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NHIndustries NH90
The NHIndustries NH90 is a European medium-sized, twin-engine, multirole military helicopter. It was the first production helicopter to feature entirely fly-by-wire flight controls. There is extensive use of composite materials and electronic sensors. The helicopter has two main versions, the TTH oriented towards land applications (able to carry up to 20 troops) and the NFH, oriented towards naval use and focused on such tasks as ASW and marine SAR. Over 500 have been produced for a dozen users, and it remains in production.
The NH90 was developed in response to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) requirements for a battlefield helicopter which would also be capable of being operated in naval environments. It was developed and is manufactured by NHIndustries, a collaborative company owned by Airbus Helicopters (formally Eurocopter), Leonardo (formerly AgustaWestland), and Fokker Aerostructures. The first prototype conducted its maiden flight in December 1995; the type first entered operational service in 2007. As of June 2022, the NH90 logged 327,053 flight hours in the armed forces of thirteen countries. It is an advanced but high maintenance military helicopter employed by a dozen countries in two major versions. It has a naval version that can land on ships and is used for sea rescue and submarine warfare, and an army version that has been used for transporting cargo, people, medivac, and special operations.
The NH90 has two main variants: the Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) for army use and the navalised NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH); each customer typically has various alterations and customizations made to their own NH90 fleets, such as different weapons, sensors, and cabin arrangements, to meet their own specific requirements. In addition, local construction of airframes was accommodated in many cases, giving participants in the program a chance to develop experience in construction. However, despite many advanced features, there have been a series of complaints about the overall experience, including delays in delivery, high maintenance, software issues, and durability, leading to the early retirement of some fleets. Nevertheless, it has served in increasing numbers and roles in the 2010s, taking on naval search and rescue, ASW, troop transport, special operations, various resupply and disaster relief, and medical evacuation. In several cases, NH90 variants can be quite specialized towards a certain role.
Since its introduction into service, the NH90 has suffered several technical issues, which have delayed active deployment of the type by some operators. It is a key next-generation helicopter for many NATO countries: some have opted to stick with the type while others have chosen to discontinue operations. In 2022, Norway terminated the program and demanded a full refund. Australia withdrew the type in 2023, well ahead of the planned retirement date of 2037. Currently in the mid-2020s, a dozen countries continue to use the NH90, while additional orders and improvements equate to ongoing and widespread use of the type. Efforts are ongoing to increase roles, upgrades, and increase the service life and ease of maintenance.
In 1985, France, West Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom teamed to develop a NATO battlefield transport and anti-ship/anti-submarine helicopter for the 1990s. The United Kingdom left the team in 1987. On 1 September 1992, NHIndustries signed an NH90 design-and-development contract with NAHEMA (NATO Helicopter Management Agency). This agency represented the four participating states: France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. Portugal later joined the agency in June 2001. Design work on the helicopter started in 1993. The first prototype, PT1, made the type's first flight on 18 December 1995. The second prototype, PT2, first flew on 19 March 1997 and the third prototype, PT3, on 27 November 1998. On 12 December 2002, PT3 became the first helicopter to fly exclusively with fly-by-wire controls after the removal of mechanical back-up controls.
The NH90 was developed into two main variants: the Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) and the NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH). These two main variants share about 75% commonality with each other. Many of the operators have requested specific configurations to their own helicopter fleets, thus each country's NH90 is effectively customized to the end-user's requirements. During the development phase of the programme in the 1990s, both technical and funding problems were experienced. In June 2000, the partner states placed a large production order, worth US$8.6 billion, for a total of 366 helicopters. Additional orders have since followed from customers in Europe, Asia, and Australia. By April 2013, a total of 529 NH90s of all variants were on order by various customers. As of early 2023, there were 597 on order, and the 500th airframe was delivered at that time.
The NH90 was initially intended to be produced at three exporting final assembly lines (FAL): Cascina Costa in Italy for AgustaWestland, Marignane in France and Donauwörth in Germany for Airbus Helicopters. The Nordic and Australian contracts stipulated production locally (the Nordic ones at Patria in Finland and the Australian ones in Brisbane). Spain has a final assembly line at Albacete. The Marignane assembly line can reportedly complete up to 22 NH90s per year.
