Airbus begins H160M helicopter flight testing

July 25, 2025, by Fatima Bahtić

Airbus Helicopters has started flight tests of the H160M Guépard, the militarized variant of the H160 being developed for the French Armed Forces under the Joint Light Helicopter program.

As informed, the H160M’s maiden flight was celebrated during an official ceremony at the company’s headquarters in France. The flight test crew consisted of Samuel Chartier, H160M flight test pilot, and flight test engineers Nicolas Certain, Laurent Maruejols, and Alban Corpron.

The helicopter was chosen by France as a single platform to equip all three branches of the armed forces—the army, navy, and air and space force.

The French Ministry of Armed Forces plans to order 169 H160Ms to replace five types of helicopters currently in service with the French Armed Forces or recently retired.

“The start of the flight test campaign is a major milestone for the H160M programme. We have received excellent feedback from the French Navy on the performance of their six H160s, which have proven themselves with a high availability rate,” said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters.

The H160M is based on the civil H160 platform, which has been in service for over three years. Nicknamed “Guépard” by the French Armed Forces, the H160M incorporates major advancements, making it one of the most modern military helicopters in the world, according to Airbus.

To speed up development, the fimr is building three prototypes. The first prototype will be used mainly to validate flight performance and conduct firing campaigns scheduled for 2026. The second prototype, now in final assembly, will undergo hot- and cold-weather testing, along with other evaluations.

“The H160M is an aircraft tailored for tomorrow’s military operations: reliable, agile, highly connected, and equipped with the latest generation of sensors and weaponry. Most importantly, it is highly scalable and can adapt to changing operational contexts,” Even added.

The 6-tonne class aircraft is equipped with the Safran Arrano engines. It has benefited from 68 patents aimed at increasing its efficiency, safety, environmental footprint, maintenance, and operating costs compared to previous generation aircraft.

Furthermore, the French Armed Forces version features Thales’ FlytX avionics and a mission system developed by Airbus. These systems allow the crew to carry out complex missions in degraded environments with perfect tactical situational awareness.

The H160M is equipped with advanced communication systems that enable seamless integration into air, naval, and land-based operations. It is also the first Airbus helicopter to feature a built-in drone cooperation system.

The aircraft is fitted with state-of-the-art sensors, including Safran’s Euroflir 410 electro-optical system and Thales’ AirMaster C radar. Its self-protection suite covers the entire electromagnetic and optical spectrum and includes automatic threat decoy capabilities.

Thanks to Airbus’ HForce weapon system, the H160M can carry a variety of armaments. It will be able to mount 12.7 mm machine guns in pods and guided rockets, as well as 7.62 mm machine guns on a pintle mount or an articulated arm for precision shooting.

Deliveries to the French Armed Forces are scheduled to start in late 2028, with Airbus providing maintenance and operational support for at least ten years.