BELFAST — European manufacturer NHIndustries (NHI) announced today it has agreed to a €15 million ($17.6 million) contract with the NATO Helicopter Management Agency (NAHEMA) to cover a NH90 helicopter Block 2 architecture study aimed at integrating the aircraft with future technologies.
The study marks a “major step in the long-term evolution” of the rotary program and is based around the target of meeting “future operational needs of the battlefield of the 2040s,” said NHI in a statement. NHI is a joint collaboration between Airbus, Leonardo and GKN Aerospace/Fokker Technologies. It stated in March that the study would be “launched” for a 2026 to 2027 timeframe.
The latest statement also noted that the architecture effort will develop additional “capability enhancements” beyond the ongoing Block 1/Software Release 3 upgrade — expected to see over 200 aircraft retrofitted with new capabilities. Belgium, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands signed up for development of the software project in 2024, which includes integration of a Link 22 datalink, Leonardo’s LEOSS-T Electro-Optical gimbal, sonar equipment and “additional weapons integration,” according to a separate NHI statement.
“The [Block 2] study will focus essentially on defining a modular and scalable avionics architecture that will ensure the platform can integrate future technologies rapidly and seamlessly,” added the airframer today. “It will also design a simplified maintenance-plan to provide increased fleet availability and an improved life cycle cost, as well as advanced mission capabilities through connectivity, collaborative combat, and crewed–uncrewed teaming.”
NHI will provide “multiple evolution options” to NAHEMA and nations involved in the Block 2 study, aligned to “respective operational requirements,” added the manufacturer. The NH90 is built off two variants — tactical transport and NATO frigate helicopter (NFH).
Although the rotorcraft has suffered from customer dissatisfaction, leading to Australia and Norway walking away from signed contracts, and Sweden stating an intent to do the same, NHI CEO Axel Aloccio said in 2024 that “commercial opportunities” amounting to between “50 to 100” additional aircraft sales are feasible.
Speaking as part of an in-house interview earlier this year, he explained that the NFH variant of the aircraft “continues to attract strong international interest, driven largely by its advanced anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities.”
The NH90’s global fleet stands at an estimated 530 helicopters and has amassed over 500,000 flight hours, according to NHI figures.