The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has received its first Airbus H135 helicopter under the Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) program, introducing a new training platform for military helicopter pilots.
Delivered from Airbus Helicopters' facility in Fort Erie, Ontario, the aircraft will enter service as the CT-153 Juno and be based at 15 Wing Southport with the 3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School.
The H135 was selected by SkyAlyne, the consortium responsible for the FAcT program, to replace older training systems and support the next generation of rotary-wing pilots.
According to Airbus, the helicopter will be used for basic flight instruction, instrument flight training and tactical mission preparation. The aircraft is equipped with the manufacturer's Helionix avionics suite, which is also found on several operational helicopter types.
Airbus said more than 200 helicopters from the H135 family have been delivered or ordered for military training missions worldwide, accumulating over 650,000 flight hours.
The FAcT program was launched to replace the country's existing training system with a long-term solution covering multiple aircraft types and aircrew specialties.
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Airbus said the Canadian helicopters incorporate several locally developed modifications, including changes to avionics, communications systems and cockpit equipment tailored to RCAF requirements.
Deliveries of additional CT-153 Junos are expected to continue through 2028.
