Eurocopter to supply four EC725 search and rescue helicopters to the Royal Thai Air Force

A contract was signed today between Eurocopter and the Royal Thai Air Force for the supply of four EC725 helicopters, configured for search and rescue missions.

Signing the new agreement today were Air Marshal Paiboon Singhamat of the Royal Thai Air Force, and Olivier Lambert, Eurocopter’s Senior Vice President for Sales and Customer Relations.

“This latest endorsement underscores the role of our EC725/EC225 family as the helicopters of reference in Asia for search & rescue,” Lambert said. “It also marks a new step in Eurocopter’s expansion of its ties with Thailand as the country moves ahead with modernization programs for its helicopter fleets.” Deliveries of the EC725, the twin-engine tactical rotorcraft from Eurocopter's successful Cougar family, will be in 2015.

“This contract for the EC725 will greatly enhance the capabilities of the Royal Thai Air Force, giving us added reach and effectiveness in search and rescue missions," stated Air Marshal Paiboon Singhamat, Chairman of the Purchasing Committee.

The twin-engine EC725/EC225 rotary-wing aircraft family features high-performance navigation and mission systems, including a unique digital four-axis autopilot. Offering excellent flight autonomy, this powerful machine is also great for tactical transport as it has a large cabin with seating for 25 persons. As a result, the EC725 military version and its EC225 civilian/parapublic variant have become the reference for civil and military search and rescue, off-shore and passenger transport missions around the world.

Eurocopter already is a helicopter supplier in Thailand for military and law enforcement, having been selected for acquisitions by the Royal Thai Army and Royal Thai Police.

About the Royal Thai Air Force

The Royal Thai Air Force or RTAF, established in 1913, is the air force of the Kingdom of Thailand, and ranks as one of the earliest air forces to be formed in Asia. The first airmen that formed the Air Force were trained in France between 1912 and 1913. Currently the Royal Thai Air Force consists of around 45 000 active servicemen under the command of Air Chief Marshal Itthaporn Subhawong. The Royal Thai Air Force has its headquarters at Don Muang Airbase, Bangkok and has several modern bases from which it conducts its administrative, transport, and training operations.

About Eurocopter

Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace and defense-related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approximately 20,000 people. In 2011, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s number one helicopter manufacturer with a turnover of 5.4 billion Euros, orders for 457 new helicopters and a 43 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s helicopters account for 33 percent of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. Eurocopter’s strong international presence is ensured by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries. Eurocopter’s worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents supports some 2,900 customers. There are currently more than 11,300 Eurocopter helicopters in service in 149 countries. Eurocopter offers the most comprehensive civil and military helicopter range in the world and is fully committed to safety as the most important aspect of its business.

Major milestone achieved as Eurocopter hands over its first Puma Mk2 aircraft to the UK Ministry of Defence

The upgrade of UK Ministry of Defence Puma aircraft took a further major step forward yesterday when Eurocopter handed over its first Puma Mk2 aircraft to MOD. This upgrade will significantly enhance the aircraft’s performance, mission capability and safety. The first modified aircraft will fly from Oxford into QinetiQ’s Boscombe Down facility where it will support trials.

Eurocopter’s first internal qualification of the Puma Mk2 was achieved on July 6, concluding the first phase of the planned developments, with further enhancements to its mission capabilities planned over the coming months. To date, Eurocopter has completed the initial upgrade process on three Puma helicopters, all of which are now involved in flight testing. The first of these will be delivered to QinetiQ’s Boscombe Down military test and evaluation centre for further trials.

The Puma Mk2 helicopters represent a key element of the UK’s medium battlefield support helicopter capability, and will be deployed for tactical troop and load movement by day and night. The upgrade will extend the operational lifetime and significantly upgrade the capabilities of 24 of the Royal Air Force Puma helicopters. The new Puma is an ideal medium lift platform for urban operations and its ability to be rapidly deployed by C17 make it the ideal platform for fast moving contingent combat and humanitarian operations.

“This delivery milestone marks another important accomplishment in a programme that is vital for the UK’s combat capabilities, and it results equally from Eurocopter’s commitment to its success and our close cooperation with the Ministry of Defence,” said Markus Steinke, the Managing Director of Eurocopter UK. “Once upgraded, Puma Mk2s will be serving the Royal Air Force until 2025, offering exceptional performance and capability.”

