Airbus Helicopters has selected SKYTRAC's SDL-700 Satcom system to provide mission-critical capabilities for the Joint Light Helicopter French Armed Forces programme.

The French Armament General Directorate launched the development of the H160M in December 2021. This state-of-the-art latest generation military helicopter is capable of missions ranging from commando infiltration to air intercept, fire support and anti-ship warfare supporting the requirements of all three branches of the French Armed Forces.

To support the HIL programme's objective to replace five types of helicopters serving in the French Army, Navy and Air Force, Airbus Helicopters will be providing a total of 169 H160M in batches starting in 2027. These aircraft will be factory-equipped with SKYTRAC's SDL-700 to enable broadband Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity to support high value mission-critical capabilities.

The SDL-700 is the latest iteration of SKYTRAC's flagship broadband Satcom terminal. A multifunctional system, the SDL-700 is a satellite communication terminal, data acquisition, and onboard server system that utilizes the Iridium Certus broadband connectivity service to provide up to 704 Kbps of bandwidth to enable mission-critical capabilities onboard the H160M.

“We are excited to equip the H160M, a leading modern platform, with equally leading-edge capabilities such as live video streaming, image and large file transfer, satellite voice, text, and Push-to-Talk (PTT), and Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) automation,” says Jan van der Heul, vp of sales at SKYTRAC. “LEO satellite communications are revolutionizing operations, and we are excited to spearhead that progress.”

SKYTRAC's complete solution will include the SDL-700 Satcom system, a high gain antenna capable of 704 Kbps of bandwidth, and a dual element GPS antenna that will be integrated into the H160M aircraft.

“With 99.9% uptime reliability using the Iridium NEXT satellite constellation, SKYTRAC's solution will provide the French Armed Forces with the reliable connectivity and mission-critical capabilities required for successful, safe, and efficient operations,” adds van der Heul. “We look forward to continuing our long-standing relationship with Airbus Helicopters and supporting them in the launch of their latest helicopter."