Airbus Helicopters and Babcock have secured a 12-year contract to support 48 EC145 helicopters operated by the French Ministry of Interior. The contract, signed with the Direction de la Maintenance Aéronautique (DMAé), starts this year and covers technical support, spare parts supply, logistics solutions, technical data management, and software support for the fleet.
The EC145s are operated by the Sécurité Civile (33 helicopters) and the Gendarmerie Nationale (15 helicopters) across 41 bases in France, including five bases in French overseas territories. These helicopters play a critical role in safeguarding French communities, engaging in search and rescue, emergency medical services, firefighting missions, and law enforcement operations.
Romain Trapp, Airbus Helicopters’ Executive Vice President Customer Support and Services, expressed pride in signing the contract, stating, “We measure our responsibility in guaranteeing that their EC145s are available 24/7 for their critical missions.”
Airbus Helicopters is also committed to the renewal of the Sécurité Civile and Gendarmerie’s helicopter fleet. The Sécurité Civile already operates four new H145s ordered in 2021, which are also supported by Airbus Helicopters and Babcock. In late 2023, a contract was signed for an additional 42 H145s for the French Ministry of Interior (36 for the Sécurité Civile and six for the Gendarmerie), with deliveries set to begin in 2024.
The partnership between Airbus Helicopters, Babcock, and the French Ministry of Interior demonstrates the importance of ensuring the availability and reliability of the EC145 fleet in serving the French population and maintaining public safety.
