New Zealand Selects NH90 Helicopter
Related Stories: Australia & S. Pacific, Contracts - Intent, EADS, Finmeccanica, Helicopters & Rotary, Other Corporation
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NH Industries’ NH90 helicopter has been selected to replace the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s aging UH-1 Iroquois, which will remain in service until 2009. A firm deal was finalized in July 2006, and New Zealand will buy 8 helicopters; Australia’s 12-aircraft NH90 buy may offer some points of comparison.
The 10-tonne NH90, which first flew in 1996, uses composite materials instead of riveted alloy plates, and electronic fly-by-wire systems to save the weight of the usual strong and heavy power-boosted hydraulic control systems. This allows the helicopter to remain within the 10-tonne weight class, while being only slightly smaller than the 15-tonne EH-101. Unlike the UH-60 Blackhawk, the NH90 has a rear drop-down loading ramp that can take a small vehicle inside. It can also carry a normal load of 12-20 troops, depending on equipment level moving with them, to a normal maximum range of 900km. Normal load is 2.5 tonnes inside.
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The NH90 comes from a NATO requirement that created NATO’s own helicopter development and procurement agency in 1992 and, at almost the same time, the consortium to build the hardware – NHIndustrie. NHIndustrie brings together Finmaccanica’s Agusta-Westland, EADS Eurocopter’s French and German arms, and Holland’s Stork-Fokker.
NATO’s arctic requirements may have helped the NH90 win the New Zealand contract, as the NH90’s envelope of operating conditions is much wider than the UH-1’s. Built for what NHIndustrie calls “extreme adverse weather” operations, it can start up and fly, land, and shut down in winds gusting up to around 110km/h without losing rotor control, and fly day and night in heavy icing conditions down to -30deg. Celsius. Other modern innovations include a high level of system integration and modularity, advanced mission flight aids, and maintainability and supportability characteristics.
The first production NH90 was delivered to Italy in 2004.
eDefence notes that the nearest comparable serving helicopter is probably the American UH-60 Blackhawk, a 10-tonne helicopter flying since 1979. Within its 10 tonnes of maximum takeoff weight, the Blackhawk normally carries 11 equipped troops, with a normal maximum range of around 550km. Like the NH90, the UH-60 Blackhawk can also carry cargo using a hook and sling system underneath, without damaging the airframe as often happens if the UH-1 is used frequently in this mode. An even more comparable example is the new UH-60 derivative H-92 Superhawk, a heavier aircraft that incorporates many of the NH90’s innovations and has a slightly higher cargo capacity.
New Zealand is the 12th country to confirm it will buy the NH90 (Australia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Sweden), and the firm order book is now around 400 machines. NHIndustrie is also in discussions with India and South Korea as potential customers.
The NH90 helicopter purchase is the last piece of New Zealand’s NZ$ 3.3 billion Long Term Development Plan [PDF format], which aims to make sure that its military can meet minimum required capability levels. The NH90s will be deployed along with Pinzgauer trucks and LAVs in the new 9,000t multi-role vessel HMNZS Canterbury. The Canterbury is being built under Project Protector as part of the RNZN’s future force plans, and replaces the F-421 HMNZS Canterbury frigate which was retired in 2005.
Next Steps in NZ
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The other key element of New Zealand’s helicopter modernization project is the replacement of the old Sioux training helicopter with a new training/light utility work helicopter. Work is well advanced and can move towards completion now that the preferred medium utility helicopter has been identified. NH90 participants EADS Eurocopter and Agusta both have light utility helicopters that might be seen as appropriate grounding for NH90 pilots, but a big part of the choice will depend on what other jobs the RNZAF will want its new training helicopter to do, as well as the available deals.
Discussions with NH Industries will now focus on cost finalization, numbers to be purchased and delivery availability. This information will not be made public until the commercial negotiations have been finalized and decisions have been made about the replacement for the Bell 47G Sioux training helicopter.
Meanwhile, the UH-1s will be kept in service until at least 2009. The Bell 204/205, as civil aviation knows the UH-1 Iroquois, is popular with industrial operators. Many ex-military machines are being recommissioned for departmental and commercial utility roles around the world, and apparently there’s resulting pressure on availability of some key components.
Contracts & Key Events
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Oct 30/07: The A109 is picked to replace the B47G Sioux training helicopter.
July 31/07: NZ Defence Minister Phil Goff signs a NZ$ 771 million (about $475 million) contract with NH Industries for 9 NH90 helicopters to replace the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s fleet of aging UH-1 Iroquois (“Hueys”). The first NH90 is expected to arrive in New Zealand in 2010, with all NH90s delivered by 2013. NH Industries’ release corrects the total to 9 helicopters, in order to ensure 8 operational machines. In the official RNZAF release, Mr Goff said:
“Compared to the Iroquois, the NH90 can carry 19 rather than 8 passengers or 12 fully equipped troops as opposed to 5. At 260 kilometres an hour cruise speed, it is more than a third faster. Its maximum range is 800 kilometres rather than 180. It can lift up to 4,000 kilograms rather than 820….
For deployments and disaster relief in the Pacific, with long range tanks the NH-90s can self-deploy. They are capable of lifting Light Operational Vehicles off the multi-role vessel in situations where there are no port facilities and landing craft cannot be used…. operate for extended periods and with large loads in all weathers, day and night, with significant flexibility. For search and rescue, they have much greater reach and are better able to recover people in extreme environmental conditions.”
April 5/05: New Zealand officially selects the NH90 as its next troop transport helicopter, replacing the current UH-1H Iroquois (aka. Hueys). No contract has been signed yet, and final number are not confirmed. New Zealand becomes the 12th country to have chosen the NH90. NHI release | EADS release.
Related Items, Additional Readings & Sources
Note that the New Zealand Ministry of Defence is also known as the Wanatu Kaupapa Waonga, which might be the world’s coolest name for a defense ministry. Their MoD Haka probably takes first place as well.
- RNZAF – NH90 Frequently Asked Questions
- Australian Army choose Roll-Royce Turbomeca engines for MRH-90s. Offers good details re: long term costs and spinoffs. Australia’s purchase of 12 NH90s is on track to become a $1 billion program once support and other costs are factored in.
- GlobalSecurity.org: NH 90
- Naval Technology – NH90 NFH – ASW / Transport Helicopter, Europe
- Official NZ Government release: New Helicopters Selected for NZ Defense Forces
- Manawatu Standard: Flying By The Wire
- eDefense: New Helos Selected for NZ Defense Forces
- GlobalSecurity.org: H-60 Blackhawk Family
- GlobalSecureity.org: S-92 Superhawk
