Skip to main content

France begins testing new H160M Guépard to operate one military helicopter across all armed forces

On July 24, 2025, the first prototype of the Airbus H160M Guépard successfully completed its maiden flight at Marignane, near Aix-en-Provence, marking a formal milestone in the Joint Light Helicopter program (Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger – HIL) launched by France’s Direction générale de l’armement (DGA). The aircraft, a militarized version of the civil H160 platform, was flown by test pilot Samuel Chartier alongside flight test engineers Nicolas Certain, Laurent Maruejols, and Alban Corpron. The flight was conducted in front of approximately 350 invited guests, including representatives from Airbus, the French Armed Forces, and DGA personnel. The H160M, officially named Guépard by the French Armed Forces, has been developed to serve as a unified platform to equip the French Army, Navy, and Air and Space Force, replacing five legacy helicopters: the SA341/342 Gazelle, AS555 Fennec, SA365 Dauphin, AS565 Panther, and the Alouette III. Read full defense news at this link...

The H160M Guépard is the first Airbus helicopter to be designed from the outset for integrated drone cooperation, and it is a rare example of a single multirole helicopter platform intended for use across all three branches of a nation's armed forces. (Picture source: Bruno Even)



from World Defence News https://ift.tt/dUp5n4i
via IFTTT
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bath Iron Works starts building new Arleigh Burke-class Flight III destroyer USS J. William Middendorf

General Dynamics Bath Iron Works has started construction of the future USS J. William Middendorf (DDG 138), a Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that will strengthen the U.S. Navy’s missile-defense and escort capacity during sustained operations in the Red Sea, Eastern Mediterranean, and Indo-Pacific. The ceremonial first steel cut took place in Maine on May 19, 2026, as the Navy continues relying on Flight III destroyers equipped with the SPY-6 radar and Aegis Baseline 10 combat system to replace the air defense and command role of retiring Ticonderoga-class cruisers ahead of the future DDG(X) program.  Read full defense news at this link... USS J. William Middendorf belongs to the Flight III configuration that began with USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125), the first Flight III destroyer commissioned in October 2023. (Picture source: US Navy) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/tSRkVWI via IFTTT
Post a Comment
Read more

U.S. Army Conducts Gunnery Exercise With Latest Air Defense System Sgt Stout.

U.S. Army officials confirmed that a live gunnery exercise at Fort Hood, Texas, is underway, featuring the latest-generation Sgt Stout short-range air defense system. The drills mark a significant step toward full operational integration as units across the force adapt to evolving threats from drones, rotary-wing aircraft, and low-flying munitions. It matters because Sgt. Stout enhances the Army’s ability to defend forward-deployed troops and critical infrastructure from modern aerial threats. Read full Defense News at this link ... A U.S. Army SGT Stout SHORAD air defense vehicle maneuvers into firing position during live-fire training with the 6th Battalion, 56th Air Defense Artillery Regiment at Fort Hood, Texas, on October 3, 2025. (Picture source: U.S. Department of War) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/NYmsS1n via IFTTT
Post a Comment
Read more

China’s PHL-191 MLRS Shows How Airburst Munitions Could Transform Modern Battlefield Suppression

 China has showcased what appears to be an airburst-capable munition fired from its PHL-191 long-range modular multiple launch rocket system during a live-fire exercise, highlighting a growing emphasis on suppressing dispersed battlefield targets rather than relying solely on point strikes. Footage released on July 19, 2026, by China Military Online and the Chinese Ministry of National Defense suggests the PLA is expanding its long-range fire-support options with effects designed to disrupt troops, air-defense sites, and lightly protected equipment across a wider area, reinforcing its ability to shape the battlefield before major combat operations begin.  Read Full Defense News At This Link. New PLA footage shows China’s PHL-191 rocket artillery system delivering concentrated, apparent airburst fragmentation effects against dispersed battlefield targets (Picture Source: Chinese Ministry of National Defense) from World Defence News https://ift.tt/jYnGm7H via IFTTT
Post a Comment
Read more