The French agency responsible for maintenance and overhaul of state-owned aircraft, awarded Airbus Helicopters a contract to provide a global service solution covering the French EC145s operated by national police and civil defense, the company said Thursday.
The SIMMAD (Structure intégrée du maintien en condition opérationnelle des matériels aéronautiques du ministère de la Défense) awarded a five-year contract with a Full-by-the-Hour (FBH) support for nose-to-tail coverage of the helicopter parts for the French Gendarmerie Nationale and Sécurité Civile.
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Photo: Airbus Helicopters
Airbus highlighted that although the support coverage excludes engines, the service includes a logistics service with 24/7 delivery for aircraft on ground (AOG) situations and comprehensive technical support.
The contract also includes the potential to perform aircraft maintenance and training. Ineo Support Global will contribute as a sub-contractor by providing competitive repair solutions, Airbus said.
“We are committed to providing the French Gendarmerie Nationale and the Sécurité Civile with the highest quality of services, enabling them to perform their critical search and rescue, medical evacuation and law enforcement missions to support the French population when they most need it,” Dominique Maudet, Airbus Helicopter executive vice president for global business and services, said in a statement.
“This contract underlines our commitment to support Airbus Helicopters’ largest customer, the French government, which operates around 600 Airbus Helicopters aircraft,” Maudet added
The French fleet of ED145s under the contract includes 15 used by the Gendarmerie Nationale and 35 by the Sécurité Civile. These rotorcraft are on call 24/7 throughout France and its overseas departments and used for public service missions, including search and rescue, as well as police missions, Airbus noted.
Airbus highlighted the 50 aircraft will be supported by the company’s recently created Military Support Center France, an organization designed to support French military and civil customers.
Airbus Helicopters recently replaced renamed its product set, replacing the EC designation with an H as part of the company’s new identity within the Airbus Group.