Airbus Helicopters chief executive Bruno Even is confident that there will be no reduction in the quantity of H160M Guepards being purchased by France – provided the airframer can successfully deliver on its promises.
Paris intends to acquire a total of 169 H160Ms through its Helicoptere Interarmees Leger (HIL) programme and in December 2021 placed a development and production contract covering an initial 30 examples.
It plans to replace five different types in service with the air force, army and navy with the new platform.
Airbus Helicopters has now begun final assembly of the first of three Guepard prototypes at its Marignane site in southern France, with a maiden sortie scheduled for 2025. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2027.
But amid budgetary pressures and political upheaval in France, there had been speculation on whether the defence ministry might look to scale back its commitment.
Even, speaking at the Farnborough air show in mid-July, insists this is not the case. “The challenge is about execution, about delivering on time what we have committed to,” he says.
“There is no question about the future of this programme.”
He points to the “strong expectations” for the H160M from the French armed forces as they look to modernise ageing fleets.
Provided Airbus Helicopters can “deliver the first phase” of the programme – qualification of the Guepard and the initial tranche of rotorcraft – “there is no reason to think that the rest will not follow”, he says.
“Of course, if we fail, then yes, there could be questions, but today I don’t see why we would fail; let’s execute, let’s deliver and let’s make it a success.”
Final assembly of the first H160M prototype began in early July with transfer of the helicopter’s main fuselage from the airframer’s plant in Donauworth, Germany to Marignane.
Airbus Helicopters has also established a “system helicopter zero” test bench in Marignane, connecting a reproduction of the cockpit with systems including the HForce weapons system and Safran Euroflir electro-optical/infrared turret.
In addition, aerodynamic tests began earlier this year of a H160 prototype fitted with mock-ups of the Guepard’s sensors, antennae, electronic warfare system and landing gear.
