The French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) has ordered a further 22 NH90 TTH (Tactical Transport Helicopter) helicopters for the French Army Aviation on the 23rd of December from NHIndustries* consortium.

With this second batch, after the initial 12 aircraft ordered in November 2007, there are now 34 NH 90 TTH to be delivered to the French Army from 2011 onwards. All the NH90 TTH for France will be manufactured at Eurocopter’s site in Marignane.

Lutz Bertling, CEO of Eurocopter commented: “With this new contract, the French Army confirms that the NH90 TTH is fully answering its operational requirements. In addition to the 27 NH90 NFH ordered in 2000 for the Navy, the French Armed Forces clearly demonstrate, with 61 firm orders, their confidence in the programme.”

This new contract brings the total number of NH90 orders to 529 helicopters from 14 countries worldwide. The NH90 is the biggest military helicopter programme ever launched in Europe and also the most complex, with 23 different variants being produced. With 5 assembly lines now operational in France, Germany, Italy, Finland and Australia, the production of the NH90 is progressing well. To date, 25 NH90 helicopters have been delivered to customers and another fifty are under construction.

The NH90 is a helicopter in the 9-10 metric ton class intended to modernise and boost the capability of the tactical transport and anti-submarine combat fleets. It is a fly-by-wire and all-composite construction helicopter with the highest crash-worthiness-standards. Equipped with a large cabin, a rear ramp, weather radar and forward looking infra red, the NH90 helicopter is capable of carrying two pilots, two loadmasters and 18 combat troops up to 900km at speeds of up to 300km/h.

Source: EADS