Airbus Helicopters NH90

History of the Airbus Helicopters NH90

Developed by Eurocopter's helicopter division NHIndustries (now part of the Airbus Helicopters brand), the NH90 is a medium lift, multi-role platform in service with several major European militaries. It made its maiden flight on December 18, 1995, and was launched in 2007. In production since 1995, about 244 units have been completed to date (2015).

The NH90 is the first helicopter in history to be equipped with a full fly-by-wire system.

From the looks of it, the NH90 is a sleek, modern product. Its pilots are arranged side by side in the front of the fuselage, behind a short nose cone. Visibility outside the cockpit is good. The cabin occupies the rear space and is lined with rectangular windows for viewing. The raised tailstock allows for the installation of a power loading ramp, allowing full access to the interior cargo area.

The main rotor blades are a composite four-blade system located low on top of the fuselage. A four-blade unit mounted on the port side forms the tail rotor mount on the vertical tail. There is a horizontal plane along the starboard side.

The wheeled landing gear is retractable to maintain aerodynamic mass.

The NH90 can support two engine brands depending on customer needs/logistics - a 2,230 hp Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322-01/9 turboshaft and a 2,115 hp GE T700-T6E turboshaft. The helicopter features two power units above the cabin, which, combined with an advanced airframe design, enables the NH90 to reach a top speed of 185 mph, a range of up to 500 miles and a service ceiling of 20,000 feet.

The reported rate of climb was 1,575 feet per minute.

Internally, the NH90 can accommodate up to 20 combat readiness troops or up to two NATO standard cargo pallets. Plus, there's a suspended cargo feature that can haul an additional 9,260 pounds. For MEDEVAC roles, the cabin can accommodate up to 12 medical stretchers and staff.

When armed for theater missions, the MH90 supports 7.62mm guns on a trainable mount for localized defense. In anti-ship/anti-submarine roles, missiles or torpedoes can be carried at high altitudes.

Current (2015) operators of the NH90 system include Australia (eg MRH-90 "Taipan" - detailed elsewhere on this website), Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy (SH-90A/UH- 90A), Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Spain and Sweden (eg HKp 14/14b). Portugal and Saudi Arabia have both withdrawn from their NH90 orders.

There are two main variants of the NH90 series: "NFH" for "NATO Frigate Helicopters" equipped for anti-ship/anti-submarine missions, and all-weather day-night hunting platforms. These can also be used for Search and Rescue (SAR), general transportation and humanitarian assistance. "TTH" is used to denote a "Tactical Transport Helicopter" model that serves a specific transport role (cargo or personnel).

Duties covered may also include deployment of airborne troops, electronic warfare (EW), training, VIP personnel transportation, special operations support, and more.

The use of NH90 is not without problems. Concerns about overall performance lingered to the point that some global military forces delayed commissioning until problems were resolved or proven wrong. The Dutch fuselage was found to be excessively worn early, while the Germans' concerns centred on weaknesses in transportability and cargo door installation.

Spool bending in turboshaft engines was noticed in both German and Australian operations, resulting in the landing of the entire NH90 fleet. In addition, Aussies have also experienced constant cracks in the windshield and deformation of the light cabin floor, forcing the modification.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes