Airbus Helicopters H160

Updated: October 2026 – Five rotor blades with oddly curved tips, a tail rotor that seems to sit crooked in the tail, and a fuselage that looks more like a design study than a work tool: if you come across a helicopter like that, you very likely have an Airbus Helicopters H160 in front of your lens. The medium twin-engine helicopter from Marignane is the youngest civil helicopter in the Airbus lineup and the basis for the military H160M Guépard. Here you will learn how to identify it with confidence, who flies it and how to tell it from its predecessor, the Dauphin.

What is the Airbus H160?

The H160 is a multi-role helicopter in the 6-ton class with two turbines. Airbus Helicopters offers it for offshore flights to oil platforms and wind farms, air rescue, search and rescue, police and government tasks, firefighting, news flights and as a VIP helicopter. In the manufacturer’s lineup it follows the proven AS365 Dauphin and its further development, the H155, and in size sits between the H145 and the larger H175 of the super-medium class.

According to the Airbus data sheet, the maximum takeoff weight is 6,050 kilograms. The manufacturer gives the fast cruise speed as 150 knots and the range as 480 nautical miles. The cabin holds up to twelve passengers, and it is flown by one or two pilots. The H160 is powered by two Safran Arrano 1A, a newly developed turbine that, according to Airbus, uses about 18 percent less fuel than the previous engine generation on comparable missions. You can find more about the engine manufacturer on the page about Safran.

From the X4 to the production helicopter

The story begins with a code name. Eurocopter presented the project in 2011 as the X4, intended as a successor for the medium class. After the renaming to Airbus Helicopters, the manufacturer officially presented the helicopter as the H160 at Heli-Expo in Orlando in March 2015. The striking exterior shape was created with the involvement of the Peugeot Design Lab, which you can certainly see in the smooth, almost automotive lines.

The first prototype took off in June 2015 in Marignane, the home base of Airbus Helicopters right next to Marseille Provence Airport. The second prototype flew in January 2016, the first with the production Arrano engines. A third prototype with a near-production cabin followed in 2017, and the first production helicopter flew on December 14, 2018.

EASA type certification came in July 2020, Japan and Brazil followed in 2021, and the US aviation authority FAA in 2023. The first production H160 was taken over on December 10, 2021 by the Japanese operator All Nippon Helicopter. You can read more about the manufacturer and its sites on the page about Airbus Helicopters, and the group behind it is introduced on the page about Airbus.

The technology you can see from the outside

With the H160 it is worth looking more closely, because many of the innovations are visible from the outside. For you as a spotter these are the best identifying features.

Add to that features you are more likely to discover in detail. The airframe is made largely of composite materials, and the wheeled landing gear and brakes are actuated electrically instead of hydraulically. In the cockpit the Helionix avionics suite bundles flight data and is meant to relieve the crew. The cabin windows are large, and Airbus advertises more room per passenger than other medium twin-engine helicopters. The manufacturer also highlights a special takeoff procedure from ground-level landing sites and states that EASA’s CS-29 requirements are exceeded.

H160, Dauphin or H145?

The most obvious mix-up is the Dauphin, because it too has a Fenestron, wheeled landing gear and a streamlined nose. From a distance the smaller H145, which also has five blades, can be confusing as well. The finder helps you narrow it down.

Feature	AS365 Dauphin	H145 (five-blade)	H160
Main rotor blades	4, straight	5, straight	5, Blue Edge
Fenestron	vertical	vertical	canted
Landing gear	Wheels	Skids	Wheels
Horizontal stabilizer	single	single	double (biplane)
Weight class	about 4 to 5 t	3.8 t	6 t

With helicopters from other manufacturers the tail rotor almost always helps: a Leonardo AW139 or AW169 from the same size class has an open tail rotor. For a detailed overview of all common types, see the guide How to identify helicopter types.

Who flies the H160

The H160 is still a young type, and the fleet is only just growing. The following operators are named in manufacturer information and established reference works; numbers and delivery status change constantly.

France: This is where the H160 is most visible. The Marine nationale (French Navy) operates civil-built H160s as part of an interim fleet for sea rescue along the coasts; in July 2025 Airbus named six aircraft that have been in service for more than two years. The Gendarmerie nationale has ordered ten H160s, and the first aircraft are entering service gradually. Airbus also counts French Customs (Douane) among its customers. How to photograph at airports in France without getting into trouble is explained in the article Photographing at French airports.

