The Italian Navy has taken delivery of the final NH90 helicopter from Leonardo Helicopters.
The deliveries comprised a total of 56 NH90 helicopters, consisting of 46 SH-90s optimized for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW), along with ten MH-90s designed for tactical utility transport.
The addition of the last helicopter expands the existing fleet, including ten MH-90As tailored for tactical transport missions and special operations, resulting in a total of 56 NH90s now operational within the Italian Navy.
The inaugural NH90 was delivered to the Italian Navy in 2011, and since then, the entire fleet has accumulated over 35,000 flight hours, participating in various operations both domestically and abroad, stated the company.
Delivery completion coincides with the inauguration of a dedicated Full Crew Simulation Training Centre. The center includes a Level D Full Flight Simulator in MR 1 configuration, designed by Leonardo for the Italian Navy’s needs.
According to Leonardo, it offers high-fidelity training for SH-90 and MH-90 crews, with a 1:1 simulation-to-real flight hour ratio, enhancing effectiveness, safety, and efficiency. The system allows for potential future enhancements, including integration with other simulation assets. It will also provide training services for NH90 crews from other nations.
“The completion of the NH90 deliveries and the handover of this one-of-a-kind simulation environment marks a major step forward, which further reinforces our long-established partnership with the Italian Navy. I want to thank all Navy and industry personnel who made these results possible. We now look forward to continuing this collaboration with the Italian Navy towards new important goals and capability enhancement to meet evolving requirements,” said Gian Piero Cutillo, Leonardo Helicopters MD.
The NH90 is known for its full-composite airframe and a quadruplex fly-by-wire flight control system to reduce pilot workload and improve flight handling.
The NH90 comes in two primary variants: the NH90 NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter) for naval missions and the TTH (Tactical Transport Helicopter) for land-based operations.
