First Belgian NH90 Takes to the Air

The first NH90 helicopter for the Belgian armed forces has made its maiden flight.

The aircraft - a Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) variant - flew for the first time on 18 September at the Eurocopter factory at Marignane.

Belgium has ordered eight NH90s as part of a €300 million order made in May 2007. Four of the aircraft are the TTH version while the other four are in the NATO Frigate Helicopter configuration.

According to NHIndustries, the TTH are in a similar configuration to the NH90 Caimans recently delivered to the French Army in Full Operational Capability (FOC) standard.

The four TTHs are being built in Marignane while the four NFHs are being produced by Eurocopter at its Donauworth plant in Bavaria.

The NFHs will replace the Westland Sea King used by the Belgian Air Component for SAR missions and the long-serving Aerospatiale Alouette III used by the Belgian Navy. The TTHs will supplement the A109s used to support the Land Component.

Belgian crews have already begun their NH90 conversion training at the HeliSim facilities at Marignane.