Eurocopter Delivers Two NH90s Caiman to France’s DGA for their Deployment by the French Army and Navy

: Posted On Saturday, 28 July 2012 14:02

Naval Forces News - France

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.