Airbus Delivers First NH90 Standard 3 Multirole Military Helicopter to Spain

Airbus has delivered the first NH90 multirole helicopter in the Standard 3 configuration, also known as Final Operational Capability (FOC), to the Spanish Armed Forces. This delivery marks a critical milestone in Spain’s NH90 program, aimed at bolstering the operational effectiveness of the country’s military forces. As part of the second tranche of the NH90TTH program, NHIndustries is set to deliver a total of 23 NH90 helicopters to Spain. This deal, valued at €1.4 billion, was solidified in December 2018 and includes 16 helicopters in the FOC configuration. The Spanish Army Aviation is expected to receive 12 of these helicopters, while six will support the Air Force’s search and rescue (SAR) squadrons. Spain’s acquisition of the NH90TTH Standard 3 is a testament to the country’s commitment to enhancing its defense capabilities with state-of-the-art military technology, aligning with NATO standards and ensuring a robust response to diverse operational demands.

The NH90TTH Standard 3 brings a range of advanced features designed to meet the latest operational demands. Among these are an upgraded IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) system operating in Mode 5, a sophisticated self-defense system, and improved radio communication with advanced cryptographic protection. Enhancements have also been made to the FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) system to maximize engine performance, and there is an option to retrofit previously delivered helicopters to this Standard 3 configuration. Spain’s Armed Forces are working towards maintaining a fleet of 45 NH90TTH helicopters to support the operational needs of the Army, Air Force, and Navy. Additionally, there is speculation about future acquisitions, including a potential order of the navalized NH90NFH variant to replace some of Spain’s aging SH-60B Seahawks. This follows Madrid’s recent procurement of eight MH-60R helicopters through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.

The NHIndustries NH90 is a European medium-sized, twin-engine, multirole military helicopter. It was the first production helicopter to feature entirely fly-by-wire flight controls. There is extensive use of composite materials and electronic sensors. The helicopter has two main versions, the TTH oriented towards land applications (able to carry up to 20 troops) and the NFH, oriented towards naval use and focused on such tasks as ASW and marine SAR. Over 500 have been produced for a dozen users, and it remains in production. The NH90 was developed in response to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) requirements for a battlefield helicopter which would also be capable of being operated in naval environments. It was developed and is manufactured by NHIndustries, a collaborative company owned by Airbus Helicopters (formally Eurocopter), Leonardo (formerly AgustaWestland), and Fokker Aerostructures.

The NH90 has two main variants: the Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) for army use and the navalised NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH); each customer typically has various alterations and customizations made to their own NH90 fleets, such as different weapons, sensors, and cabin arrangements, to meet their own specific requirements. In addition, local construction of airframes was accommodated in many cases, giving participants in the program a chance to develop experience in construction. Nevertheless, it has served in increasing numbers and roles in the 2010s, taking on naval search and rescue, ASW, troop transport, special operations, various resupply and disaster relief, and medical evacuation. In several cases, NH90 variants can be quite specialized towards a certain role. As of June 2022, NH90 helicopters across 13 countries have logged over 327,000 flight hours, fulfilling roles such as troop and cargo transport, medical evacuation, special operations, anti-submarine warfare, and maritime search and rescue.