France acquires 8 NH-90 helicopters for its special forces.

The Ministry of Defense of France has announced the purchase order for 8 new NH90 helicopters for its Army Special Operations Forces, partially following an existing acquisition proposal since 2016. The contract for the supply of these 8 helicopters was awarded by the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) to the NHIndustries consortium (Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo, and Fokker). This purchase is part of the Military Planning Law 2024-30, which allocates an investment of 2.000 million euros to strengthen the special forces. This order, confirmed with an additional allocation of 2.100 million euros in the end-of-year finance law, addresses the need to transfer the currently in-service Caracal helicopters to the 1/67 Pyrenees Squadron of the French Air and Space Force.

In 2016, the French Special Operations Command proposed the acquisition of 24 NH90 'Caiman' TTH helicopters, aiming to enhance the capabilities of the units and meet the country's needs by significantly increasing air mobility. However, the Military Planning Law 2019-25 decided to purchase only 10 NH90 Special Forces units, with six of them intended for the 4th Special Forces Helicopter Regiment before 2025.

The Military Planning Law 2024-30 revised this objective, now mentioning a fleet of 18 NH90s in an attached report. This law foresees an investment of 2.000 million euros to strengthen the role, versatility, responsiveness, intelligence, projection, and action of the Special Forces.

The Military Planning Law 2024-30 allocates funds not only for the acquisition of helicopters but also to strengthen the special forces through specific programs such as parachutes and semi-rigid vessels. Furthermore, there is a prioritization of constant equipment modernization and the incorporation of new capabilities, including modernized transport aircraft, more durable unmanned aerial vehicles, and a renewed range of surface and submarine vehicles of the latest generation.

These additional eight NH90 FS, equipped with advanced technologies such as the Euroflir 410 NG optronic system and the Eurofl’eye system, will join the existing fleet. They have been modified to allow troop infiltration operations with self-protection through the side doors.