French Special Forces to receive first NH90 Caïman Standard 2 helicopter in 2026
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The French Army Aviation (ALAT) will begin receiving the NH90 TTH TFRA Standard 2 special-forces helicopter from June 2026, following completion of deliveries for the 63 Standard 1 aircraft earlier in 2025.
On October 21, 2025, following a visit to Airbus Helicopters in Marignane, Gareth Jennings confirmed that French Special Forces will begin receiving the NH90 TTH TFRA Standard 2 helicopter in mid-2026. The program, managed by NHIndustries under NATO oversight through NAHEMA, covers eighteen helicopters configured for special operations. The TFRA Standard 2 introduces enhanced electro-optical sensors, modified cabin arrangements, and provisions for next-generation situational awareness systems.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Key features of the NH90 TTH TFRA Standard 2 helicopter include a quick-removable door system, a fast-rope insertion and extraction beam, enlarged external fuel tanks, side-mounted machine guns, and an upgraded sensor suite. (Picture source: French MoD)
This will follow the delivery earlier in 2025 of the 63rd and final NH90 TTH Standard 1 aircraft to France, completing the first phase of the national program. The TFRA Standard 2, also designated as NH90 Caïman Standard 2, represents the adaptation of the NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopter to the specific requirements of French special forces aviation units under the Commandement des Opérations Spéciales (COS). The decision to introduce this configuration reflects the need for a dedicated variant optimized for insertion and extraction missions under low-visibility or contested conditions. The new model is scheduled to operate alongside existing NH90 TTH aircraft in the Army Aviation fleet, marking a gradual transition to a dual-standard structure that separates standard transport operations from specialized missions.
The TFRA Standard 2 program was officially launched on October 12, 2020, when NHIndustries, acting under the supervision of the NATO Helicopter Management Agency (NAHEMA) and on behalf of the French procurement authority Direction générale de l’armement (DGA), signed a firm contract for the development and production of this upgraded version. The contract applied to the last ten NH90 TTH already ordered by France, with all airframes to be delivered directly in the TFRA Standard 2 configuration. In December 2023, NAHEMA awarded NHIndustries an additional order for eight further NH90 TTH Standard 2 aircraft, raising the total to eighteen helicopters intended for French special forces use. According to the latest schedule, the first five helicopters of the original batch will be delivered in 2025, the remaining five in 2026, and the additional eight units thereafter. The future operators include the 4e Régiment d’Hélicoptères des Forces Spéciales (4e RHFS) based in Pau, which specializes in infiltration, extraction, and fire support for the French special forces command.
The NH90 TTH TFRA Standard 2/NH90 Caïman Standard 2 introduces several hardware and systems upgrades compared to the original NH90 TTH. The variant integrates the EuroFLIR 410 electro-optical system from Safran Electronics & Defense, providing both pilots and cabin crew, including gunners and loadmasters, with visual and infrared imaging through cockpit and cabin displays. A new digital three-dimensional map generator system enhances situational awareness and terrain following during low-level flight. The cabin layout incorporates a quick-removable rear leaf-door system and a fast-rope beam for simultaneous descent by multiple personnel, along with foldable boarding steps and ceiling-mounted rope anchor points. The side doors retain M3M 12.7 mm (.50-calibre) machine guns for lateral defensive fire, and the helicopter can carry external fuel tanks of approximately 500 kg each to increase operational range and mission endurance.
Electrical and mechanical provisions have been added for a Distributed Aperture System (DAS) combining fixed infrared cameras with a next-generation helmet-mounted sight and digital display (HMSD-DD) under development by Thales, intended for future integration to improve flight safety and targeting in degraded-visibility conditions such as dust, snow, or fog. The NH90 TTH itself is a twin-engine, medium-sized tactical transport helicopter produced by NHIndustries, a consortium formed by Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo, and GKN Fokker Aerostructures. The airframe is primarily composite and incorporates full fly-by-wire flight controls. The NH90 has an overall length of about 19.56 meters, a rotor diameter of 16.30 meters, a height of 5.44 meters, and a maximum take-off weight between 10,600 and 11,400 kilograms, depending on configuration. It can transport approximately 20 fully equipped troops or up to 12 stretchers in a medical evacuation role and has an external load capability of about 4,000 kilograms.
