Babcock and Airbus Helicopters Secure 10-Year H145 Support Contract for French Public Safety Fleet

Comprehensive Support for Critical Missions

Babcock, in a co-contracting partnership with Airbus Helicopters, has been awarded a significant 10-year contract by the French Ministry of Armed Forces Directorate of Aeronautical Maintenance (DMAé). This agreement, announced on November 18, 2025, is set to provide comprehensive in-service support for a fleet of 46 Airbus H145 helicopters operated by France's Sécurité civile and Gendarmerie nationale. These helicopters are vital for a range of public safety operations, including search and rescue, air medical transport, firefighting, and law enforcement across mainland France and its overseas territories.

Contract Details and Scope of Services

The new contract specifically covers 40 H145 aircraft for the Sécurité civile and six new H145 helicopters for the Gendarmerie nationale. It also includes an option for an additional 22 helicopters for the Gendarmerie nationale, which are intended to replace their current Airbus EC145-C2 fleet. The extensive support package encompasses a wide array of services designed to ensure maximum operational availability and efficiency. These services include:

• Central technical assistance
• Supply of certain aircraft components and mission equipment
• Associated ground support assets
• Training
• Logistics solutions, including transport of spares and stock management
• Technical data management and software support
• Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) activities

Strategic Partnership and Operational Continuity

This latest agreement builds upon existing collaborations between Babcock, Airbus Helicopters, and the French public safety agencies. It complements a previous support agreement for the EC145 helicopter fleet, signed in May 2024, which was also a co-contracting partnership between Babcock and Airbus Helicopters. This unified support structure aims to streamline maintenance and logistics for the entire H145 family fleet.

Pierre Basquin, CEO of Babcock France, emphasized the importance of the contract, stating, 'The Sécurité civile and Gendarmerie nationale play a vital role in protecting our citizens. Babcock is proud to support their mission by ensuring the operational availability of its new H145 fleet. This contract builds on our long-standing military and civil aviation support in France.' Captain Jean-Baptiste Fortin from the DMAé highlighted that '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.'