French Ministry of Interior Procures 42 H145 Helicopters from Airbus

The French Armament General Directorate (DGA) has placed an order for 42 new H145 helicopters, marking another procurement for Airbus Helicopters.

The order, made at the close of 2023 on behalf of the Ministry of Interior, is slated for delivery commencement in 2024.

Among the ordered helicopters, 36 are designated for the French rescue and emergency response agency, Sécurité Civile, while the remaining six are allocated for use by the French law enforcement agency, Gendarmerie Nationale. The contract also includes an option for an additional 22 H145s for the Gendarmerie Nationale, accompanied by various support and service solutions ranging from training to spare parts. Additionally, a complete initial support package for the aircraft is encompassed in the agreement.

The Sécurité Civile, which currently operates four five-bladed H145s ordered in 2020 and 2021, is set to replace its existing fleet of 33 EC145s with the newly ordered 36 H145s. The deployment of these helicopters will be aimed at enhancing rescue and air medical transport services throughout France.

On the law enforcement front, the Gendarmerie's fleet renewal will commence with the six H145s, equipped with an electro-optical system and a mission computer to address demanding law enforcement missions. The Gendarmerie's existing fleet comprises Ecureuils, EC135s, and EC145s.

Certified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency in June 2020, the H145 boasts a new, innovative five-bladed rotor that increases the useful load by 150 kg. Powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines, the H145 features full authority digital engine control (FADEC) and the Helionix digital avionics suite. Airbus promotes the helicopter's high-performance 4-axis autopilot for increased safety and reduced pilot workload. The H145 is noted for its particularly low acoustic footprint, making it the quietest helicopter in its class. Airbus currently has over 1,675 H145 family helicopters in service globally, accumulating more than 7.6 million flight hours.