NHI NH90
Encyclopedia
The NHIndustries NH90 is a medium sized, twin-engine, multi-role military helicopter
manufactured by NHIndustries
. The first prototype had its maiden flight
in December 1995. To date sixteen nations collectively ordered over 573 helicopters with deliveries starting in 2006.
, 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, NH Industries signed an NH90 design-and-development contract with NAHEMA (NATO Helicopter Management Agency). This agency represented the four participating nations: 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.
The NH90 has been developed in two main variants: the Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) and the NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH). However, many of the customer countries have requested specific changes for their NH90s. The programme had some technical and funding problems in the 1990s. Then the partner nations placed a large production order for 366 helicopters in June 2000. This was soon followed by a series of orders from Europe, Asia, and Australia.
The NH90 was initially intended to be produced at three exporting assembly lines; Cascina Costa in Italy for AgustaWestland, Marignane in France and Donauwörth in Germany for Eurocopter. The Nordic and Australian contracts stipulated production locally (the Nordic ones at Patria
in Finland and the Australian ones in Brisbane).
The programme ran into a 2 year production delay, and the first NH90s were delivered by late 2006. The type certification for the Finnish helicopters was finally approved on 19 February 2008.
In 2001, three Nordic countries signed purchase orders, Sweden
placed an order for 18 helicopters (with option to buy additional seven), Finland
for 20 helicopters, and Norway
for 14 helicopters (with option to buy additional ten).
NH90 is also a candidate for the Norwegian All Weather Search and Rescue Helicopter (NAWSARH) that is planned to replace the Westland Sea King Mk.43B
of the Royal Norwegian Air Force
in 2015. The other candidates for the NAWSARH contract of 10–12 helicopters are AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin, Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey, Eurocopter EC225 and Sikorsky S-92
. As of 2009 Norway, following programme delays, have not received a date for the delivery of its helicopters.
In August 2003, Greece
ordered 20 NH90s with an option for 14 more. Three aircraft have been delivered to the Greek armed forces by November 2011. These are being used for flight and maintenance training for the Greek Armed Forces.
In 2005, Australia ordered 12 to replace outgoing Army UH-1 Iroquois
. The number was revised in June 2006 when the Australian Defence Force
announced plans to replace its UH-60 Black Hawk and SH-3 Sea King fleets. with an order of at least 34 additional NH90s, taking their total order to 46; four manufactured in Europe, 42 manufactured locally at Australian Aerospace (a Eurocopter subsidiary) in Brisbane
. In Australian service, the NH90 will be known as the MRH 90, where 'MRH' stands for Multi Role Helicopter.
The NFH variant competed with the Sikorsky MH-60R for the Royal Australian Navy
S-70B Sea Hawks replacement program, before selecting the latter in June 2011 with an order of 24.
The Netherlands, one of the original supporters of the programme, has 20 units on order. However, due to design changes, the helicopter is too heavy as of 2009 to be used in combination with the Dutch frigate
s for which they were explicitly ordered. It is unclear what additional changes need to be made to make them suitable for the Dutch primary role.
In July 2006, the Saudi Government signed a contract to purchase 64 NH90s. In July 2006, the New Zealand
Government signed a contract to purchase 8 NH90s (plus 1 extra for spares) to replace their Air Force's
fleet of UH-1 Iroquois
. On 20 June 2007, during the Paris Air Show 2007, Belgium signed the contract for 10 NH90s (4 NFH, 4 TTH + 2 options) and also became the sixth nation to join NAHEMA. On the same day, the German Army
and the Luftwaffe
placed an order for 42 additional NH90s.
The German Navy
(Deutsche Marine) was considering procuring 30 NFH for their new Maritime Helicopter in 2009.
On 20 April 2010, an Australian Defence Force
MRH-90 suffered an engine failure near Adelaide
. Only one engine was affected and the helicopter was landed safely at the Edinburgh base
. The manufacturer has sent personnel to Australia to investigate the failure. On 18 May the ADF announced that all of the Australian MRH-90 fleet were grounded due to engine issues since the 20 April incident. Flights resumed in July 2010.
