The EC 135 is a lightweight five/seven seat twin-turbine-engine multi-role helicopter with a radius of 720 km. The EC 135 is offered with either Turbomeca Arrius 2B2 or Pratt and Whitney Canada PW206B2 engines. Development of the Eurocopter EC135 started in the 80s as the MBB Bo.108 Advanced Technology Helicopter. The prototype BO108 with conventional tail rotor flew first on 15 October 1988. When the helicopter divisions of MBB from Germany and Aerospatiale from France merged in January 1992 to form the Eurocopter Group, the Bo108 program was transferred as well. An advanced low noise ducted 10-blade Fenestron tail rotor was, next to other modifications, incorporated into the design and the name of the helicopter was changed into Eurocopter EC135. The prototype of the EC135 (D-HBOX s/n S-01) flew first on 15 February 1994 and went into series production at Donauwörth in 1996. After German certification was granted on 14 June 1996, on 31 July that year was the first customer delivery. Over 450 have been delivered since the helicopter entered service in 1996 with the German rescue company DRF - Deutsche Rettungsflugwacht e.V.

On 21 June 2005, Norsk Statens Luftambulanse Eurocopter EC135 P2 c/n 0399 LN-OOH was photographed at Groningen Airport Eelde in the Netherlands when on delivery to Norway. The LN-OOH is one of 12 Eurocopter EC135P2 the Norsk Luftambulanse AS ordered in 2003. Deliveries of the EC135P2 to the Norsk Luftambulanse AS started in 2004. Eurocopter EC135 P2 LN-OOH is operated by Norsk Statens Luftambulanse out of one of the helicopter and fixed-wing air ambulance bases in Norway, where the government has held national responsibility for the air ambulance service since 1988. The Norwegian lifeliner helicopters use the callsign "Helidoc". The 2005-built EC-135P2 was registered LN-OOH with the SEB Finans AB, Bromma, Sweden as owner and Norsk Luftambulanse AS, Drøbak, Norway, as operator.