Belgium Orders up to 10 NH90s as Netherlands Complains

NH90 NFH(click to view full) The Belgian Council of Ministers has formally decided to procure 10 NH90 helicopters, consisting of 8 firm orders (4 TTH troop transport and 4 NFH naval helicopters) plus 2 optional aircraft. The deal is reportedly worth EUR 292.5 million (currently about $400 million), a reduction from the EUR 351 million figures reported in previous negotiations. Belgian industry will receive industrial offsets as part of the arrangement from NIH Industries partners AgustaWestland (32%), Eurocopter (62.5%), and Stork Fokker (5.5%). Belgium becomes the 14th country to order the NH90 (Australia, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden), and the 6th country to join the NH90’s NAHEMO international program organization (France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal 2001, Belgium 2007). The NH90 has become the largest helicopter program ever launched in Europe, with firm orders now reaching 453 units plus 102 options. There had been some question as to where the Belgian NH90s would serve, and how many there might be… NH90 TTH(click to view full) Back in January 2007, the deal was reportedly being blocked by the Flemish Socialist Party (SP.a), who favored privatizing Search and Rescue Operations and […]