Major components are produced by each of the shareholding companies:
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NHIndustries NH90
The NHIndustries NH90 is a European medium-sized, twin-engine, multirole military helicopter. It was the first production helicopter to feature entirely fly-by-wire flight controls. There is extensive use of composite materials and electronic sensors. The helicopter has two main versions, the TTH oriented towards land applications (able to carry up to 20 troops) and the NFH, oriented towards naval use and focused on such tasks as ASW and marine SAR. Over 500 have been produced for a dozen users, and it remains in production.
The NH90 was developed in response to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) requirements for a battlefield helicopter which would also be capable of being operated in naval environments. It was developed and is manufactured by NHIndustries, a collaborative company owned by Airbus Helicopters (formally Eurocopter), Leonardo (formerly AgustaWestland), and Fokker Aerostructures. The first prototype conducted its maiden flight in December 1995; the type first entered operational service in 2007. As of June 2022, the NH90 logged 327,053 flight hours in the armed forces of thirteen countries. It is an advanced but high maintenance military helicopter employed by a dozen countries in two major versions. It has a naval version that can land on ships and is used for sea rescue and submarine warfare, and an army version that has been used for transporting cargo, people, medivac, and special operations.
The NH90 has two main variants: the Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) for army use and the navalised NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH); each customer typically has various alterations and customizations made to their own NH90 fleets, such as different weapons, sensors, and cabin arrangements, to meet their own specific requirements. In addition, local construction of airframes was accommodated in many cases, giving participants in the program a chance to develop experience in construction. However, despite many advanced features, there have been a series of complaints about the overall experience, including delays in delivery, high maintenance, software issues, and durability, leading to the early retirement of some fleets. Nevertheless, it has served in increasing numbers and roles in the 2010s, taking on naval search and rescue, ASW, troop transport, special operations, various resupply and disaster relief, and medical evacuation. In several cases, NH90 variants can be quite specialized towards a certain role.
Since its introduction into service, the NH90 has suffered several technical issues, which have delayed active deployment of the type by some operators. It is a key next-generation helicopter for many NATO countries: some have opted to stick with the type while others have chosen to discontinue operations. In 2022, Norway terminated the program and demanded a full refund. Australia withdrew the type in 2023, well ahead of the planned retirement date of 2037. Currently in the mid-2020s, a dozen countries continue to use the NH90, while additional orders and improvements equate to ongoing and widespread use of the type. Efforts are ongoing to increase roles, upgrades, and increase the service life and ease of maintenance.
In 1985, France, West Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom teamed to develop a NATO battlefield transport and anti-ship/anti-submarine helicopter for the 1990s. The United Kingdom left the team in 1987. On 1 September 1992, NHIndustries signed an NH90 design-and-development contract with NAHEMA (NATO Helicopter Management Agency). This agency represented the four participating states: France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. Portugal later joined the agency in June 2001. Design work on the helicopter started in 1993. The first prototype, PT1, made the type's first flight on 18 December 1995. The second prototype, PT2, first flew on 19 March 1997 and the third prototype, PT3, on 27 November 1998. On 12 December 2002, PT3 became the first helicopter to fly exclusively with fly-by-wire controls after the removal of mechanical back-up controls.
The NH90 was developed into two main variants: the Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) and the NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH). These two main variants share about 75% commonality with each other. Many of the operators have requested specific configurations to their own helicopter fleets, thus each country's NH90 is effectively customized to the end-user's requirements. During the development phase of the programme in the 1990s, both technical and funding problems were experienced. In June 2000, the partner states placed a large production order, worth US$8.6 billion, for a total of 366 helicopters. Additional orders have since followed from customers in Europe, Asia, and Australia. By April 2013, a total of 529 NH90s of all variants were on order by various customers. As of early 2023, there were 597 on order, and the 500th airframe was delivered at that time.
The NH90 was initially intended to be produced at three exporting final assembly lines (FAL): Cascina Costa in Italy for AgustaWestland, Marignane in France and Donauwörth in Germany for Airbus Helicopters. The Nordic and Australian contracts stipulated production locally (the Nordic ones at Patria in Finland and the Australian ones in Brisbane). Spain has a final assembly line at Albacete. The Marignane assembly line can reportedly complete up to 22 NH90s per year.
Major components are produced by each of the shareholding companies: