Marignane, 13 March, 2015 – The French General Directorate for Armament (DGA) took delivery of 2 upgraded AS532 Cougar for the French Army Aviation on Friday the 13th March.

Airbus Helicopters was awarded with an ambitious modernization program, by the French General Directorate for Armament, for the 26 Cougar aircraft that are operated by the French Army Aviation. The upgrade includes, in particular, a new avionics suite and an exceptional automatic pilot similar to that of the H225M (formerly the EC725) which brings a similar human machine interface between the two aircraft, a real operational advantage for the crew.

Three AS532 Cougar were upgraded in 2013, and five more in 2014 and an additional seven aircraft will be delivered in 2015.

In April 2014, the modernized Cougar successfully participated in its first operational deployment in Mali as part of Operation Barkhane alongside the Tiger and has already demonstrated excellent capabilities.

Airbus Helicopters is a division of Airbus Group, a global pioneer in aerospace and defense related services. Airbus Helicopters is the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer and employs more than 23,000 people worldwide. With 44 percent market share in civil and parapublic sectors, the company’s fleet in service includes some 12,000 helicopters operated by more than 3,000 customers in more than 150 countries. Airbus Helicopters’ international presence is marked by its 29 customer centers and participations and its worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents. Airbus Helicopters’ range of civil and military helicopters is the world’s largest; its aircraft account for one third of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. The company’s chief priority is to ensure the safe operation of its aircraft for the thousands of people who fly more than 3 million hours per year.