France’s Gendarmerie Nationale has become the first police force to order Airbus Helicopters’ new-generation H160 multimission helicopter, the company has reported. The contract, for ten of the machines, was signed by the French Ministry of Defence’s Directorate General of Armaments, on behalf of the Ministry of the Interior. The new contract is linked to a previous contract for 169 of the H160M military version for the French armed forces.

“The French Ministry of Interior contract is an important milestone for the H160,” affirmed Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even. “We now have customers for the offshore transportation, private and business aviation, search and rescue and law enforcement mission segments, showing that the H160 is a truly versatile aircraft. Developing this new configuration for the Gendarmerie Nationale is key to the success of the programme.”

The new contract forms part of the French government’s stimulus plan for the country’s aerospace industry, which was launched in 2020. The H160s for the Gendarmerie will be delivered in a dedicated law enforcement configuration. They will be equipped to carry out winching and fast-roping operations and be fitted with Safran Euroflir 410 electro-optical systems. A tailored mission management system for the new machines is being jointly developed by Airbus Helicopters and the Gendarmerie’s aviation command centre.

The H160 also brings improved performance and enhanced troop transport capability for the Gendarmerie, especially for its special forces (GIGN – the abbreviation in French for the Gendarmerie’s elite Intervention Group). The first of the H160s will be delivered to the Gendarmerie before the start of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

The Gendarmerie is a military force assigned policing duties and is one of the oldest police forces in the world. Although a branch of the French armed forces, for the purposes of civil policing it lies under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior. It also has national defence tasks, including policing the military. Under the Ministry of the Interior, it is responsible for policing rural areas, small and suburban towns. Policing of cities is the responsibility of the entirely separate and completely civilian National Police. The Gendarmerie already operates a significant fleet of Airbus Helicopter types, from the H125, H135 and H145 families.