NH90 NFH

The Nato frigate helicopter (NFH) is one of two versions of the NH90 twin-engine multirole helicopter being developed by NH Industries. The other version is the NH90 TTH tactical transport helicopter.

NH Industries, the prime contractor for the programme, is a joint venture company owned by AgustaWestland (32%) of Italy, Eurocopter (62.5%) and Stork Fokker (5.5%) of the Netherlands. Eurocopter is a subsidiary of EADS (European Aeronautics Defence and Space) company formed by DaimlerChrysler Aerospace of Germany, Aerospatiale Matra of France and CASA of Spain.

Armament

The Nato frigate helicopter can be armed with anti-submarine torpedoes, air-to-surface missiles and air-to-air missiles.

Countermeasures

The helicopters for France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Finland are fitted with a self-protection suite from EADS Defence Electronics, which is also being supplied to the Tiger helicopter. The suite includes EADS AN/AAR-60 MILDS missile approach warning system, Thales TWE threat warning equipment with integrated radar warning and laser warning receivers and MBDA Saphir-M chaff and flare dispenser.

Norwegian NFH are to have the ITT AN/ALQ-211 integrated radio frequency countermeasures (IRFCM) suite. Swedish helicopters will be equipped with an EW suite supplied by Saab Avionics, in conjunction with Avitronics of South Africa. Avitronics is jointly owned by Saab and Grintek.

Sensors

The NFH is equipped with a tactical forward-looking infrared (FLIR) system mounted in the nose, a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) and a sonar suite. French Navy NFH will be fitted with the Flash Sonics sonar system from Thales Underwater Systems, which combines the Flash active dipping sonar with the TMS 2000 sonobuoy processing system.

The Norwegian and Swedish Navy NFH will also operate a version of the system, Flash-S, optimised for conditions in the Baltic Sea.

Dutch, Italian and German NFH will be equipped with the helicopter long-range active sonar (HELRAS). The HELRAS dipping sonar is supplied by ELAC Nautik of Kiel, Germany, a subsidiary of L-3 Communications.

The NFH is equipped with a Thales European navy radar (ENR) 360° surveillance radar mounted under the nose. ENR is derived from Thales Ocean Master and has been developed in conjunction with EADS and Galileo Avionica. Swedish NFH will have AN/APS-143B(V)3 Ocean Eye multimode surveillance radar from US company, Telephonics. Ocean Eye has both SAR (synthetic aperture radar) and ISAR (inverse synthetic aperture radar) imaging modes.

Communications

The NH90 is equipped with an integrated communications and identification management system. The secure radio system provides air-to-air and air-to-ground communications. The TSC 2000 IFF (identification friend or foe) supplied by Thales was developed under German and French cooperation. The helicopter is equipped with a Link 11 secure datalink.

Propulsion

The NFH Helicopter is powered by two RTM 322-01/9 engines supplied by Rolls-Royce Turbomeca.