The French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) has added a newly delivered Airbus H160 helicopter to EPNER, its military test pilot academy, further enhancing the nation’s rotary-wing test and training capability.
The H160 joins the H225 “Helicopter Test Bench” currently in operation, forming a versatile duo for pilot and engineer training and flight validation of new avionics and sensors under real-world conditions.
It replaces the Dauphin SA 365 N, which had served as a test training platform for decades. The move marks the gradual transition toward the H160M Guépard, intended to replace older helicopter types such as the Gazelle, Panther, Alouette III, and Fennec across the French armed forces.
Chosen in 2021 under France’s HIL (Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger) program, the Guépard will total 169 aircraft shared among the Army, Navy, and Air and Space Force. The first H160M prototype flew in July 2025, and production deliveries are scheduled from late 2028.
To support development, Airbus has established a cockpit and systems integration test bench, where mission equipment such as Safran’s Euroflir 410 sensor and Thales avionics are already undergoing flight evaluation on modified demonstrators. This early testing phase aims to streamline operational familiarization before the full military variant enters service.
