31-Oct-23 - Airbus and Naval Group tested the SDAM demonstrator (Système de Drone Aérien Marine/ Naval Aerial Drone System) based on the Guimbal/Airbus VSR700 unmanned helicopter on board the French Navy frigate Provence #drones
26-Jul-23 - French Navy’s 32F Squadron, based at Cherbourg and equipped with the “interim helicopter” Airbus H160, completed its first search and rescue (SAR) mission on Sunday, July 23 #H160
15-May-23 - Airbus and the French Armament General Directorate (DGA) tested the unmanned aerial system (UAS) VSR700 for the first time in an operational configuration from a ship at sea #VSR700
10-Apr-23 - The French Navy leased interim helicopter Airbus H160 FI ( flotte intérimaire ) continues evaluations before being declared operational with the Flotille 32F #H160
22-Sep-22 - The first of six interim search and rescue (SAR) Airbus H160B was delivered by Babcock to the French Navy. These helicopters will fill the gap for national missions replacing AS365 awaiting the delivery of the H160M Guépard from 2027 #H160
16-Feb-22 - US Navy Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron HSC-22, “Sea Knights”, Detachment 5 completed the first operational deployment of the Bell / Northrop-Grumman MQ-8C Fire Scout drone helicopter aboard littoral combat ship USS Milwaukee (LCS 5) in the Caribbean Sea
22-Dec-21 - France signed contract for first batch of several prototypes and 30 Airbus H160M Guépard helicopters (21 for army, 8 for navy and 1 for air force) as part of the Light Joint Helicopter programme (HIL)
09-Jul-21 - French General Directorate of Armaments (DGA) validates a new capability of the French Navy NH90 NFH Caiman marine helicopter to allow automatic opening parachute jumps for special forces #parachute
22-May-21 - Two additional H160 (making 6) will be leased from Babcock for Search and Rescue (SAR) from May 2022 based at Lanveoc-Poulmic naval air station (Britany), Cherbourg airport (Normandy) and Hyères naval air station (Provence) as interim helicopters pending arrival of H160M #H160
14-Dec-20 - Naval Group received first two, of four, Schiebel Camcopter S-100 drones to be delivered to the French Navy’ helicopter carriers of the Mistral class. The Aeronavale had already four in inventory #drones