(ASW) and anti-surface unit warfare
(ASuW), mainly from naval ships. These aircraft are equipped for day and night, adverse weather and severe ship motion operations.
Additional roles include anti-air warfare support, vertical replenishment (VERTREP
), search & rescue (SAR
) and troop transport.
Additional roles include medical evacuation (12 stretchers), special operations, electronic warfare, airborne command post, parachuting, VIP transport and flight training.
The abbreviation TTT (Tactical Troop Transport) is used for Finnish and Swedish TTHs in some contexts.
4 NFH + 4 TTH (2 TTH options) (delivery delayed to 2012)
Finnish Army
: 20 TTH (SAR)
The NH90s in service in the French Armed Forces (both NFH and TTH versions) will be named "Caïman".
Both types are part of the Defence Helicopter Command (Defensie Helikopter Commando)
Military helicopter
A military helicopter is a helicopter that is either specifically built or converted for use by military forces. A military helicopter's mission is a function of its design or conversion...
manufactured by NHIndustries
NHIndustries
NHIndustries is a helicopter manufacturing company established in 1992 by Eurocopter of France and Germany, Agusta of Italy and Stork Fokker Aerospace of the Netherlands...
. The first prototype had its maiden flight
Maiden flight
The maiden flight of an aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord. This is similar to a ship's maiden voyage....
in December 1995. To date sixteen nations collectively ordered over 573 helicopters with deliveries starting in 2006.
Design and development
In 1985 FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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, NH Industries signed an NH90 design-and-development contract with NAHEMA (NATO Helicopter Management Agency). This agency represented the four participating nations: France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
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.
The NH90 has been developed in two main variants: the Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) and the NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH). However, many of the customer countries have requested specific changes for their NH90s. The programme had some technical and funding problems in the 1990s. Then the partner nations placed a large production order for 366 helicopters in June 2000. This was soon followed by a series of orders from Europe, Asia, and Australia.
The NH90 was initially intended to be produced at three exporting assembly lines; Cascina Costa in Italy for AgustaWestland, Marignane in France and Donauwörth in Germany for Eurocopter. The Nordic and Australian contracts stipulated production locally (the Nordic ones at Patria
Patria (company)
Patria is a Finnish company which produces a wide range of defence, aviation and aerospace technology. It carries on the firearms tradition of Valtion Kivääritehdas and the aerospace tradition of Valtion lentokonetehdas.-Patria Aviation:* NH90* Mini-UAVs...
in Finland and the Australian ones in Brisbane).
The programme ran into a 2 year production delay, and the first NH90s were delivered by late 2006. The type certification for the Finnish helicopters was finally approved on 19 February 2008.
Orders
- Norway
In 2001, three Nordic countries signed purchase orders, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
placed an order for 18 helicopters (with option to buy additional seven), Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
for 20 helicopters, and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
for 14 helicopters (with option to buy additional ten).
NH90 is also a candidate for the Norwegian All Weather Search and Rescue Helicopter (NAWSARH) that is planned to replace the Westland Sea King Mk.43B
Westland Sea King
The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a British licence-built version of the American Sikorsky S-61 helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters. The aircraft differs considerably from the American version, with Rolls-Royce Gnome engines , British made anti-submarine warfare systems and a...
of the Royal Norwegian Air Force
Royal Norwegian Air Force
The Royal Norwegian Air Force is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian armed forces on 10 November 1944. The RNoAF's peace force is approximately 1,430 employees . 600 personnel also serve their draft period in the RNoAF...
in 2015. The other candidates for the NAWSARH contract of 10–12 helicopters are AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin, Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey, Eurocopter EC225 and Sikorsky S-92
Sikorsky S-92
The Sikorsky S-92 is a four-bladed twin-engine medium-lift helicopter built by Sikorsky Aircraft for the civil and military helicopter market. The S-92 was developed from the Sikorsky S-70 helicopter and has similar parts such as flight control and rotor systems.The H-92 Superhawk is a military...
. As of 2009 Norway, following programme delays, have not received a date for the delivery of its helicopters.
