F
R

2
-
2
0
0
2

NH90 RACKS UP SALES SUCCESSES

By Karl Schwarz

At NH Industries in Aix-en-Provence, southern France, they have every reason to feel pleased with themselves. For, over the last year the small marketing team has succeeded in establishing the NH90 utility helicopter as standard in Europe. After Portugal joined the original partner countries of Germany, France, the Netherlands and Italy at the Paris Airshow in June, contracts with Finland, Sweden and Norway followed in the autumn. This boosted the orderbook to 305 helicopters, plus a further 72 options.

The breakthrough for the NH90 was not easy, yet the NHI shareholders, AgustaWestland and Eurocopter, often find themselves pitched against the common machine with their respective products, the EH101 and the Cougar. Then there are complex industrial entanglements to be contended with, which complicate the question of offsets. If customers want any special modifications, it is difficult to reconcile all the requirements.

In the case of the Nordic Standard Helicopter Programme (NSHP), the three remaining countries (Denmark decided to purchase the EH101) have all ordered different variants of the NH90.

* Finland is to receive 20 Tactical Troop Transports (TTT), the variant which is the closest in its specification to the German Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH). However, the TTT is to be fitted with Collins radios and bulbuous observation windows. The equipment specifications of all the aircraft include a winch and searchlight for rescue operations. Given the Scandinavian weather conditions, de-icing system and ski undercarriage are obvious requirements.

The Finnish army is to receive its first NH90's in 2004 and will start by equipping the Utti-Jaeger Regiment, which is still flying the Mi-8T/P. Finland's last six aircraft are to be delivered in 2008.

* Sweden has decided on a completely new NH90 model with a taller cabin (1.82m instead of 1.58m). This will entail an insert into the mid-section of the fuselage, with its trapezoidal cross-section, in the area of the bend, which will also widen the helicopter cabin. The cockpit section and tail area have to be modified accordingly.

Sweden's equipment requirements also depart significantly from the standard. Saab is developing a new mission system for NHI that will cover both TTH tasks and also naval missions through a modular computer with a variable number of plug-in cards. Then there is to be a modified sonar system, tailored to conditions in the relatively shallow Baltic Sea.

The ten TTTs, three search and rescue (SAR) variants and the five anti-submarine warfare (ASW) NH90's are destined for service with the Swedish air force (Flygvapnet). They are to be delivered between the beginning of 2005 and 2009.

* Norway's NH90's are to be based on the NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH) version, but with some different avionics components, two rescue hoists and a digital map generator, together with provision for helmet-mounted displays, liferafts and auxiliary tanks. However, only six aircraft are to be fully equipped for ship-based ASW operations, while the other eight will primarily be used in the SAR role. Deliveries are to commence in October 2005. An option has been placed for ten additional SAR NH90's, which would then be paid for by the Ministry of the Interior.

Between them, the three countries have placed 52 firm orders for the NH90, with a further 17 options. The 52 helicopters that have been ordered are worth around Euro 1.4 billion, a sum which has to be matched 100% by direct and indirect industrial offsets. The main beneficiaries here will be Patria and Saab.

Patria is taking over final assembly of at least 50 NH90's (the first two for Finland are coming from Marignane). This will generate 650 man-years' worth of new jobs in Jämsä. The RTM322 engines are also to be assembled at Patria in Linnavuori. The company, which is one-quarter owned by EADS, is also negotiating orders to build a number of components.

Saab is expecting to gain 2 billion krone of sales (Euro 660 million). In addition to development of the new mission management system, the company is to build 200 forebodies, generating business for plants in Linköping, Järfälla, Jönköping, Kista and Arboga.

Following its successes in Europe, NH Industries is now turning its attention to the competition for a naval helicopter in Singapore. Proposals for this programme have to be submitted by the end of January 2002. Here the NH90 will be up against the Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk and the AS 532C Cougar. Belgium is currently preparing an invitation to tender.

Apart from its marketing successes, the manufacturers also have plenty of work to do in the way of testing and advance production engineering of the NH90. Meeting the scheduled delivery dates for the various versions, commencing in 2004, will be a considerable challenge that will require concentration of all resources to master. If the programme should slip, the threat of contractual penalties looms.

The next step will be to develop the support concept. Negotiations with the customers regarding training of personnel, tools, servicing and spares provisioning are in progress and contracts should be ready for signing by the Berlin Airshow in May.

From page 70 of FLUG REVUE 2/2002