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MARIGNANE, FRANCE (BNS): Eurocopter has delivered two NH90 helicopters to France's armament procurement agency DGA last week.

The twin choppers - the second NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) for the Army and seventh NH90 NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH) for the Navy - were handed over to the DGA at Marignane, France on July 27.

The NH90 TTH will be handed over to the French Army Air Corps for use in training the first aircrews at the French Armed Forces Training Center (CFIA), at Le Cannet des Maures.

The next-generation NH90 TTH has been designed to perform a wide range of missions such as utility transport and logistics, combat search & rescue, medical evacuations, special forces and anti-terrorism operations.

The new choppers will progressively replace the Pumas in service with the French Army Air Corps.

The seventh-delivered NH90 NFH will become part of the initial ship-based group based on the Aquitaine multi-mission frigate of the French Army by 2013.

The French Navy NH90 NFH helicopters - designated the Caiman - represent an important element in the combat system for the service's anti-aircraft defence frigates and multi-mission frigates. The ship-based combat rotorcraft will be assigned anti-ship and anti-submarine missions in their operation from French Navy frigates, as well as search & rescue and anti-terrorism duties at sea.

France has placed an order for a total of 61 NH90 helicopters of which 27 are Naval NFH versions and the remaining 34 utility transport TTH versions.