NATO Buys NH90 Military Helicopters for Netherlands
NATO’s Helicopter Management Agency (NAHEMA) has contracted NHIndustries to supply three NH90 NATO Frigate Helicopters (NFH) for the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force.
The agreement, placed on behalf of the Dutch Ministry of Defence, includes an option for two additional aircraft and will expand the Dutch maritime rotary-wing fleet to a potential 22 units.
The three airframes will be assembled by NHIndustries’ parent company Leonardo in Italy, and will incorporate the Block 1/Software Release 3 (SWR3) configuration.
SWR3 combines modern avionics, including Data Link 22 tactical beyond-line-of-sight radio communication, a next-generation electro-optical system, an improved acoustic suite, and expanded weapons integration.
Amsterdam confirmed that it will also modernize its existing fleet to the same standard, creating a common configuration intended to boost availability, ease maintenance and training, and preserve interoperability with European and NATO partners.
The new NH90 NFH helicopters are expected to be delivered around 2030, according to multiple sources.
Extending Trust in ‘Indispensable Asset’
NHIndustries said that the purchase reinforces the Netherlands’ well-established role in the NH90 program, which it joined as a founding nation in 1999.
“Since then the NH90 has proven to be a weapon system with unrivalled operational capabilities and has become an indispensable asset,” said Col. Dominique Troquete, noting the aircraft’s operational debut under the Dutch forces for Somali counter-piracy missions in 2013.
NHIndustries President Axel Aloccio echoed that sentiment, saying that the recent order reflects continued trust in the multinational helicopter effort, while NAHEMA general manager Michael Kohlhaas described the acquisition as a “long-term investment in operational readiness and industrial cooperation.”
