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DCNS wins Thai naval equipment contract

27 Sep 2007

The Royal Thai Navy has awarded DCNS a contract worth €5 million to supply two harpoon-and-grid landing systems and two Samahé® traversing systems. The first shipset will be delivered in February 2009, the second in May 2009.

The Samahé® traversing systems will replace earlier-generation cable systems for Super Lynx helicopters on existing Thai frigates.

The Samahé® system transfers naval helicopters from the landing/take-off spot to the parking spot inside the ship's hangar and back. The system can accommodate naval helicopters up to 15 tonnes, including Super Pumas, NH90s and Seahawks as well as rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). All operations ensure maximum safety for crews, ship and rotorcraft, and can be undertaken up to sea state 6.

The harpoon-and-grid landing system secures the helicopter on touch-down (or until lift-off) and works in perfect conjunction with the Samahé® traversing system. It also extends the range of sea states in which the flight deck can be used.

Pascal Gambiez, head of DCNS's Naval Equipment business unit, commented: "The Thai Navy is the ninth to choose high-performance DCNS-designed helicopter handling systems. This new mark of recognition by an international customer strengthens DCNS's European leadership in flight deck handling systems. Samahé® has benefited from over 20 years of continuous improvement and is the perfect response to naval needs. The French Navy has selected Samahé™ systems for its FREMM multimission frigates and Horizon anti-air frigates now under construction. Various international client navies also use DCNS-designed handling systems."

Several DCNS business units contribute to these systems. The Naval Equipment BU at Ruelle near Angoulême in south-west France manages design and production while the Nantes-Indret site manufactures the landing grids. Equipment integration with the Thaï Navy vessels will be handled by a local shipyard in Thaïland under a DCNS subcontract.
Helicopter handling system Samahé®