- Greece
In August 2003, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
ordered 20 NH90s with an option for 14 more. Three aircraft have been delivered to the Greek armed forces by November 2011. These are being used for flight and maintenance training for the Greek Armed Forces.
- Australia
In 2005, Australia ordered 12 to replace outgoing Army UH-1 Iroquois
UH-1 Iroquois
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a military helicopter powered by a single, turboshaft engine, with a two-bladed main rotor and tail rotor. The helicopter was developed by Bell Helicopter to meet the United States Army's requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter in 1952, and first flew...
. The number was revised in June 2006 when the Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
announced plans to replace its UH-60 Black Hawk and SH-3 Sea King fleets. with an order of at least 34 additional NH90s, taking their total order to 46; four manufactured in Europe, 42 manufactured locally at Australian Aerospace (a Eurocopter subsidiary) in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. In Australian service, the NH90 will be known as the MRH 90, where 'MRH' stands for Multi Role Helicopter.
The NFH variant competed with the Sikorsky MH-60R for the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
S-70B Sea Hawks replacement program, before selecting the latter in June 2011 with an order of 24.
- Netherlands
The Netherlands, one of the original supporters of the programme, has 20 units on order. However, due to design changes, the helicopter is too heavy as of 2009 to be used in combination with the Dutch frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s for which they were explicitly ordered. It is unclear what additional changes need to be made to make them suitable for the Dutch primary role.
- Sweden
In July 2006, the Saudi Government signed a contract to purchase 64 NH90s. In July 2006, the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
Government signed a contract to purchase 8 NH90s (plus 1 extra for spares) to replace their Air Force's
Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
fleet of UH-1 Iroquois
UH-1 Iroquois
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a military helicopter powered by a single, turboshaft engine, with a two-bladed main rotor and tail rotor. The helicopter was developed by Bell Helicopter to meet the United States Army's requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter in 1952, and first flew...
. On 20 June 2007, during the Paris Air Show 2007, Belgium signed the contract for 10 NH90s (4 NFH, 4 TTH + 2 options) and also became the sixth nation to join NAHEMA. On the same day, the German Army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
and the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
placed an order for 42 additional NH90s.
- Germany
The German Navy
German Navy
The German Navy is the navy of Germany and is part of the unified Bundeswehr .The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet of the revolutionary era of 1848 – 52 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which later evolved into the Northern German Federal Navy...
(Deutsche Marine) was considering procuring 30 NFH for their new Maritime Helicopter in 2009.
First deliveries
The first NH90s were delivered by late 2006 to the German Army. These were followed by Italian and Finnish helicopters in 2007. Later during 2007, the Italian and French navies started to receive their NFH versions and the first Swedish NH90s were also delivered. On 18 December 2007 the first two MRH 90 aircraft were delivered to the Australian Defence Force. The Royal Netherlands Navy got its first NH90 NFH in April 2010. Norway started to receive their NH90s in November 2010.Concerns over performance
According to a 2010 Bild report, German Army experts deem the helicopter to be utterly unusable for the transportation of combat troops. Among other things they complained that the seats are only suitable to carry 110 kg (240 lb) maximum weight—not enough for a fully equipped soldier. Weapons cannot be sufficiently secured during transport. The floor is too weak and can be damaged by dirty combat boots. The helicopter can only land on firm ground, with obstacles not exceeding 16 cm (6.3 in). Troops carrying full equipment cannot board/leave the helicopter, as the access ramp is too weak. Adding a doorgun is not possible due to the lack of space. In response to this article, the German Defense Ministry proclaimed that the report in question referred to a prototype version, and not to the production model, the specifications for which were not even finalised at the time of the report. The prototype evaluation and its results were described as a normal procedure in an ongoing design process.On 20 April 2010, an Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
MRH-90 suffered an engine failure near Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. Only one engine was affected and the helicopter was landed safely at the Edinburgh base
RAAF Base Edinburgh
RAAF Base Edinburgh is located in Edinburgh, 25km north of the centre of Adelaide.It is primarily home to No 92 Wing's AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft that conduct surveillance operations throughout Australia's airspace....
