News Review: French Navy receives second NH90 Caiman helicopter | ADM Nov 2010

On September 7, the French Navy took delivery of its second NH90 Caiman Marine helicopter.

The aircraft, in combat configuration with sonar and tactical operator stations, landed on the naval air base at Hyères where the Naval Air Trials and Reception Unit is stationed.

The French Navy has ordered 27 NH90 Caimans, and the first should enter operational service in late 2011 at Lanvéoc naval air base in Brittany.

The remainder will be delivered to the naval air arm (Aéronautique navale) by 2021 to replace first the Super Frelon and subsequently the Lynx helicopters it operates in the anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare, tactical transport and maritime search and rescue roles.

The Caiman is the baseline for the NH90 NFH which Eurocopter, through Australian Aerospace, is offering to the RAN as a Seahawk replacement under Phase 8 of Project Air 9000.

An Australian evaluation team was due to visit Marignane and Hyères last month to evaluate the helicopter formally as part of the Air 9000 Ph 8 tender evaluation.