At SOFINS 2025 Daher, the French aerospace company, made its Kodiak 100 available for parachute drops for military trials, as well as for some important civilian and military personalities
The Daher Aircraft Division is fully involved with the ALAT (Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre), the French Army Aviation, which has in service the TBM 700 and TBM 700B aircraft used for transport, liaison and support missions.
During the three-day event at the Camp de Souges, in south-western France, the company deployed the last iteration of its Kodiak 100, the Kodiak 100 Series III, which flew numerous times a day dropping military teams as well as other customers in solo and tandem jumps over the airfield.
The Kodiak 100 was designed to support missions far from home base, with minimal logistic footprint, hence it is considered an aircraft of choice for special forces missions considering its technical features and versatility.
A single-engine turboprop utility aircraft produced by Daher, it was designed for robust performances, particularly in difficult environments.
Powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34 turboprop engine providing a maximum take-off power of 750 hp and a maximum continuous power of 700 hp, that activates a four-blade 96-inch (2.44 metres) propeller, the Kodiak 100 Series III can reach a cruise speed of 183 knots (339 km/h), maximum endurance with 1,025 litres of fuel (max capacity is 1,211 litres) being 9.9 hours. This means a range of up to 1,005 nautical miles (1,861 km) at 174 kts and 12,00 feet, certified service ceiling being 25,000 feet (7620 m).
Designed from inception with a to operate from rough surfaces such as unprepared grass or gravel runways, thanks to its robust fixed landing gear, it can be even equipped with carbonfibre floats to allow it operating from water surfaces.
The Kodiak 100 has short take-off and landing characteristics and can take-off from just 285 metres runway and land in 233 metres. Maximum take-off mass is 3,290 kg, of which 1,601 kg is the useful load, seating arrangements going from the single pilot seat with all cabin dedicated to freight, up to a 10-seat configuration; for high altitude operations an oxygen system with a central O2 bottle is part of the options. The Kodiak cabin has a height of 1.37 metres, a width of 1.45 metres, a length of 4.83 metres, the available volume being 7.02 m3. The 1.25×1.25 metres cargo door allows to drop supplies as well as personnel, the latter option being showcased during SOFINS 2025. An External Cargo Compartment (ECC) can be installed which provides additional cargo space, with marginal seped reduction thanks to its aerodynamical shape.
The aircraft limited footprint on the ground, it is 10.3 metres long and has a 13.72 metres wingspan, allows it to swiftly manoeuvre on limited surfaces to get ready for the next take-off.
The Kodiax 100 Series III is equipped with a Garmin G1000 NXi integrated avionics suite, a GFC 700 autopilot, Dual GPS, Attitude and Heading Reference System, Air Data Computer and Garmin GWX 75 Weather Radar. A TKS® Ice Protection
System makes the airplane certified for flight into known ice, Garmin SurfaceWatch ensuring runway situational awareness system.
The Kodiak 100 can be easily adapted for personnel transport, parachute drops, medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), or ISR missions (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance).
In France, the Kodiak 100 is being used by Héli-Béarn, a company based north of Pau, where the French Army Airborne Troops School (ETAP) is located. The aircraft is used for military paratroopers training as well as for parachute tests commissioned by the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA).
Thanks to its combination of autonomy, versatility and capability in hostile environments, the Kodiak 100 can be effective tool for special forces operating far from their home base.
Additionally it should be mentioned that Daher is expanding its portfolio with its Kodiak 900 and TBM 960 aircraft, which innovative performance.
Photos by J. Roukoz and P. Valpolini