. The manufacturer has sent personnel to Australia to investigate the failure. On 18 May the ADF announced that all of the Australian MRH-90 fleet were grounded due to engine issues since the 20 April incident. Flights resumed in July 2010.
NFH: NATO Frigate Helicopter
The primary role of the NFH version is autonomous anti-submarine warfareAnti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
(ASW) and anti-surface unit warfare
Anti-Surface Warfare
Anti-surface warfare is a type of naval warfare directed against surface combatants. More generally, it is any weapons, sensors, or operations intended to attack or limit the effectiveness of an adversary's surface ships....
(ASuW), mainly from naval ships. These aircraft are equipped for day and night, adverse weather and severe ship motion operations.
Additional roles include anti-air warfare support, vertical replenishment (VERTREP
VERTREP
Vertical replenishment, or VERTREP is a method of supply of seaborne vessels by helicopter. The United States Department of Defense defines VERTREP as:- History :...
), search & rescue (SAR
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
) and troop transport.
TTH: Tactical Transport Helicopter
The primary role of the TTH version is the transport of 20 troops or more than 2,500 kg of cargo, heliborne operations and search & rescue. It can quickly be adapted to MEDEVAC/CASEVAC missions by fitting up to 12 stretchers or cargo delivery capabilityAdditional roles include medical evacuation (12 stretchers), special operations, electronic warfare, airborne command post, parachuting, VIP transport and flight training.
The abbreviation TTT (Tactical Troop Transport) is used for Finnish and Swedish TTHs in some contexts.
Operators
- Australian ArmyAustralian ArmyThe Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
: 46 MRH 90 (TTH), 12 delivered as of 2011 with the remainder to be delivered until 2015.
4 NFH + 4 TTH (2 TTH options) (delivery delayed to 2012)
Finnish Army
Finnish Army
The Finnish Army is the land forces branch of the Finnish Defence Forces.Today's Army is divided into six branches: the infantry , field artillery, anti-aircraft artillery, engineers, signals, and materiel troops.-History of the Finnish Army:Between 1809 and 1917 Finland was an autonomous part of...
: 20 TTH (SAR)
The NH90s in service in the French Armed Forces (both NFH and TTH versions) will be named "Caïman".
- French ArmyFrench ArmyThe French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
: 34 TTH. + (34 options) - French NavyFrench NavyThe French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
: 27 NFH
- German ArmyGerman ArmyThe German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
: 80 TTH - LuftwaffeLuftwaffeLuftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
(Air Force): 42 TTH/CSAR + (12 options)
- Hellenic ArmyHellenic ArmyThe Hellenic Army , formed in 1828, is the land force of Greece.The motto of the Hellenic Army is , "Freedom Stems from Valor", from Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War...
: (Total 20 ordered) 16 TTH, 4 TTH (Special Operations) + 14 TTH (in option)
- Italian Air ForceItalian Air ForceThe Italian Air Force has gone under different names in different periods:*Regia Aeronautica , from 1923 to June 1946*Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, the air force of Italian Social Republic during World War II...
(Aeronautica Militare): 1 TTH/CSAR (in option) - Italian ArmyItalian ArmyThe Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
: 60 TTH - Italian NavyMarina MilitareThe Italian Navy is the navy of the Italian Republic. It is one of the four branches of military forces of Italy; formed in 1946, from what remained of the Regia Marina . As of 2008, the Italian Navy had 35,200 active personnel with 180 commissioned ships, 19 Floating Docks, and 123 aircraft...
(Marina Militare): 46 NFH, 10 TTH (with some NFH features such as Automatic Folding Blades)
- Royal Netherlands NavyRoyal Netherlands NavyThe Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands. In the mid-17th century the Dutch Navy was the most powerful navy in the world and it played an active role in the wars of the Dutch Republic and later those of the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
: 12 NFH - Royal Netherlands Air ForceRoyal Netherlands Air ForceThe Royal Netherlands Air Force , Dutch Koninklijke Luchtmacht , is the military aviation branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Its ancestor, the Luchtvaartafdeling of the Dutch Army was founded on 1 July 1913, with four pilots...
