Helis, May 16, 2026 - Airbus Helicopters has delivered the 500th H145D3 helicopter produced in the latest five-blade configuration, with the milestone aircraft entering service with the French Civil Security (Sécurité Civile).
The helicopter was officially handed over during a ceremony at the Groupement d'Hélicoptères de la Sécurité Civile base in Nîmes, where it will join the agency’s well-known “Dragon” rescue fleet.
The delivery marks a major milestone both for Airbus Helicopters and for France’s ongoing emergency response modernization program. The aircraft is the first from a landmark contract covering 36 new H145D3 helicopters, scheduled for delivery between late 2024 and mid-2029. Once completed, the program will expand the Sécurité Civile fleet to 40 H145 helicopters, significantly strengthening France’s nationwide aerial rescue and emergency response network.
With the arrival of this aircraft, the French Civil Security now operates 18 next-generation helicopters. The H145D3 fleet is expected to progressively replace older rotorcraft while enhancing operational readiness for missions including emergency medical services (EMS), mountain rescue, disaster response, firefighting coordination, law enforcement support, and maritime search and rescue operations.
The H145D3 introduces Airbus Helicopters’ bearingless five-blade rotor system, a major evolution of the platform that increases useful payload capacity by approximately 150 kilograms while reducing vibration levels in flight. The smoother ride improves crew comfort and supports patient care during critical medical evacuations. The simplified rotor head design also reduces maintenance complexity, contributing to the H145 family’s high availability rates among emergency operators worldwide.
Equipped with the Airbus Helionix avionics suite and a high-performance four-axis autopilot, the H145D3 offers enhanced situational awareness and reduced pilot workload during demanding operations, including night-vision-goggle flights and missions in degraded weather conditions. The aircraft also maintains one of the lowest acoustic footprints in its class, an important factor for operations in urban and populated environments.
Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters said “Delivering the 500th H145 to the Sécurité Civile is a profoundly meaningful milestone for everyone at Airbus Helicopters. For decades, French civil defense teams have relied on our aircraft to save lives in the most hostile environments. This new fleet of five-blade H145s guarantees that the ‘Dragon’ crews will remain equipped with the most reliable, high-performance, and technologically advanced tools to fulfill their vital mission for the French public.”
The Sécurité Civile helicopter service plays a central role in France’s emergency infrastructure, operating rescue helicopters from bases throughout mainland France and overseas territories. Its Dragon crews provide 24/7 rapid-response coverage for alpine rescues, medical evacuations, wildfire support missions, and disaster relief operations.
The Airbus H145 family has become the global benchmark in the light twin-engine helicopter segment. More than 1,600 H145-family helicopters are currently in service worldwide with over 350 civil, parapublic, and military operators across approximately 70 countries. Collectively, the global fleet has accumulated more than 8.5 million flight hours across a broad spectrum of missions ranging from emergency medical transport and offshore operations to military utility and police aviation roles.
The helicopter was officially handed over during a ceremony at the Groupement d'Hélicoptères de la Sécurité Civile base in Nîmes, where it will join the agency’s well-known “Dragon” rescue fleet.
The delivery marks a major milestone both for Airbus Helicopters and for France’s ongoing emergency response modernization program. The aircraft is the first from a landmark contract covering 36 new H145D3 helicopters, scheduled for delivery between late 2024 and mid-2029. Once completed, the program will expand the Sécurité Civile fleet to 40 H145 helicopters, significantly strengthening France’s nationwide aerial rescue and emergency response network.
With the arrival of this aircraft, the French Civil Security now operates 18 next-generation helicopters. The H145D3 fleet is expected to progressively replace older rotorcraft while enhancing operational readiness for missions including emergency medical services (EMS), mountain rescue, disaster response, firefighting coordination, law enforcement support, and maritime search and rescue operations.
The H145D3 introduces Airbus Helicopters’ bearingless five-blade rotor system, a major evolution of the platform that increases useful payload capacity by approximately 150 kilograms while reducing vibration levels in flight. The smoother ride improves crew comfort and supports patient care during critical medical evacuations. The simplified rotor head design also reduces maintenance complexity, contributing to the H145 family’s high availability rates among emergency operators worldwide.
Equipped with the Airbus Helionix avionics suite and a high-performance four-axis autopilot, the H145D3 offers enhanced situational awareness and reduced pilot workload during demanding operations, including night-vision-goggle flights and missions in degraded weather conditions. The aircraft also maintains one of the lowest acoustic footprints in its class, an important factor for operations in urban and populated environments.
Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters said “Delivering the 500th H145 to the Sécurité Civile is a profoundly meaningful milestone for everyone at Airbus Helicopters. For decades, French civil defense teams have relied on our aircraft to save lives in the most hostile environments. This new fleet of five-blade H145s guarantees that the ‘Dragon’ crews will remain equipped with the most reliable, high-performance, and technologically advanced tools to fulfill their vital mission for the French public.”
The Sécurité Civile helicopter service plays a central role in France’s emergency infrastructure, operating rescue helicopters from bases throughout mainland France and overseas territories. Its Dragon crews provide 24/7 rapid-response coverage for alpine rescues, medical evacuations, wildfire support missions, and disaster relief operations.
The Airbus H145 family has become the global benchmark in the light twin-engine helicopter segment. More than 1,600 H145-family helicopters are currently in service worldwide with over 350 civil, parapublic, and military operators across approximately 70 countries. Collectively, the global fleet has accumulated more than 8.5 million flight hours across a broad spectrum of missions ranging from emergency medical transport and offshore operations to military utility and police aviation roles.
H145D3 F-ZBRD ( Sécurité Civile )
Nimes Garons Comments | Join community |
| I still vividly recall the early days of my time at Eurocopter, when—at the culmination of the development phase—we began delivering the first aircraft of an order for 32 BK117 C-2 to the Sécurité Civile. It gives me great pleasure to see that the 500th BK117 D-3 has now been delivered to our former launch customer for the C-2 model. This confirms that the BK117 family remains among the finest helicopters available, and that its continued evolution continues to meet the needs of our customers. |
See also |
H145D3 in
Sécurité Civile H145D3 in
Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH dragon 30
Departement des Gard Sécurité Civile French Civilian Security 