Japan: The launch operator was All Nippon Helicopter, which flies news flights. The Japanese police agency has since received H160s as well, and according to Airbus the Japanese fire and disaster management agency has also ordered the type.

Other markets: The Chinese operator GDAT ordered 50 H160s at once in 2023, mainly for the energy sector – the largest single order so far. Added to that are, among others, government aircraft for Spanish ministries, orders from Romania, an H160 for the New York State Police, VIP aircraft in Saudi Arabia and, in Australia, the logistics group Linfox as the country’s first H160 customer. The Ghanaian Air Force has ordered an ACH160.

Region	Chance of a hit	Why
French coasts (Navy SAR)	medium to high	Interim fleet of the Marine nationale
Marignane near Marseille	high	Airbus Helicopters plant, testing and delivery
Aviation trade shows such as Le Bourget	medium	Airbus likes to show the H160 and H160M on static display and in flight
Germany, Austria, Switzerland	low	so far hardly any permanent operators, mostly ferry flights and VIP flights

Many government and offshore helicopters transmit ADS-B and show up on flight tracker services, but some flights are filtered. How to find rescue, police and offshore aircraft live is shown in the guide Tracking helicopters on a flight tracker. The best way to check the type code there is directly in the flight data, because databases do not always list helicopters consistently. How to compare your observations with the data afterward is covered in the article Matching sightings with ADS-B logs.

H160M Guépard: the military version

For military fans the H160M Guépard (French for cheetah) is the most exciting offshoot. It is being developed for the French HIL program (Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger), through which the Army, Navy and Air and Space Force get a common light helicopter platform for the first time. According to Airbus it replaces five older types, including classics like the Gazelle, the Alouette III and the Dauphin.

169 aircraft are planned. According to information in established reference works, they are split into 80 for the Army, 49 for the Navy and 40 for the Air and Space Force. Airbus has built three prototypes; in July 2025 flight testing officially began in Marignane. First live-fire campaigns were on the schedule for 2026, and delivery to the armed forces is to begin from the end of 2028, according to Airbus.

The range of missions extends from commando infiltration and intercepting slow aerial targets to operations from ships and sea rescue. For spotters this means: until the production aircraft are in the squadrons, you will see the Guépard mainly on test flights in southern France or at trade shows. What to keep in mind when photographing at military airfields is in the article Photographing military airfields: rules. You may already know the armed brother for the combat role: the Tiger.

ACH160 and other versions

Besides the basic civil version (H160-B) and the H160M there is the ACH160. Under the Airbus Corporate Helicopters brand it targets private and corporate customers, with a high-end cabin and individual livery. Such aircraft like to turn up at large events, at business aviation terminals or at trade shows. For the French Navy there is also a government derivative for sea rescue, which differs visually from the civil H160 mainly through the rescue hoist, searchlight and Navy livery.

Spotting tips for the H160

Because the type is rare in German-speaking countries, targeted planning pays off. You have the best chances at these places:

Trade shows: At the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget Airbus Helicopters regularly shows its current types. Right at Paris-Le Bourget Airport is also the Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace with its own spotting spot, ideal for a double visit.

Marignane: The Airbus Helicopters plant is located at Marseille Provence Airport. Test, acceptance and ferry flights make the area the best hunting ground for new H160s and H160Ms. Stick strictly to public areas there.

On the move: On French coasts, with a bit of luck, you can see Navy H160s on exercises or rescue missions. You will find general tips for rotorcraft in the guide Helicopter spotting, and at the Helicopter Museum Bückeburg you get to know the ancestors of the H160.

Photo tips specifically for the H160

With the H160 you have a special subject: the Blue Edge blades. Depending on what you want to show, you proceed differently.

The technique is the same as for propeller aircraft; details are in the guide Photographing propellers: the right shutter speed. You plan when the light is right with the sun position planner guide.

Common mix-ups and how to rule them out

Conclusion

The H160 shows where civil helicopters are heading: quieter, more economical and with many details that you as a spotter can recognize right on the aircraft. Swept Blue Edge blades, a canted Fenestron and a double horizontal stabilizer make it unmistakable once you have consciously seen them. With the H160M Guépard the type also gets a big military career in France. In Central Europe it remains a rare catch for now – which is exactly what makes every sighting so valuable.