H145 Helicopters. Photo: Disclosure / Airbus Helicopters
The General Directorate of Armament of France (DGA) ordered 42 new H145 helicopters at the end of 2023, on behalf of the Ministry of Interior, with deliveries scheduled to start in 2024.
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Of these 42 helicopters, 36 are intended for the French rescue and emergency response agency, Sécurité Civile, while the French police agency, Gendarmerie Nationale, will use six. The contract includes an option for 22 more H145s for the Gendarmerie Nationale and a range of support solutions and services, from training to spare parts, as well as a complete initial support package for the aircraft.
“We have a long-standing relationship with the Gendarmerie Nationale and Sécurité Civile, and I am very proud to add another chapter to our shared history,” said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. “The H145 has already proven its value with Sécurité Civile, performing many rescue missions in the challenging mountainous environment of the French Alps,” he added. “The H145 is operated by many police agencies around the world. The Gendarmerie will benefit from a state-of-the-art helicopter equipped with the latest mission systems,” he explained.
Sécurité Civile currently operates four five-blade H145s, ordered in 2020 and 2021. The 36 H145s will progressively replace the 33 EC145s currently in operation for rescue services and air medical transport across France.
The six H145s will initiate the renewal of the Gendarmerie fleet, comprised of Ecureuils, EC135s, and EC145s. They will be equipped with an electro-optical system and a mission computer to perform the most demanding law enforcement missions.
H145 Helicopters. Photo: Disclosure / Airbus Helicopters
Certified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency in June 2020, this new version of Airbus’s best-selling light twin-engine H145 helicopter brings a new and innovative five-blade rotor to the multimission helicopter, increasing the payload by 150 kg and offering new levels of comfort, simplicity, and connectivity.
Powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines, the H145 is equipped with full authority digital engine control (FADEC) and the Helionix digital avionics suite.
It includes a high-performance 4-axis autopilot, increasing safety and reducing the pilot’s workload.
Its particularly low acoustic footprint makes the H145 the quietest helicopter in its category. Currently, Airbus has more than 1,675 H145 family helicopters in service worldwide, recording a total of more than 7.6 million flight hours.
Source: Airbus Helicopters