Powered by either two Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322 or General Electric T700-T6E turboshaft engines, the helicopter achieves a maximum speed of about 300 km/h, a cruise speed near 260 km/h, and a service ceiling of around 6,000 meters. The typical range for a baseline NH90 TTH is approximately 800 kilometers, extending to around 1,260 kilometers when equipped with external tanks. The TFRA Standard 2 retains this performance envelope but optimizes avionics, cabin configuration, and sensors for complex missions requiring precision and reduced exposure during landing or extraction.
The TFRA Standard 2 differs from the earlier Standard 1 by introducing several systems specifically designed for special operations. Standard 1 lacked the quick-removable door system, roof-mounted fast-rope beam, ceiling-mounted anchor points, and rear leaf-door modifications now standard on TFRA Standard 2. The integration of the EuroFLIR 410, which can be controlled by both pilots and crew, and the preparation for the DAS and HMSD-DD systems mark significant enhancements in sensor fusion and flight safety under degraded conditions. The addition of external fuel tanks improves range, while the enlarged sliding windows allow installation of defensive armament in self-protection configurations. These new components and systems collectively modify both the operational role and interior ergonomics of the helicopter, allowing the French Army to dedicate this version to its special forces missions without compromising the general-purpose fleet’s transport role. The TFRA Standard 2 also incorporates structural and electrical provisions that facilitate future retrofits, ensuring continuity of production and maintenance with the rest of the NH90 line while minimizing logistical divergence.
The NH90 program traces back to the early 1990s when NAHEMA and NHIndustries signed the design and development contract on 1 September 1992. The prototype’s maiden flight took place on 18 December 1995, leading to production and service entry during the late 2000s. France received its first NH90 TTH in December 2011, marking the beginning of operational integration into the ALAT. The TFRA Standard 2 program, launched in 2020, represents a new evolutionary step toward mission-specific configurations within the same airframe family. According to available data, the earlier French NH90 TTH procurement averaged between 26 and 39 million euros per unit, with an official Senate report quoting 28.6 million euros per aircraft under the 2012 “Bonn rebate” arrangement. The cost of the Standard 2 variant has not been publicly disclosed, though it is understood to be higher due to the integration of advanced electro-optical and digital systems. France’s total NH90 fleet will include 81 TTH airframes by the end of the decade, including the 18 Standard 2 variants. Within France, the TFRA Standard 2 will serve primarily with the 4e RHFS but will remain compatible with maintenance and support structures established under the NH90 Operational Support (NOS) contract, which involves performance-based logistics with NHIndustries.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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The French Army Aviation (ALAT) will begin receiving the NH90 TTH TFRA Standard 2 special-forces helicopter from June 2026, following completion of deliveries for the 63 Standard 1 aircraft earlier in 2025.
On October 21, 2025, following a visit to Airbus Helicopters in Marignane, Gareth Jennings confirmed that French Special Forces will begin receiving the NH90 TTH TFRA Standard 2 helicopter in mid-2026. The program, managed by NHIndustries under NATO oversight through NAHEMA, covers eighteen helicopters configured for special operations. The TFRA Standard 2 introduces enhanced electro-optical sensors, modified cabin arrangements, and provisions for next-generation situational awareness systems.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Key features of the NH90 TTH TFRA Standard 2 helicopter include a quick-removable door system, a fast-rope insertion and extraction beam, enlarged external fuel tanks, side-mounted machine guns, and an upgraded sensor suite. (Picture source: French MoD)
This will follow the delivery earlier in 2025 of the 63rd and final NH90 TTH Standard 1 aircraft to France, completing the first phase of the national program. The TFRA Standard 2, also designated as NH90 Caïman Standard 2, represents the adaptation of the NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopter to the specific requirements of French special forces aviation units under the Commandement des Opérations Spéciales (COS). The decision to introduce this configuration reflects the need for a dedicated variant optimized for insertion and extraction missions under low-visibility or contested conditions. The new model is scheduled to operate alongside existing NH90 TTH aircraft in the Army Aviation fleet, marking a gradual transition to a dual-standard structure that separates standard transport operations from specialized missions.
The TFRA Standard 2 program was officially launched on October 12, 2020, when NHIndustries, acting under the supervision of the NATO Helicopter Management Agency (NAHEMA) and on behalf of the French procurement authority Direction générale de l’armement (DGA), signed a firm contract for the development and production of this upgraded version. The contract applied to the last ten NH90 TTH already ordered by France, with all airframes to be delivered directly in the TFRA Standard 2 configuration. In December 2023, NAHEMA awarded NHIndustries an additional order for eight further NH90 TTH Standard 2 aircraft, raising the total to eighteen helicopters intended for French special forces use. According to the latest schedule, the first five helicopters of the original batch will be delivered in 2025, the remaining five in 2026, and the additional eight units thereafter. The future operators include the 4e Régiment d’Hélicoptères des Forces Spéciales (4e RHFS) based in Pau, which specializes in infiltration, extraction, and fire support for the French special forces command.
