In February 2020 was announced that 4 new H160 helicopter will be leased from
Babcock for 10 years for search and rescue missions in the Atlantic and the Channel as an interim measure until arrival of the
H160M Cheetah (Guepard).
On May 2021, the Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA) ordered 2 additional H160
SAR missions first scheduled to start in May 2022 from naval bases Lanveoc-Poulmic (
LFRL) and Hyeres (
LFTH) and the Cherbourg airport (
LFRC). In January 2023 the first H160B arrived to BAN Lanveoc for trials and is expected to enter operational service with 32F during this year.
H160M deliveries planned to start in 2027