With more than 50 examples now in use, Airbus Helicopters is pleased with the performance of its H160 model, as it eyes further sales opportunities and the operational introduction from 2028 of its M-standard military version.

The commercial H160 achieved entry into service in 2022, and the type has to date amassed 15,000 flight hours. The fleet-leading examples are in use with the French navy, which has leased six for use as search and rescue assets.

“Several aircraft have done their 900h check, and are doing excellent,” says H160 programme manager Vincent Chenot, who adds that for the navy-operated examples especially, “the availability is really amazing”.

Hailing the type’s performance during its trial employment by US operator PHI in the Gulf of Mexico, and also with offshore operators in Brazil, he says: “We will soon have other customers flying this aircraft in the world of oil and gas.”

Speaking to journalists during a tour of the H160 final assembly line at Airbus Helicopters’ Marignane site near Marseille on 14 October, Chenot noted: “We have three years of deliveries behind us and are in a full industrial ramp-up.”

Currently on the line are several aircraft up to platform number 102, with that total rising to almost 110 when including examples which are now in earlier stages of production.

Meanwhile, the military H160M Guepard being developed for the French armed forces is also making solid progress, after the first flight in mid-July of the lead of three prototypes.

Chenot says the rotorcraft has already achieved its maximum speed, and delivered “outstanding” results. Flight-testing will continue until late-January 2026 to further assessments of its aerodynamics and vibration, thermal behaviour, and navigation equipment. Work will resume later next year to focus on mission systems testing and sensor integration.

The second H160M prototype is currently in assembly and will fly “in the coming months”, he says. That asset will be employed during flight-loads testing and future hot and cold weather test campaigns.

To be prepared as representing the French navy version of the Guepard, the final prototype will feature a strengthened fuselage and landing gear, plus a deck-harpoon and provisions to accommodate a maritime search radar. First flight is due in 2027.

Production deliveries are scheduled to start in 2028 for the French army, two years later for the nation’s air force, and in 2032 for the navy.

“Our objective is to offer this same [H160M] configuration to the [export] market very soon after the first deliveries to France,” Chenot says. “We have a lot of customers interested in the product,” he adds.

A key philosophy for the programme is to have a common final assembly line for all commercial and military examples. “Our intention is to have [production capacity for] 60… per year,” he says. That will include 20 military examples annually under France’s existing commitment, which totals 169 units, with 30 currently under contract.

“We don’t want to have a civilian line and a military line – we want to take advantage of the duality of the programme, to be resilient to market fluctuations,” Chenot explains.

In order to achieve this output from its moving line at the site, which is currently scaled for around 35-40 units, the rear of the building will be demolished and an extension constructed to provide additional assembly slots.

Meanwhile, the airframer is close to commencing H160 deliveries in a law enforcement configuration for the French Gendarmerie Nationale, which has 10 on order.

An example was on show within a static display at the Marignane site, with Chenot saying shipments will start “in the coming weeks”.