The German Navy received the first NH90 Sea Tiger helicopter within the framework of a handover ceremony held at the Nordholz naval base. The aircraft was delivered by Airbus Helicopters through the NHIndustries (NHI) consortium and is part of a program that contemplates the incorporation of a total of 31 units before the year 2030.
The NH90 Sea Tiger will be destined for anti-surface warfare and anti-submarine warfare missions, and will allow for the start of the progressive replacement of the Sea Lynx Mk88A helicopter fleet, in service with the German Navy since 1981.
During the ceremony, Stefan Thomé, Managing Director of Airbus Helicopters in Germany, stated: “We are very proud to deliver the first NH90 Sea Tiger to the German Navy today, within cost, schedule, and quality.” In the same statement, he added that “The Sea Tiger will provide the Navy with a powerful tool to defend the borders of Germany, Europe, and NATO in the Baltic Sea and the Atlantic, offering exceptional anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.”
The Sea Tiger represents the most recent evolution of the NH90 NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter) and was designed specifically to satisfy the operational requirements of the German Navy in the field of anti-submarine warfare. Among its main systems, it incorporates a new electro-optical system, improvements in electronic support measures (ESM), dipping sonar, sonobuoys, and armament composed of torpedoes and missiles. In addition to combat missions, the helicopter can fulfill reconnaissance, transport, and embarked operations tasks, including the detection and attack of targets both on the surface and under the sea. These systems were evaluated and certified during test campaigns carried out in the Mediterranean Sea and the North Sea.
The Sea Tiger program is complemented by the 18 NH90 Sea Lion naval transport helicopters already operated by the German Navy. These aircraft were delivered between 2019 and 2023 and are continuously deployed in maritime search and rescue missions, as well as aboard Type 702 class replenishment ships. Together, both models will allow for the replacement of both the Sea Lynx Mk88A and the Westland Sea King Mk 41 helicopters, the latter having already been retired from service.
The acquisition of the 31 NH90 Sea Tigers was agreed upon in 2020 between the Bundeswehr and NHIndustries, in a contract valued at more than 2.7 billion euros. Before the start of deliveries, the model underwent a testing process that extended for 11 months and included around 140 flight hours, with trials conducted at the Airbus facilities in Donauwörth and in different operational environments.
At a global level, more than 135 naval NH90 helicopters have been delivered to six countries and have accumulated more than 90,000 flight hours in search and rescue missions, humanitarian operations, and military tasks. In total, the worldwide NH90 fleet exceeds 530 units in service, with nearly 500,000 recorded flight hours.
*Images for illustrative purposes.
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