Airbus Helicopters Romania

Airbus Helicopters Romania (AHRO) evolved from a decades-long partnership between the Romanian government and French aerospace industries, beginning in the 1970s with the licensed production of Alouette III and Puma helicopters at IAR Brașov. The formal joint venture was established in 2002 as Eurocopter Romania —later rebranded in 2014—with Airbus holding a 60% stake and IAR 40%. Based in Ghimbav, near Brașov, the company initially focused on the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) of Puma and Super Puma fleets for global customers, with approximately 75% of its turnover historically derived from export contracts.

In March 2015 delivered last refurbished Puma Mk2 for Royal Air Force
In January 2019 completed refurbishment of former Saudi Arabia SA365 for Djibouti

Currently, Airbus Helicopters Romania is a critical industrial hub for heavy maintenance and modernization, supporting military and parapublic fleets such as Romania's SMURD emergency services. While a dedicated 10,000-square-meter factory for H215 production was inaugurated in 2016, full-scale manufacturing has faced delays pending official government orders. As of May 2026, the partnership is intensifying, with new industrial cooperation agreements focused on the H225M Caracal and H145M models, aiming to establish Romania as a regional helicopter hub for both the Romanian Armed Forces and neighboring export markets.