Eurocopter
Delivers 2 NH90 Caiman to France’s DGA for their Deployment by the
French Army & Navy
The
ceremony celebrating this dual delivery was held at Marignane, the manufacturer’s
headquarters, and was attended by the DGA, Dominique Maudet, Eurocopter
Group’s Executive Officer for France & Vice President of Global
Business and Services, and a number of representatives from France’s
armed forces.
The NH90 TTH delivered to the DGA today will be handed over to the French
Army Air Corps for use in training the first aircrews at the French
Armed Forces Training Center (CFIA) at Le Cannet des Maures. The aircraft
is the 100th NH90 TTH to be delivered.
The NH90 NFH will enter into service at the Hyères naval
air base, where preparations will be made for the deployment of its
operational capabilities on frigates.
Caïman
Marine first time landing on FREMM Aquitaine at sea
(picture: French Navy/ M PRIGENT)
The
NH90 Caïman in flight (video:
EMA/French Navy)
“This delivery of two
versions of the NH90 on the same day is a major step in the historical
relationship between Eurocopter and our customer, the French state,”
said Maudet. “We are especially proud to play a part in the important
missions that the French armed forces will carry out in the interest of
the French nation with these technologically advanced aircraft.”
The NH90 TTH helicopters will progressively replace the Pumas in service
with the French Army Air Corps. The next-generation NH90 TTH has been
designed to perform a wide range of missions—even the most demanding,
such as utility transport and logistics, combat SAR, medical evacuations,
special forces operations and anti-terrorism.
In its final operational configuration, the NH90 is equipped with field-tested
avionics that enable the helicopter to carry out is missions both day
and night regardless of the weather conditions. It also has high-performance
self-protection equipment, a military communication system that is interoperable
for international operations, and equipment for ship-based deployment.
Designed to replace the Lynx and Super Frelon fleets, the NH90 NFH helicopters
ordered by France will carry out maritime SAR, anti-terrorism and anti-submarine
missions from the naval air bases at Hyères and Lanvéoc-Poulmic.
French Navy
NH90 NFH Caïman helicotper (picture:
EMA/French Navy)
The NH90 NFH boasts a state-of-the-art
weapons system that combines, as part of a high-performance platform,
a package of ultra-modern electronic, acoustic and optronic sensors
as well as weapons loads adapted to anti-ship and anti-submarine missions.
The helicopter also performs SAR, amphibious, maritime surveillance
and anti-piracy missions.
The six NH90 final assembly lines currently operational in France,
Germany, Italy, Finland, Australia and Spain are under the supervision
of NHIndustries, a consortium jointly owned by Eurocopter, AgustaWestland
and Fokker Aerostructures, which respectively hold 62.5 percent, 32
percent and 5.5 percent stakes.
