territory of the United Kingdom’s Sovereign Base Areas on the island, including emergency response and firefighting.

The delivery was made under a £148 million defence programme. A total of six helicopters of this type have been purchased: four of them will be based in Cyprus, while two more have already been sent to Brunei for British Army jungle training. In both regions, the new platforms are intended to replace the retired Puma HC2 helicopters.

The historic step in modernising the air fleet followed the successful completion of a four-month training programme for flight crews at RAF Benson in the UK. The remaining helicopters under the contract are due to arrive at their permanent bases by the end of July 2026.