The Netherlands has underlined its longstanding commitment to the NH90 programme with two significant announcements that will strengthen the capability of the nation’s NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter) fleet, operated by the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force.
Firstly, an official signing ceremony between NHIndustries and NAHEMA confirmed the acquisition of three additional NFH helicopters, which will increase the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force fleet to a total of 22 NFH aircraft. The agreement also signals another major step forward in European defence cooperation and cements an enduring partnership between NHI and the operator.
Meanwhile, the Air and Space Force also marked the delivery of the 13th and final retrofitted NH90 NFH helicopter during a special acceptance event held at Leonardo’s Frosinone facility in Italy. Together, these two important milestones underscore the trust that has been the foundation for decades of strong collaboration. The relationship is now about to enter a new chapter with the fleet expansion.
An indispensable asset
Commenting on the latest NFH acquisition, Col. Dominique Troquete, Deputy JEC of the Netherlands, reflected on the part that the Netherlands has played in the NH90 programme from the outset, as a founding nation in 1999. He said: “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. 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.”
Cristian Naso, NHI Managing Director added: “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.”
The latest NFH acquisition will strengthen Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force’s ability to detect and counter threats more efficiently, and will enhance operational capability across a range of roles, including long-range surveillance, target identification, acquisition, designation, tracking and engagement.
13th and final retrofitted NFH delivered
Alongside the acquisition of additional aircraft, the delivery of the 13th retrofitted NFH helicopter to the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force represents another important landmark for the NH90 programme. Commenting on the significance of the milestone, Lt. Col. Vincent van Os, Netherlands Air Support Command’s NH90 Programme Manager, said: “During the last 11 years, we’ve been working closely together with NHI and especially with Leonardo in order to retrofit our fleet of NH90s. This has been a period of growth and trust between the parties.”
Lt. Col. van Os emphasised the critical bond that exists between the partners: “The key factor for making this cooperation work is trust. We trust in each other to communicate, to show each other what are the opportunities to improve, and we trust each other to execute those improvements.”
NHIndustries and its partner companies thank the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force for its enduring commitment to the NH90 and look forward to continued collaboration in the years and decades ahead.