Enhancements for the Puma Mk2 include major performance and safety improvements with the use of new Makila 1A1 turboshaft engines; the integration of a full glass cockpit incorporating modern avionics and a flight management system; the implementation of a digital automatic flight control system; as well as the incorporation of a secure communications suite, new defensive aids and ballistic protection for crew and passengers. Additionally, the helicopter’s greater onboard fuel capacity and lower fuel consumption will increase the Puma Mk2’s operating range. The Puma will be able to carry twice the payload over three times the range than its predecessor even in the most demanding of environmental conditions.

About Eurocopter

Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace and defense-related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approximately 20,000 people. In 2011, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s number one helicopter manufacturer with a turnover of 5.4 billion Euros, orders for 457 new helicopters and a 43 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s helicopters account for 33 percent of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. Eurocopter’s strong international presence is ensured by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries.

Eurocopter’s worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents supports some 2,900 customers. There are currently more than 11,300 Eurocopter helicopters in service in 149 countries. Eurocopter offers the most comprehensive civil and military helicopter range in the world and is fully committed to safety as the most important aspect of its business.

About Eurocopter UK Ltd.

Eurocopter UK Ltd. is headquartered in Oxford, with additional bases in Dublin (Ireland), Belfast (Northern Ireland), Hawarden (Wales) and Aberdeen (Scotland). Through this fully-owned subsidiary, Eurocopter enjoys a reputation for innovation, high quality and a strong customer service ethos. Having achieved an exemplary performance in the customization, distribution and support of Eurocopter products for civil and public service customers during the past 30 years, Eurocopter UK also provides state-of-the-art services to the oil & gas Industry and the UK armed forces. The Ministry of Defence relies on 100 Eurocopter helicopters for transport, training and Special Forces missions, and has awarded the Puma Upgrade Programme to Eurocopter UK Ltd. With over 450 helicopters in service in the British Isles, Eurocopter is the leading supplier of turbine helicopters in the United Kingdom.

Eurocopter Delivers Two NH90s to France’s DGA for their Deployment by the French Army and Navy

The ceremony celebrating this dual delivery was held at Marignane, the manufacturer’s headquarters, and was attended by the DGA, Dominique Maudet, Eurocopter Group’s Executive Officer for France & Vice President of Global Business and Services, and a number of representatives from France’s armed forces.

The NH90 TTH delivered to the DGA today will be handed over to the French Army Air Corps for use in training the first aircrews at the French Armed Forces Training Center (CFIA) at Le Cannet des Maures. The aircraft is the 100th NH90 TTH to be delivered.

The NH90 NFH will enter into service at the Hyères naval air base, where preparations will be made for the deployment of its operational capabilities on frigates.

“This delivery of two versions of the NH90 on the same day is a major step in the historical relationship between Eurocopter and our customer, the French state,” said Maudet. “We are especially proud to play a part in the important missions that the French armed forces will carry out in the interest of the French nation with these technologically advanced aircraft.”

The NH90 TTH helicopters will progressively replace the Pumas in service with the French Army Air Corps. The next-generation NH90 TTH has been designed to perform a wide range of missions—even the most demanding, such as utility transport and logistics, combat SAR, medical evacuations, special forces operations and anti-terrorism.

In its final operational configuration, the NH90 is equipped with field-tested avionics that enable the helicopter to carry out is missions both day and night regardless of the weather conditions. It also has high-performance self-protection equipment, a military communication system that is interoperable for international operations, and equipment for ship-based deployment.

Designed to replace the Lynx and Super Frelon fleets, the NH90 NFH helicopters ordered by France will carry out maritime SAR, anti-terrorism and anti-submarine missions from the naval air bases at Hyères and Lanvéoc-Poulmic.

The NH90 NFH boasts a state-of-the-art weapons system that combines, as part of a high-performance platform, a package of ultra-modern electronic, acoustic and optronic sensors as well as weapons loads adapted to anti-ship and anti-submarine missions. The helicopter also performs SAR, amphibious, maritime surveillance and anti-piracy missions.

The six NH90 final assembly lines currently operational in France, Germany, Italy, Finland, Australia and Spain are under the supervision of NHIndustries, a consortium jointly owned by Eurocopter, AgustaWestland and Fokker Aerostructures, which respectively hold 62.5 percent, 32 percent and 5.5 percent stakes.

