Airbus Delivers First NH90 Standard 2 Helicopter to French Special Forces
Airbus Helicopters delivered the first NH90 Standard 2 special operations helicopter to the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA). France ordered 18 units, to be operated by Army Aviation special forces in Pau, with deliveries through mid-2029. Spain joined the program in December 2025, ordering 31 similarly configured helicopters. The variant features advanced avionics, a third crew member provision, and enhanced self-protection systems. The program was commissioned in 2020 by the NATO Helicopter Management Agency.
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France receives first NH90 Standard 2 helicopter for special operations
Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first NH90 Standard 2 variant to the French Armament General Directorate, a specialized version of the NH90 TTH designed for special operations. France has ordered 18 of these helicopters, with deliveries continuing until mid-2029, to be operated by the French Army Aviation's special forces squadron at Pau. Spain joined the program in December 2025 with an order for 31 similar aircraft. The Standard 2 configuration includes the Safran Euroflir 410 D electro-optical system, a new digital map generator, provisions for a third crew member, enlarged rear sliding windows for self-protection guns, and future integration of the Direct Aperture System and Thales TopOwl helmet. The program, ordered in 2020 by the NATO Helicopter Management Agency, aims to address past availability and support concerns that led to withdrawals by Norway and Australia.
French DGA Receives First NH90 Standard 2 Special Operations Helicopter
The French Armament General Directorate (DGA) has taken delivery of its first NH90 Standard 2 helicopter, a specialized variant of the NH90 TTH developed by Airbus Helicopters for special operations. France ordered 18 of these upgraded aircraft in 2020 through the NATO Helicopter Management Agency, with deliveries scheduled through mid-2029. The helicopters will be operated by French Army Aviation special forces based in Pau. Key enhancements include the Safran Euroflir 410 D electro-optical system, a digital map generator, an updated cabin for a third crew member, enlarged rear sliding windows for self-protection weapons, and preparation for the future Direct Aperture System to improve visibility in adverse conditions. The aircraft also features a fully digital Thales TopOwl helmet-mounted display. In December 2025, Spain joined the program with an order for 31 helicopters configured to a similar standard. NHIndustries, a consortium of Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo, and Fokker, manages the NH90 program.
French DGA Receives First NH90 Standard 2 Special Operations Helicopter
The French Armament General Directorate (DGA) has taken delivery of its first NH90 Standard 2, a special operations variant of the NH90 TTH helicopter from Airbus Helicopters. France has ordered 18 of these upgraded helicopters, with deliveries scheduled by mid-2029. The aircraft will be deployed with the French Army Aviation special forces in Pau. Key enhancements include the Safran Euroflir 410 D electro-optical system, a new digital map generator, an upgraded cockpit accommodating a third crew member, larger rear sliding windows for self-defense weapons, and preparation for a future direct aperture system to improve visibility in dust and snow. The helicopter also features the fully digital Thales TopOwl helmet, allowing crew to view sensor data on the visor. The NH90 Standard 2 was ordered in 2020 through the NATO Helicopter Management Agency and developed by NHIndustries. In December 2025, Spain joined the program, ordering 31 similarly configured helicopters.
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French DGA receives first NH90 Standard 2 special operations helicopter
The French Armament General Directorate (DGA) has taken delivery of its first NH90 Standard 2 helicopter, an upgraded variant of the NH90 TTH designed specifically for special operations. Ordered in 2020 via the NATO Helicopter Management Agency, France has a total of 18 aircraft on order, with deliveries scheduled through mid-2029. The helicopter will be operated by French Army Aviation special forces based in Pau. Key enhancements include the Safran Euroflir 410 D electro-optical system, a new digital map generator, an updated cabin for a third crew member, enlarged rear sliding windows for self-protection weapons, and a fully digital Thales TopOwl helmet-mounted display. The aircraft is also prepared for the future Direct Aperture System to improve visibility in adverse conditions. In December 2025, Spain joined the program with an order for 31 similarly configured helicopters. Airbus Helicopters CEO Matthieu Louvot stated the new standard builds on proven NH90 capabilities with breakthrough features for special forces missions.
Airbus Delivers First NH90 Standard 2 Helicopter to French Special Forces
Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first NH90 Standard 2 helicopter to the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA). This new variant of the NH90 TTH is specifically developed for special operations and will be operated by the French Army Aviation's special forces squadron in Pau. France has ordered a total of 18 units, with deliveries scheduled by mid-2029. Spain joined the program in December 2025, ordering 31 NH90s in a similar configuration. The Standard 2 configuration includes the Safran Euroflir 410 D electro-optical system, a new digital map generator, provisions for a third crew member, enlarged rear sliding windows for self-protection weapons, and integration of the Thales TopOwl digital helmet. The program was commissioned in 2020 by the NATO Helicopter Management Agency (NAHEMA) from NHIndustries and its partners Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo, and Fokker.
Airbus Delivers First NH90 Standard 2 Helicopter to France
Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first NH90 Standard 2 variant to the French defense procurement agency (DGA). This new configuration, developed specifically for special operations, includes advanced features such as the Safran Euroflir 410 D electro-optical system, a digital map generator, provisions for a third crew member, enlarged rear sliding windows for self-protection weapons, and integration of the Thales TopOwl helmet with DAS and EOS display capabilities. France has ordered 18 units, to be delivered by mid-2029, operated by the special forces squadron in Pau. Spain joined the program in December 2025, ordering 31 helicopters in a similar configuration. The program was commissioned in 2020 by the NATO Helicopter Management Agency (NAHEMA) from NHIndustries and its partners Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo, and Fokker.
Airbus Delivers First NH90 Standard 2 Helicopter to French Special Forces
Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first NH90 Standard 2 helicopter to the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA). This new variant of the NH90 TTH is specifically designed for special operations. France has ordered 18 units, to be delivered by mid-2029, operated by the special forces squadron in Pau. Spain joined the program in December 2025, ordering 31 helicopters in a similar configuration. The Standard 2 configuration includes the Safran Euroflir 410 D electro-optical system, a new digital map generator, provisions for a third crew member, enlarged rear sliding windows for self-protection weapons, and the Thales TopOwl digital helmet. The program was commissioned in 2020 by NATO Helicopter Management Agency (NAHEMA) from NHIndustries and its partners Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo, and Fokker.