: 8 T-NFH (NFH adapted for transport tasks)
Both types are part of the Defence Helicopter Command (Defensie Helikopter Commando)
- Royal New Zealand Air ForceRoyal New Zealand Air ForceThe Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
: 8 TTH plus one as a spare.
- Royal Norwegian Air ForceRoyal Norwegian Air ForceThe Royal Norwegian Air Force is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian armed forces on 10 November 1944. The RNoAF's peace force is approximately 1,430 employees . 600 personnel also serve their draft period in the RNoAF...
, 334 Sqn: 6 NFH (ASW) operating from the Fridtjof Nansen class frigateFridtjof Nansen class frigateThe Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates are the main surface combatant units of the Royal Norwegian Navy. The ships are named after famous Norwegian explorers, with the lead ship of the class bearing the name of Fridtjof Nansen, the Norwegian scientist, explorer and humanitarian.Five ships were ordered...
s of the Royal Norwegian NavyRoyal Norwegian NavyThe Royal Norwegian Navy is the branch of the Norwegian Defence Force responsible for naval operations. , the RNoN consists of approximately 3,700 personnel and 70 vessels, including 5 heavy frigates, 6 submarines, 14 patrol boats, 4 minesweepers, 4 minehunters, 1 mine detection vessel, 4 support... - Royal Norwegian Air ForceRoyal Norwegian Air ForceThe Royal Norwegian Air Force is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian armed forces on 10 November 1944. The RNoAF's peace force is approximately 1,430 employees . 600 personnel also serve their draft period in the RNoAF...
, 337 Sqn: 8 NFH (Coast Guard) replacing the Westland Lynx Mk. 86Westland LynxThe Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants...
- Royal Air Force of OmanRoyal Air Force of OmanThe Royal Air Force of Oman is the air arm of the Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces-History:...
: 20 TTH models with an enhanced power plant ordered for tactical transport operations and search & rescue operations. They are expected to be delivered in 2008.
- Portuguese ArmyPortuguese ArmyThe Portuguese Army is the ground branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in co-operation with other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the defence of Portugal...
: 10 TTH
- Total of 104 on order distributed as follows. The first delivery was in 2010 with 45 helicopters. Spain will have a final assembly line operational at AlbaceteAlbaceteAlbacete is a city and municipality in southeastern Spain, 258 km southeast of Madrid, the capital of the province of Albacete in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. The municipality had a population of c. 169,700 in 2009....
.- Spanish Air ForceSpanish Air Force-The early stages:Hot air balloons had been used with military purposes in Spain as far back as 1896. In 1905, with the help of Alfredo Kindelán, Leonardo Torres y Quevedo directed the construction of the first Spanish dirigible in the Army Military Aerostatics Service, created in 1896 and located...
: 28 TTH/CSAR - Spanish ArmySpanish ArmyThe Spanish Army is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies - dating back to the 15th century.-Introduction:...
: 48 TTH - Spanish NavySpanish NavyThe Spanish Navy is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Armada is responsible for notable achievements in world history such as the discovery of Americas, the first world circumnavigation, and the discovery of a maritime path...
: 28 NFH/TTH/CSAR/AEW
- Spanish Air Force
- Swedish Air ForceSwedish Air ForceThe Swedish Air Force is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces.-History:The Swedish Air Force was created on July 1, 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the escalating international tension during the 1930s the Air Force was reorganized and expanded...
: 13 High Cabin Version, 5 High Cabin Version (ASW)
Specifications
See also
External links
- NH90 page on NH Industries' site
- NH90 page on Royal New Zealand Air Force site
- NH90 page on airforce-technology.com
- "NH90: Europe’s Medium Helicopter Contender". defenseindustrydaily.com
- "MH90 vs. CH148: German Navy to decide soon on their new Maritime Helicopter". defpro.com
- "Eurocopter rejects criticism of NH90 helicopter by ‘secret report’". defpro.com
- www.marinehubschrauber.de. Homepage for the MH90-NG (German NH90 NFH Variant)