Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles, a member of the centre-left government elected last year, said the Taipan helicopters would be replaced by American-made Black Hawk-type aircraft.

The MRH90 or Taipan is the Australian version of the NH90, a multirole helicopter which is in service with the French army under the name of Caïman.

This device is produced by the European industrial consortium NH Industries (NHI), which brings together the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus Helicopters, the Italian group Leonardo and the Dutch Fokker.

At the end of 2021, the Australian government had "informed Airbus of its decision to launch a request for military sales abroad to possibly replace the MRH90", had then indicated the European aircraft manufacturer.

Turkish Black Hawk helicopters demonstrated in Sivrihisar, Turkey, September 13, 2020 © Adem ALTAN / AFP/Archives

"Taipans have been a problem for us for many years in terms of maintenance and spare parts supply," Marles told Australian national broadcaster ABC on Wednesday.

"We are confident that this will not interrupt the renewed relationship with France," he said, as the French government urged Australia to keep its forty Taipan helicopters.

Trust between the two countries was broken in September 2021 when the former Australian Conservative government abruptly canceled a contract worth 90 billion Australian dollars (56 billion euros) for submarines from the French group Naval Group, him preferring British or American nuclear-powered submarines.

At the height of the crisis, French President Emmanuel Macron accused then-Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison of lying about the deal, before recalling the French ambassador to Canberra.

Franco-Australian relations remained tense until the election in May 2022 in Australia of a new Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, who tried to mend relations with Paris.

Reacting on Wednesday, Airbus said it "take note" of this decision by Australia, while maintaining its desire to develop a "significant presence" there, a spokesperson for the group told AFP, the country being a key market for the European aircraft manufacturer.

NH90 Caiman helicopters at the Ouallam military base in Niger on July 15, 2022 © BERTRAND GUAY / AFP/Archives

In June 2022, Norway, overwhelmed by delivery delays and availability problems, announced the cancellation of a contract for 14 NH90 helicopters concluded with the NHI consortium.

© 2023 AFP