France’s Directorate General of Armament (DGA) has officially inducted the Airbus H160 helicopter into service at its military test pilot academy, EPNER, marking another milestone in the modernization of its flight test and evaluation fleet. The newly delivered aircraft will work alongside the existing H225 “Helicopter Test Bench,” enabling the DGA to conduct a wider range of test and training missions, including avionics validation, systems integration, and flight performance trials under realistic conditions. The H160 replaces the older Dauphin SA 365 N previously used for test pilot instruction and will gradually phase out several aging helicopter types, such as the Gazelle, Panther, Alouette III, and Fennec. The adoption of the H160 aligns with France’s Light Joint Helicopter Program, under which 169 militarized H160M Guépard aircraft will be procured for the Army, Navy, and Air and Space Force. The first H160M prototype completed its maiden flight in July 2025 at Airbus’ Marignane facility, paving the way for serial production and delivery starting in 2028. Airbus has simultaneously established a high-fidelity test bench replicating the H160M cockpit and mission systems, enabling early integration of new sensors and avionics before fleetwide rollout. Key components include Safran’s Euroflir 410 optronic suite and Thales’ latest avionics architecture, both of which are undergoing live flight validation on modified demonstrator platforms. The DGA anticipates that introducing the H160 into the EPNER fleet will not only enhance training realism but also accelerate certification and readiness timelines for upcoming French helicopter programs.
