AIRCRAFT PROGRAM

Multirole medium helicopter manufactured by NHIndustries, a joint venture between Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo Helicopters and Fokker Aerostructures.

The fuselage is manufactured entirely from composites. 4 composite main rotor blades have multibox structure and glass and carbon fibre skin with a titanium hub. The diamond shaped fuselage has sliding doors on either side and ramp at rear. Twin turboshaft engines power the rotorcraft.

Crew of three (one pilot and one tactical coordinator in cockpit and one sensor operator in cabin) face five square flat panel LCDs in glass cockpit and up to three in avionics station in cabin. Each pilot has a helmet mounted sight display and night vision goggles. NH90 is the world’s first helicopter to feature fly-by-wire controls. These advanced quadruplex fly-by-wire controls are integrated with a four-axis autopilot, communication, mission and navigation systems.

Type variants

Variant	Launch/First flight	Production end
NHIndustries NH90 NFH	1996 / 1995		Production: 3 (2006) Deliveries began on 13 December 2006 when three TTH transport helicopters were handed over to the German Army at Donauwörth following German type certification on 1 December 2006; Germany was the sole recipient nation that year. [high]. Naval variant, NFH: NATO Frigate Helicopter.
NHIndustries NH90 TTH	1996 / 1995		Production: 0 (2026) GAMA: NHIndustries NH90. Land-base army/air force variant, TTH: Tactical Transport Helicopter.

Recent news

• 03/08/2026:  Press Release:  The NH90 successfully completes its first flight in Software Release 3 (SWR3) configuration
• 20/04/2026:  Press Release:  Airbus and partners sign NH90 Block 2 architecture study contract
• 23/02/2026:  Press Release:  Airbus unveils next generation rotorcraft concepts for NATO studies
• 14/01/2026:  Press Release:  Thales enhances NH90 helicopter pilots' safety and efficiency with TopOwl Digital Display helmet
• 22/12/2025:  Press Release:  Safran develops Eurofl’Eye, the new advanced vision technology for NH90 helicopters

View full news archive for the NHIndustries NH90.

See recent updates (latest 03/08/2026)