Record European Helicopter Contract
Will Be Signed for NH90 Here at ILA

NH90: the four-nation program plans for a total 595 helicopters.

ILA 2000: Europe's biggest-ever helicopter program will get a formal send off at ILA 2000 with the signing of a $4.2 billion contract to produce the first 196 NH90 transport and utility aircraft.

Plans call for the four-nation NHIndustries eventually to produce 595 of the twin-engine, 10-ton class helicopters.

The NH90 is a marvel of European cooperation: France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands managed to agree on a common requirement, and to set up a joint international structure to meet and execute it. NHIndustries' composition is 41.6% Eurocopter France, 28.2% Agusta, 23.7% Eurocopter Deutschland, and 6.5% Stork Fokker of the Netherlands. The creation of EADS will bring 65.3% of the program into a combined Eurocopter.

Despite many trials and tribulations, including massive cuts in defense budgets, the fixed-price program has taken just 10 years from Memorandum of Understanding to Initial Production-not bad by today's standards.

Current plans call for Germany to buy 219 NH90s, Italy 196 France 160, and the Netherlands 20.

The two versions of the NH90 -- a 20-passenger tactical transport and a naval NATO frigate helicopter -- share a common basis. Both are offered with either the Turbomeca RTM 322 or GE T700 -T6E engine; France has chosen the RTM, while Germany, the Netherlands and Italy have yet to make a decision.

Technological features of the NH90 include an all-composite crashworthy fuselage with low radar signature, fly-by-wire controls, single-pilot IFR capability, and a low maintenance requirement of 2.5 man hours per flight hour.

With production about to begin, the NH90 is now chasing the export market. Prime target -and its first competition-is the joint helicopter bid by the four Nordic nations, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark, for between 70 and 90 helicopters. They are seeking a versatile helicopter that will carry out many roles, including tactical transport, search and rescue, and anti-submarine warfare.

NHIndustries is offering bother naval and transport versions of the basic common NH90, with RTM 322 engines. Finland's requirement for deliveries to begin in the second half of 2003 fits well into the NH90 production timeframe, as first production helicopters will roll off the line earlier that year.

Competitors for the Nordic contract include the much larger EH101 helicopter, Sikorsky's new S-92 (which is seeking its first production order), and the yet-to-be-built Agusta Bell AB139 20-passenger utility helicopter.

NH90 helicopters have now flown some 650 hours in prototype form. One of the five prototypes is appearing here at ILA, marking the third year it has been seen flying at the Berlin show.

©Show News 2000