On 28 December 2005, two EC135s were delivered to the main FAMET (Spanish Army Air Corps) base in Colmenar Viejo, where they joined an advanced training unit at the end of the first quarter of 2006. The FAMET chose the EC135 to replace American aircraft for its training activities, and the EC135 meets its most basic and its most complex operational requirements alike.

Perfectly equipped for Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) with one or two pilots, the EC135 has a cabin whose configuration is compatible with the use of night vision goggles. The aircraft is also equipped with excellent lighting. With its recent design, the EC135 has already been tried and tested for this type of mission with excellent results, notably by the German Army at its Bückeburg helicopter training unit.

The industrial program for this helicopter has already been launched. This program includes the introduction in Spain of a unit responsible for the development and sole-source production of tail cones for the group. An EC135 final assembly line will be operational at the new site in Albacete, and the first Spanish EC135s should roll out of production 2007. At the same time, the technical and human resources required to improve the services and support to such an ever growing fleet have also been strengthened. To date, 21 EC135s are in service in Spain.

On 18 January 2006, a contract was signed by the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania and Eurocopter for the acquisition of three aircraft (two EC135s and an EC145) for the State Border Guard Service. The deliveries are scheduled for the end of this year. This acquisition is being funded by the European Union (EU), and affirms the determination of the Baltic state to comply with Brussels’ requirements for protecting the EU’s external borders. Such border protection was a pre-requisite for Lithuania’s entry into the enlarged Europe of 25 member states. The ceremony was conducted in the presence of the top-ranking officials from the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania, the State Border Guard Service, and representatives of the German and French embassies in Vilnius. It was also the occasion to strengthen the trust that has grown up between Eurocopter and this operator, following the sale of two EC120B Colibris in 2002. In addition to their border patrol duties, the aircraft will also be used for supporting police units on the ground, search and rescue, and VIP transport.