NH90 NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter)
The naval version — folding rotors and tail, radar, dipping sonar and torpedoes · First flight 1995 (programme) · In service 2010
The NATO Frigate Helicopter adapts the NH90 for ship-borne anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, search and rescue and vertical replenishment. It adds a folding tail and main rotor, a strengthened undercarriage for deck landings, a Thales ENR radar and, on some aircraft, HELRAS dipping sonar; French NFHs also carry sonobuoys and MU90 torpedoes.
The Royal Netherlands Navy received the first NFH in April 2010. Italy ordered 46 NFHs for its navy, France 27 as the Caïman Marine, Belgium four and Qatar twelve. Germany's Sea Lion, based on the French NFH but with a reduced sensor fit for search and rescue and transport, first flew on 8 December 2016 and entered service from October 2019; the anti-submarine Sea Tiger first flew in November 2023.
Norway ordered 14 NH90s for frigate and coast-guard duty in 2001, but halted operations and terminated the contract in 2022 after long delays.
