Four upgraded AS365N Dauphins helicopters have been delivered to the Djiboutian Air Force (Force Aérienne du Djibouti -FadD) on 16 January 2019. The four Dauphin helicopters were freighted aboard an An-124-100M (registration UR-82009) for delivery at the Bucharest in Romania.
The helicopters will be based at Djibouti-Ambouli (Base Aérienne 188).
Photo credits: Airbus helicopters Romania, stef_schaffrath and sara_rcc
The Dauphin helicopters were previously owned by Saudi Arabia, were upgraded and converted at Airbus Helicopters Romania. During this overhaul period, that took two years in total, one helicopter was converted into a VIP configuration (two crew and four passengers) for the transport of the president; two helicopters were converted into passenger versions and one remained in it is original medical configuration.
With their former employer, the Dauphins were used by the Royal Saudi Armed Forces Medical Services. Details for these helicopters are HZ-MS15 (c/n 6153), HZ-MS18 (c/n 6156), HZ-MS20 (c/n 6158) and HZ-MS21 (c/n 6161)
The Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters) AS365 Dauphin (Dolphin), also formerly known as the Aérospatiale SA 365 Dauphin 2, is a medium-weight multipurpose twin-engine helicopter currently produced by Airbus Helicopters.
