The French MoD is expecting to receive first deliveries of the new joint light helicopter (Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger, HIL) Guépard H-160M in 2026, with the programme launch planned for 2021. © Airbus Helicopters
European main rotary-wing military and civil advanced programmes: key to succeed By Luca Peruzzi The European rotary-wing industry, led by Airbus Helicopters and Leonardo Helicopters, together with main and smaller suppliers, research agencies and academic organizations, is continuously maintaining the Old Continent developments in the rotorcraft domain up to the edge. However the big investments in the US industry are challenging, and attract European customers and industries. The rotocraft cluster of the Old Continent is working on current and future military programmes throughout NATO and European Union organizations to develop new platforms and markets without forgetting the developments in the civil sector where the European Union with the Clean Sky programme is looking to tomorrow’s mobility and green technologies.
Joint armed forces light rotarywing programmes for France and Italy The French MoD has accelerated the entry into service of the new joint light helicopter (Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger, HIL) Guépard to 10
EDR | July/August 2021
replace five different types of helicopters (Gazelle, Alouette III, Dauphin, Panther and Fennec), in service with all three French services, with a single platform and joint support for a total new 169 H-160Ms. According to the pre-development and support package contract awarded in February 2020 to an industrial team including Airbus
