Airbus Helicopters remains confident it will receive a production contract next year for the VSR700, an unmanned air system (UAS) it has been developing for the French navy.
Briefing journalists at the company’s headquarters on 8 October, chief executive Bruno Even said it remains in discussions with the navy and France’s DGA defence procurement agency over a launch decision.
“It’s a decision that we expect soon now, as today it matches and meets the initial requirements,” he says.
He says the platform, derived from the Guimbal Cabri G2 manned helicopter, would undergo an “incremental evolution” following service entry in late 2026 or early 2027.
“We are ready. We are discussing with the navy and the DGA and I am optimistic that we will be ready to decide the launch of the programme in the coming weeks or months.”
Even points out that during testing in 2023, the platform “met all [the navy’s] operational requirements”, including for automated take-offs and landings from a frigate.
Although surveillance remains the primary mission for the VSR700, Airbus Helicopters is already contemplating a cargo variant.
“We are convinced that the VSR700 in a different configuration could address this type of [logistics] mission,” says Even.
Victor Gerin-Roze, head of UAS business at Airbus Helicopters, says in a cargo configuration, the 760kg (1,670lb) maximum-take-off-weight platform could offer a payload of around 150kg with endurance in the region of 2h.
“We have started having some customers asking for information on the cargo mission,” he adds.
In addition, light anti-submarine or anti-surface warfare roles could be contemplated in future, Gerin-Roze says.
Meanwhile, Airbus Helicopters has hailed the success of recent full-scale flight demonstrations to validate the performance of a manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) system developed under an EU-funded project.
Taking place simultaneously in France and Italy over the 30 September to 9 October period, the test flights saw helicopters and uncrewed aircraft from the airframer and Leonardo operating in concert through a single MUM-T network. Project coordinator Thales supplied supervision and mission debriefing stations.
Called MUSHER – Manned Unmanned System for Helicopter – the project is designed to develop a generic European MUM-T system that can operate robustly in multiple environments.
For the demonstrations, Airbus Helicopters deployed its single-engined H130-based FlightLab helicopter and the developmental VSR700 unmanned rotorcraft to the Ile du Levant test range near Toulon in southern France operated by the DGA. Leonardo contributed an AW189 super-medium-twin and an AWHero UAS.
During the tests, the aircraft flew simultaneously in France and Italy, assessing operational scenarios developed by the French, Italian and Spanish ministries of defence.
For example, one mission showcased deployment of UAS and manned helicopters for an anti-piracy mission – initially using the unmanned asset for surveillance, it was joined by the manned helicopter once a target was detected, with control switching to the latter.
Levels of interoperability from 2 (transfer of data from the UAS) to 4 (control of the platform and its payload from the helicopter) were evaluated during the tests, alongside proving that assets from different companies and different countries, operating in distant areas, could be integrated within a single MUM-T network.
“Operating helicopters and unmanned aerial systems in concert provides valuable additional mission capabilities such as increased situational awareness with UAS sharing video in real time for improved decision-making, all while preserving critical assets and resources,” says Even.
“The success of the MUSHER demonstration is a major step forward for our ambition at Airbus, which is to field MUM-T capabilities by bringing European industrial know-how together for the benefit of military and civil customers,” he says.
Other project partners included Belgium’s Space Applications Services, Spanish defence firm Indra and French aerospace research centre ONERA.
