Airbus begins build of final H160M prototype

Airbus Helicopters has begun construction of the third and final H160M prototype at its Marignane production facility near Marseille in southern France. First flight is scheduled for 2027. (Airbus Helicopters)

Airbus Helicopters has begun construction of the third and final H160M prototype at its Marignane production facility near Marseilles in southern France.

The company announced the event in early November 2026, saying, “A significant programme milestone has been reached with the arrival of the central fuselage for the third and final H160M prototype at the Marignane site in France.”

News of the launch of construction of this prototype came weeks after the head of the H160M programme, Vincent Chenot, provided Janes and other defence media with an update on the effort.

Speaking at the same Marignane facility in early October 2026, Chenot said the first H160M prototype had already accumulated significant flight-test experience since its maiden flight in July 2025. “As of today, it has logged 114 hours of flights, which is quite good. The feedback from the flights is really positive. We don't have any significant design issues to correct,” he said.

With the first prototype used to validate the mission systems, the second prototype has also now entered flight testing. “The first flight [of this second helicopter] was in July 2026. The behaviour of the aircraft is as good as the first one. It's actually the same design and we have no specific issue. We're very happy with it.” This airframe is being used for mechanical fatigue tests, with Chenot noting, “We need to assess all the loads in flights in order to assess the fatigue of our dynamic components and assess it towards the life duration of all our components. This is very important. It's critical for certification.”