After receiving its first NH90 helicopter in the tactical transport (TTH) configuration, Qatar has now taken delivery of the first pair of NH90 helicopters in the NFH naval configuration.
Italian defense company Leonardo, the prime contractor on the program to deliver 16 TTH and 12 NFH helicopters, said the new units were delivered on March 31.
The aircraft handover was performed during an official ceremony held at Leonardo’s Venice Tessera NH90 final assembly line in Italy in the presence of Qatar Emiri Air Force, Leonardo and NHI representatives.
The TTH variants, two of which have been delivered so far, are assembled at the Airbus Helicopters’ facility in Marignane, France.
In addition to the 28 units on order, Qatar’s NH90 program has the potential to be extended in the future with the addition of 6 + 6 units in a mixture of TTH and NFH variants. The Qatar Emiri Air Force is one of the few NH90 users to operate both the TTH and NFH versions.
Leonardo is also supplying simulators, training aids and a maintenance support and training services package for aircrews and maintenance technicians.
Managed through the NHIndustries joint venture, the NH90 is the largest military helicopter program in Europe. Nearly 460 units are in service worldwide and the platform has logged over 300,000 flight hours.
