Airbus Will Now Maintain French Sécurité Civile and Gendarmerie H145 Fleet
Airbus Helicopters has announced the signing of a new maintenance contract with France’s Aeronatuical Maintenance Directorate (DMAé). The agreement covers up to 10 years of service and is planned for execution with co-contracting partner Babcock.
The new agreement designates Airbus Helicopters as maintenance provider for the French Sécurité Civile and Gendarmerie Nationale fleet of H145 helicopters. This includes 45 H145 helicopters, with 40 serving the Sécurité Civile and six being used by the Gendarmerie Nationale.
Airbus and Babcock also support the fleet of EC145 helicopters, based on an agreement signed in May of 2024. With the new contract, Airbus Helicopters now maintains responsibility for supporting all H145 helicopters operated by the French Gendarmerie Nationale and Sécurité Civile.
By doing so, Airbus Helicopters aims to maintain optimal operational efficiency and maximum fleet availability for the organizations and their key missions. These missions include:
- MRO activities
- Search and rescue
- Emergency medical services
- Firefighting
- Law enforcement missions
The contract covers support activities like:
- Technical support
- Spare parts supply
- Training
- Software support
- Logistics solutions
“Ensuring the operational availability of our H145 fleet is critical for the public safety missions carried out by the Sécurité Civile and Gendarmerie Nationale," said Captain Jean-Baptiste Fortin from the DMAé.
He continued, "This comprehensive agreement provides the long-term visibility and industrial support necessary to guarantee their performance.”
“Airbus Helicopters is proud to strengthen its partnership with the French government and to be working alongside Babcock on this essential programme," said Romain Trapp, Executive Vice President of Customer Support & Services at Airbus Helicopters.
Trapp added, "This contract demonstrates the trust the DMAé places in Airbus to support its critical missions. By managing the entire H145 fleet, Airbus Helicopters can provide a unified and more efficient support service."