The NH90 TTH TFRA Standard 2/NH90 Caïman Standard 2 introduces several hardware and systems upgrades compared to the original NH90 TTH. The variant integrates the EuroFLIR 410 electro-optical system from Safran Electronics & Defense, providing both pilots and cabin crew, including gunners and loadmasters, with visual and infrared imaging through cockpit and cabin displays. A new digital three-dimensional map generator system enhances situational awareness and terrain following during low-level flight. The cabin layout incorporates a quick-removable rear leaf-door system and a fast-rope beam for simultaneous descent by multiple personnel, along with foldable boarding steps and ceiling-mounted rope anchor points. The side doors retain M3M 12.7 mm (.50-calibre) machine guns for lateral defensive fire, and the helicopter can carry external fuel tanks of approximately 500 kg each to increase operational range and mission endurance.
Electrical and mechanical provisions have been added for a Distributed Aperture System (DAS) combining fixed infrared cameras with a next-generation helmet-mounted sight and digital display (HMSD-DD) under development by Thales, intended for future integration to improve flight safety and targeting in degraded-visibility conditions such as dust, snow, or fog. The NH90 TTH itself is a twin-engine, medium-sized tactical transport helicopter produced by NHIndustries, a consortium formed by Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo, and GKN Fokker Aerostructures. The airframe is primarily composite and incorporates full fly-by-wire flight controls. The NH90 has an overall length of about 19.56 meters, a rotor diameter of 16.30 meters, a height of 5.44 meters, and a maximum take-off weight between 10,600 and 11,400 kilograms, depending on configuration. It can transport approximately 20 fully equipped troops or up to 12 stretchers in a medical evacuation role and has an external load capability of about 4,000 kilograms.
Powered by either two Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322 or General Electric T700-T6E turboshaft engines, the helicopter achieves a maximum speed of about 300 km/h, a cruise speed near 260 km/h, and a service ceiling of around 6,000 meters. The typical range for a baseline NH90 TTH is approximately 800 kilometers, extending to around 1,260 kilometers when equipped with external tanks. The TFRA Standard 2 retains this performance envelope but optimizes avionics, cabin configuration, and sensors for complex missions requiring precision and reduced exposure during landing or extraction.
The TFRA Standard 2 differs from the earlier Standard 1 by introducing several systems specifically designed for special operations. Standard 1 lacked the quick-removable door system, roof-mounted fast-rope beam, ceiling-mounted anchor points, and rear leaf-door modifications now standard on TFRA Standard 2. The integration of the EuroFLIR 410, which can be controlled by both pilots and crew, and the preparation for the DAS and HMSD-DD systems mark significant enhancements in sensor fusion and flight safety under degraded conditions. The addition of external fuel tanks improves range, while the enlarged sliding windows allow installation of defensive armament in self-protection configurations. These new components and systems collectively modify both the operational role and interior ergonomics of the helicopter, allowing the French Army to dedicate this version to its special forces missions without compromising the general-purpose fleet’s transport role. The TFRA Standard 2 also incorporates structural and electrical provisions that facilitate future retrofits, ensuring continuity of production and maintenance with the rest of the NH90 line while minimizing logistical divergence.
The NH90 program traces back to the early 1990s when NAHEMA and NHIndustries signed the design and development contract on 1 September 1992. The prototype’s maiden flight took place on 18 December 1995, leading to production and service entry during the late 2000s. France received its first NH90 TTH in December 2011, marking the beginning of operational integration into the ALAT. The TFRA Standard 2 program, launched in 2020, represents a new evolutionary step toward mission-specific configurations within the same airframe family. According to available data, the earlier French NH90 TTH procurement averaged between 26 and 39 million euros per unit, with an official Senate report quoting 28.6 million euros per aircraft under the 2012 “Bonn rebate” arrangement. The cost of the Standard 2 variant has not been publicly disclosed, though it is understood to be higher due to the integration of advanced electro-optical and digital systems. France’s total NH90 fleet will include 81 TTH airframes by the end of the decade, including the 18 Standard 2 variants. Within France, the TFRA Standard 2 will serve primarily with the 4e RHFS but will remain compatible with maintenance and support structures established under the NH90 Operational Support (NOS) contract, which involves performance-based logistics with NHIndustries.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
