Airbus Helicopters has secured a significant new support contract that will see it maintain the entire fleet of H145 family helicopters operated by the French Sécurité Civile and Gendarmerie Nationale. The agreement, signed with France’s Aeronautical Maintenance Directorate (DMAé), covers 46 H145s in total – forty assigned to the Sécurité Civile and six to the Gendarmerie Nationale – under a programme set to run for up to ten years. Airbus Helicopters will deliver the contract in co-contracting partnership with Babcock.

The latest agreement complements a previous support contract signed in May 2024, also alongside Babcock, covering EC145 aircraft. Together, the two frameworks now give Airbus Helicopters complete responsibility for supporting all H145 family aircraft across the French public safety fleet, ensuring a unified system for availability, maintenance and operational readiness.

“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 of the DMAé. “This comprehensive agreement provides the long-term visibility and industrial support necessary to guarantee their performance.”

Romain Trapp, Executive Vice President of Customer Support & Services at Airbus Helicopters, added: “Airbus Helicopters is proud to strengthen its partnership with the French government and to be working alongside Babcock on this essential programme. 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.”

Under the contract, Airbus Helicopters and Babcock will ensure the availability of H145 family aircraft across all mission profiles, including search and rescue, emergency medical services, fire-fighting and law enforcement. The scope of work includes training, technical support, spare parts supply, logistics, stock management, software support and full MRO services.

Airbus confirmed it remains committed to modernising the Sécurité Civile and Gendarmerie Nationale helicopter fleet. The Sécurité Civile currently operates 13 new H145s, and the Gendarmerie Nationale has recently accepted its first new H145 after orders placed in 2021 and 2024.