About Eurocopter

Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace and defense-related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approximately 20,000 people. In 2011, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s number one helicopter manufacturer with a turnover of 5.4 billion Euros, orders for 457 new helicopters and a 43 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s helicopters account for 33 percent of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. Eurocopter’s strong international presence is ensured by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries. Eurocopter’s worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents supports some 2,900 customers. There are currently more than 11,300 Eurocopter helicopters in service in 149 countries. Eurocopter offers the most comprehensive civil and military helicopter range in the world and is fully committed to safety as the most important aspect of its business.

Eurocopter’s revolutionary X3 helicopter begins its U.S. tour in Texas

Eurocopter today began the U.S. tour of its X3 high-speed hybrid helicopter, which will demonstrate the unique operational capabilities of this advanced transportation system during a month of visits to military facilities and hub locations for civil helicopter operators.

The tour was initiated with a debut X3 flight presentation at the Grand Prairie, Texas headquarters of Eurocopter’s U.S. subsidiary – American Eurocopter – which was attended by employees, elected officials, customers and industry partners.

In addition to providing the first-ever demonstration of Eurocopter’s cutting-edge innovation with the X3 outside of Europe, the company’s tradition of rotary-wing excellence was underscored by a Grand Prairie Airport fly-in of its product range, from the pioneering Alouette and BO105 to today’s UH-72A Lakota for the U.S. Army, the U.S. Coast Guard’s MH-65C Dolphin, as well as the EC225, AS350 and EC145 – which are used in civilian operations, law enforcement, medical airlift and parapublic missions.

“We have a very ambitious innovation strategy leading to the first flight of a new helicopter, a new version or a new technology demonstrator every year. Innovation is not just a buzzword, it’s a way of life at Eurocopter,” explained President & CEO Lutz Bertling. “With the ingenious design and unparalleled technology of our X3 demonstrator, we are well positioned to bring this type of helicopter to the market in the next 10 years.”

Underscoring the X3’s maturity and excellent handling characteristics, some guest pilots and observers were invited to fly aboard the demonstrator aircraft today – an opportunity that will be repeated during multiple demonstrations organized by American Eurocopter at Grand Prairie with the oil and gas, public services, law enforcement and medical airlift sectors. The X3 will then fly to Redstone Army Arsenal Airfield in Alabama; Fort Bragg’s Simmons Army Airfield in North Carolina; Virginia’s Manassas Regional Airport and military installations in the Washington, D.C. area.

Eurocopter’s aircraft configuration for the X3 uses a pair of turboshaft engines to power a fiveblade main rotor system, along with two propellers installed on short-span fixed wings. This concept is well adapted to missions requiring long transit flights and where speed is important, while retaining vertical lift and hover capabilities – all at very affordable cost.

The company envisions a wide range of purposes for its hybrid technology in future products, including long-distance search and rescue (SAR), Coast Guard missions, border patrol missions, passenger transport and off-shore airlift, along with inter-city shuttle services. It also is well-suited for military missions in special forces operations, troop transport, combat SAR and medical evacuation – benefitting from the combination of higher cruise speeds with excellent vertical takeoff/landing performance.

Eurocopter began X3 flight testing in September 2010 from the Istres Flight Test Center in southern France, where the aircraft easily surpassed its initial speed target of 220 kts.; reaching more than 230 kts. in level flight while using 80 percent of available power. Beyond confirming its excellent flight qualities, maneuverability, outstanding acceleration and deceleration capabilities, the hybrid demonstrator has shown exceptional climb and descent rates along with very low vibration levels – all without any need for passive or active anti-vibration systems.

Follow the X3 U.S. tour with daily news and updates on the company’s special events website.

http://events.eurocopter.com

and on:

http://press.eurocopter.com

About Eurocopter

Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace and defense-related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approximately 20,000 people. In 2011, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s number one helicopter manufacturer with a turnover of 5.4 billion Euros, orders for 457 new helicopters and a 43 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s helicopters account for 33 percent of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. Eurocopter’s strong international presence is ensured by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries. Eurocopter’s worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents supports some 2,900 customers.

There currently are more than 11,300 Eurocopter helicopters in service in 149 countries. Eurocopter offers the most comprehensive civil and military helicopter range in the world and is fully committed to safety as the most important aspect of its business.