Eurocopter,
PARIS-EUROSATORY 2008: Eurocopter, the world’s leading helicopter manufacturer, highlights once again its wide range of multipurpose products well adapted to the increasingly complex homeland security and defence missions faced by our governmental customers today.
This year, the company will be displaying its state-of-the-art military helicopters, the Tiger combat helicopter and NH90 tactical transport helicopter, both of which are in service with several European nations as well as Australia.
The Tiger, of which 206 units have been ordered, is currently under delivery to Germany, France, Australia and Spain. Its platform specially designed to integrate a wide variety of weapon systems ensures that the Tiger is able to meet the military requirements specified by each customer. After a build-up phase in the training centres based in Le Luc in France and Oakey in Australia, the Tiger is now beginning its operational life in the various Army Aviation Corps, in order to be deployed overseas as soon as possible.
The NH90 is the biggest military helicopter programme ever launched in Europe. The first four countries – France, Germany, Italy and The Netherlands – were quickly joined by other nations: Portugal, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Greece, the Sultanate of Oman, Australia, New Zealand, Spain and Belgium, which have all placed firm orders for the NH90. This amounts to 14 nations, with a total of 507 NH90s on order, an unparalleled success for a military helicopter programme, proof that the NH90 concept and design are perfectly adapted to the 21st century.
These two aircraft are joined by the EC120 – the lightest single-engine helicopter in Eurocopter’s range – destined primarily for training missions. In 2008, 36 units of the EC120 were ordered for the training school in DAX to train pilots from all the various military corps in France.
On Eurocopter’s stand (A350) will be featured 5 helicopter mock-ups, namely the AS550 EC135, EC145, AS565 and EC725.
The AS550, known as the Fennec, is a high performance single-engine helicopter mainly used for light fire support and escort roles. This helicopter, derived from the Ecureuil B3, is especially designed for high and hot environment. It is currently being operated in Oman and the UAE. First units will be delivered to Pakistan at the end of 2008.
Among the light twin-engine aircraft, the newly improved EC135 stands out as the most widely used helicopter in parapublic services. The French Customs have recently replaced their fleet of AS355 F2 by 5 EC135 for maritime surveillance in the English Channel, the North and the Mediterranean Seas. In fall this year, the French Gendarmerie will also receive the first of the 12 EC135 ordered (plus 25 in option) to fulfill police missions.
In December 2007, the fleet of EC135/EC635 in service worldwide clocked up 1 million flight hours. With a strong footprint on all continents, more than half of the 615 EC135/EC635 helicopters in the world today can be found in Europe followed by North and South America. In terms of missions, the 2 main operations for the EC135/EC635 fleet are EMS (Emergency Medical Service) (49%) and Police (24%) missions.
The EC145, another light twin-engine helicopter, is the obvious choice to meet the demands of customers requiring a modern and spacious high-performance medium helicopter. In 2006, under the name UH72A Lakota, it won Eurocopter its first major contract on the American military market, with an order of up to 322 helicopters. In France, the Sécurité Civile is a major customer with a fleet of 30 EC145 clocking up more than 60 000 hours. No later than last December, 5 additional units (3 firm and 2 options) were ordered by the DGA (Délégation Générale pour l’Armement) to be operated by the Sécuité Civile from January 2009. The French Gendarmerie has also logged more than 15 000 hours on its fleet of EC 145 helicopters, a fleet which will reach as many as15 helicopters.
The AS565 Panther is a medium twin-engine helicopter designed to be operated all weather from ships and from ashore. From the proven Dauphin family, the Panther is able to cover a large number of naval missions such as maritime surveillance, SAR (Search and Rescue) operations, casualty evacuation etc. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, the Panther is the most effective platform for 24 hour SAR operations. Renowned for its cost effectiveness, the Panther is a main asset for the US Coast Guards and is perfectly adapted to Navies and Coast Guard requirements.
The military SAR combat version of the EC725 continues to deliver an outstanding performance in the most sensitive theaters of operation. The French Armed Forces operate a total of 14 of these highly capable 11 ton class helicopters, with six serving the Air Force and eight with the Special Operations Detachment Unit (DAOS) of the French Army Air Corps (ALAT). The French Air Force is deploying some of its EC725s in Combat Search and Rescue (C-SAR) missions in hostile environments like Afghanistan to support the coalition forces, where it has proven to be an invaluable asset.
In order to ensure the maintenance of such a wide range of products, Eurocopter is constantly improving its portfolio of services in order to support its customers worldwide. The Group’s efforts no longer exclusively focus on product performance, but aim at establishing long-lasting contracts with customers, ensuring regular upgrades as well as a high availability and overall performance. Therefore, Eurocopter proposes today extensive global offer solutions in close cooperation with its customers. This collaborative concept enables the customers to concentrate on their operations, while Eurocopter takes care of all support activities.
Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a Division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace, defence and related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approx. 14,000 people. In 2007, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer in the civil and parapublic market, with a turnover exceeding 4 billion Euros, orders for 802 new helicopters, and a 53 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors.
