The Airbus H225M Caracal helicopters, due to enter service from 2030, will replace the Cougar transport helicopters currently used by the Defence Helicopter Command. They will be deployed in high-risk operations by the Commando Corps and the Netherlands Maritime Special Operations Forces, as well as for tasks such as combat transport, search and rescue, and medical evacuations.
The new research and technology contract aims to improve the maintenance programme of Airbus helicopters in Dutch Armed Forces service and to optimise the retirement times of life-limited components. The contract was signed on 1 October 2025 in Toulouse during a trade mission attended by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, which supported a range of civil and military collaborations between France and the Netherlands.
NLR’s CEO Tineke van der Veen confirmed the agreement together with Thomas Hein, Head of Europe Region at Airbus Helicopters, and Jan Christiaan Dicke, commissioner of CMP. According to Tineke van der Veen, “This project as a result of our agreement will strengthen not only the relationship between Airbus Helicopters and NLR, but it will also contribute to a solid relationship between the Dutch Armed Forces, NLR and the Dutch defence industry. Eventually, this also helps to build a more autonomic and resilient Europe.”
The collaboration is part of the Dutch Industrial Participation policy, designed to reinforce the national defence technological and industrial base. The policy supports long-term cooperation between international manufacturers and Dutch industry, giving suppliers access to innovative solutions and institutions the opportunity to join global supply chains while ensuring the Ministry of Defence retains critical knowledge and industrial capability.
