Netherlands buys three more NH90 NFH helicopters

The Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force will receive three additional NH90 NATO Frigate Helicopters (NFHs) under a new contract signed today between NHIndustries (NHI) and the NATO Helicopter Management Agency (NAHEMA), further expanding the Dutch Navy’s maritime aviation fleet.

According to a press release from NHIndustries, the helicopters will be assembled by Leonardo in Italy and delivered with the latest Block 1 configuration, known as Software Release 3 (SWR3), which includes several upgraded mission systems.

Cristian Naso, Managing Director of NHIndustries, said: “The three additional NFHs aircraft will be assembled by Leonardo in Italy and delivered already embedding the latest Block-1 features, also known as Software Release 3 (SWR3), including the most advanced technologies such as the Data Link 22, next-generation electro-optical system, new integrated sonics and additional weaponry.”

Col. Dominique Troquete, Deputy Joint Executive Committee representative of the Netherlands, emphasized the country’s long-standing commitment to the program. “The Netherlands has been part of the NH90 program from the very beginning, as a founding nation in 1999. We received the first NH90 in 2010 and we were the first nation to operationally use the NH90 in 2013 for counter-piracy operations in Somalia,” he said. “Since then the NH90 has proven to be a weapon system with unrivalled operational capabilities and has become an indispensable asset of the Netherlands Ministry of Defence. This contract is yet another new chapter to our long-standing cooperation in the NH90.”

Axel Aloccio, President of NHIndustries, added: “The Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force has consistently demonstrated its trust in the NH90 programme, starting from the original landmark investment to develop the platform, which secured 20 NFHs naval helicopters, up to the recently renewed commitment.”

Michael Kohlhaas, General Manager of NAHEMA, said the order reaffirms the Netherlands’ confidence in the NH90 platform. “The Netherlands’ acquisition of three additional NH90 helicopters reaffirms the high confidence in a proven and versatile platform, strengthening national defence capabilities. This decision enhances the NH90 programme and represents a long-term investment in operational readiness, and industrial cooperation.”

The upgraded NFH helicopters are designed for extended-range maritime missions, including surveillance, target identification, designation, and engagement. According to NHIndustries, the latest configuration allows the helicopters to “detect and counter the threats more efficiently, while communicating advanced tactical real-time encrypted information with the other allies’ cooperative assets, effectively responding to modern interoperability requirements.”

The NH90 NFH, manufactured by NHIndustries and operated by the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force, supports a wide range of missions, from anti-submarine warfare to search and rescue, and is already in operational service with several NATO member states.

The Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force will receive the new aircraft with full mission capabilities, reinforcing its naval helicopter fleet and maintaining alignment with other NATO maritime air units through common systems and shared digital standards.