Support contract awarded for German NH90 fleet

Germany’s NH90 rotorcraft fleet will be supported by a new 10-year contract signed on 28 August between the government and two domestic suppliers.

The Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support contracted Airbus Helicopters as prime contractor for the work, which will be supported by Elbe Flugzeugwerke in carrying out the maintenance of the fleet. 

Services to be provided at a fixed price include scheduled maintenance, 1,200 flight-hour inspections, as well as on-demand repairs. 

Work will begin at Airbus Helicopters‘ Donauwörth, Germany site during the first quarter of 2020, and at Elbe Flugzeugwerke‘s Dresden facility in early 2021.

The addition of the Dresden facility will lead to it being the Bundeswehr's second major industrial centre alongside Donauwörth, and it is expected to expand the German military‘s ability to maintain its helicopters. 

The German army has so far received 74 NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopter variants of the type, with all 82 on order expected to have been delivered by 2021. 

The German navy, meanwhile, will start to receive its 18 NATO Frigate Helicopter versions in October 2019 - which will be known as the Sea Lion in German service - support of which will be covered by this new contract.

'Together, Airbus Helicopters and Elbe Flugzeugwerke are excellently poised to handle the growing influx of NH90 helicopters,‘ Wolfgang Schoder, executive vice-president of light helicopters and governmental programmes at Airbus Helicopters, said. 

'Elbe Flugzeugwerke is an experienced and internationally renowned maintenance and conversion specialist that we will be incorporating into the NH90 programme for the long term.‘

 The service package offered by the two partners is based on a concept that has already been successfully implemented with other NH90 user nations, and has led to a significant reduction in turnaround times, according to the companies.