An order for 169 H160M “Guépard” helicopters, intended for the armed forces, was placed by the French government at Airbus on Wednesday, a contract for equipment and services worth 10 billion euros in total.
These devices "will be distributed between the Army (80), the National Navy (49) and the Air and Space Army (40)" for deliveries starting in 2027, said the Ministry of Armies in a press release.
They will replace Gazelle, Alouette III, Dauphin, Panther and Fennec helicopters, some of which have been in service for over 40 years.
One year advance order
Eleven additional aircraft were also ordered, including ten H160 for the National Gendarmerie, an order "decided within the framework of the support plan for the aeronautical industry, for an amount of more than 200 million euros".
This contract had already been mentioned by the government.
The 11th is intended for the Directorate General of Armament "to ensure flight tests for the development and qualification of equipment and future weapon systems", according to the ministry.
Long awaited and provided for by the Military Programming Law 2019-2025, the order for 169 devices for the armed forces was initially to be placed in 2022, but the Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, announced in 2019 that she had decided to do so. move forward one year.
To perpetuate the "know-how"
The choice of the H160M, developed from the H160, a recent civilian aircraft from Airbus Helicopters, as the technical basis for the unique platform of the “Light joint helicopter” (HIL) program, had already been known since 2017.
“By ensuring the progressive replacement of five different types of aircraft, some of which have been in service for more than 40 years, the Cheetah will provide our armies with the means to carry out their missions more effectively for the next 40 years.
This program perpetuates the know-how and jobs of Airbus Helicopters, the European leader in civil and military helicopters, ”said Florence Parly, quoted in the press release on Wednesday.
A contract that will also benefit SMEs
This order for 169 Cheetahs, "including the first 30 in firm phase, is part of a global market of ten billion euros" which includes, in addition to the development and delivery of devices, "the supply of the support system and training "and" maintenance in operational condition for ten years ", according to the ministry.
In addition, "the production of the Cheetah will irrigate the entire French aeronautical sector and will contribute to sustainably maintain more than 2,000 jobs in France", welcomed the Ministry of the Armed Forces, stressing that this contract secured "the industrial activity of the Airbus site. Helicopters de Marignane for the next 15 years ”.
From the same source, this contract will also benefit "SMEs across the country with 80% of suppliers of H160 parts installed in France, mainly in the south".
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