French MOD has awarded $32 million contract to Nexter Systems and Eurocopter for Cougar and Caracal Helicopters’ guns

Hervé Morin, Minister of Defense, has announced the order of weapon stations for 20mm guns to equip transport and armed assault helicopters under the government’s plan to revive the economy. The defence procurement agency, DGA, on Aug. 31, 2009 awarded Nexter Systems and Eurocopter a contract worth 22 million euros for the acquisition of twenty-five 20 mm guns, gun mounts, fifteen carriages, and their integration on Cougar and Caracal utility and Combat SAR helicopters. The guns are models 20M621, already in service with the army and air force on Gazelle, Puma and Fennec helicopters. Their range of 2,000 meters will provide Caracal and Cougar helicopters with the ability to respond to hostile small arms fire beyond their lethal range. The SH20 is a retractable mount for the 20mm gun. Once fitted, a helicopter can fly over urban or suburban areas in a non-aggressive posture (with retracted gun carriage and cabin doors closed), but can respond to a threat in a few seconds by opening a side door and swinging out the mount and gun. The defense component of the plan to revive the economy represents 2.4 billion euros and in particular enables a 10% increase funds spent on equipment in 2009.