NHIndustries, a consortium including Airbus, Leonardo and GKN Aerospace, will lead the study. The Block 2 upgrade is intended to introduce structural and technological improvements to the aircraft.
Planned enhancements include modular avionics, greater configuration commonality and improved maintenance and performance. The upgrade will also add new capabilities in collaborative combat, connectivity and crewed-uncrewed teaming.
Matthieu Louvot, Chief Executive Officer of Airbus Helicopters, said: “The NH90 has recently reached 500,000 flight hours, a testimony to its maturity and operational relevance, as well as its continuously upgraded capabilities.” He added: “The Sea Tiger and the NH90 Standard 2 are establishing themselves as the state-of-the-art benchmark for naval and tactical operations and we are already preparing the midterm evolution of the NH90 with the Block 1 upgrade.”
He continued: “The signing of the Block 2 contract now marks a decisive step in ensuring the NH90 remains at the forefront of European defence for decades to come.” He added: “As NATO and its member nations define the future of vertical lift, Airbus and its partners are committed to evolving this proven platform to meet the most demanding operational challenges of the future battlespace.”
The two-year study will build on the progress made under the Block 1 programme while preparing the platform for operations beyond 2040. It will be guided by requirements defined by NAHEMA and participating nations.
The work will be conducted in parallel with the European Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies initiatives. The study aims to deliver technical outputs that will allow NAHEMA and partner nations to assess and select future upgrade options.
Officials said the programme is intended to ensure long-term industrial continuity and support sovereign capability development. The results are expected to inform future decisions on the evolution of the NH90 platform.
