The Norwegian Navy has received the first of 14 NH90 NFH helicopters form AgustaWestland to provide anti-submarine warfare capability to the new Nansen-class frigates.
The NH90 NFH variant is specifically designed to conduct autonomous as well as anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare missions including search and rescue, maritime patrol, vertical replenishment, troop transport, medical evacuation and amphibious support.
The helicopter features deck-lock and deck-traversing systems, and the automatic blade and tail folding system, which enables the aircraft to operate from small frigates, day and night, and in adverse weather conditions.
The Norwegian NH90s, also intended to replace the Norwegian Coast Guard’s Lynx aircraft, will be based at Bardufoss Air Station and will be operational after undergoing initial training.
AgustaWestland had designed and developed the main transmission, tail drive shafts, hydraulic system, automatic flight control system, rear ramp, rear fuselage and on-board computers for the NH90 programme.
Additionally, the company also integrated NH90 naval mission systems for all NFH variants and in particular the electronic warfare system for Norway.
The NFH helicopter variant has also been selected by the Netherlands, France, Italy and Belgium.
