Le premier NH90 successeur du Sea King est sorti d'usine en Allemagne

Le premier hélicoptère NH90 belge en version navale (NFH), successeur des vénérables Sea King, a été aperçu en Allemagne à sa sortie d'usine, révèle une photo publiée sur un site internet spécialisé.   Cet appareil, le premier d'une série de quatre NFH - la Belgique a aussi commandé quatre hélicoptères en version de transport tactique (TTH) - devrait effectuer son premier vol la semaine prochaine, selon plusieurs sources.   Entre-temps, le site Flugzeugforum a publié en fin de semaine une photographie de ce NH90, portant une livrée grise similaire aux appareils néerlandais du même type et - curieusement - d'une double immatriculation: une belge (RN-01) et l'allemande (98+51). La photo a été prise à Donauwörth (sud de l'Allemagne), où l'hélicoptériste Eurocopter construit les quatre NFH belges.   Le premier doit être livré - avec près de deux ans de retard - au deuxième trimestre de cette année, selon le ministre de la Défense, Pieter De Crem. Deux autres NFH devraient suivre au second semestre et un quatrième en 2014.Quant aux hélicoptères de transport (TTH), le premier, immatriculé RN-05, a été réceptionné le 21 décembre par M. De Crem à Marignane (sud de la France) et sert à la formation des premiers pilotes et techniciens au sol, avant une arrivée en Belgique prévue vers le mois de juillet. Deux autres TTH doivent être livrés au second semestre 2013 et le dernier au premier trimestre 2014. M. De Crem a récemment attribué les retards - au départ les livraisons devaient débuter en 2011 - à des délais dans la fourniture des différents composants par des sous-traitants. Les amendes dues aux retards s'élèvent à ce jour à 10,2 millions d'euros, sur un montant initial de 298 millions, a-t-il précisé à la Chambre.

 

Regards,

 

 

 

 

The first NH90 TTH helicopter to be delivered to the Belgian Air Force on December 21st, 2012

The first NHIndsutries NH90 TTH transport helicopter wearing the temporarily registration F-ZWBE, will be delivered to the Belgian Air Force on Friday December 21st, 2012 during a ceremony organised at NHIndusties plant at Marignane (France). Ten NH90 helicopters including four aircraft in the TTH (Tactical Transport Helicopter) version, four in the NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter) version - and two options were ordered by the Belgian Government on June 18th, 2007. Delivery of these helicopters has been considerably delayed and Koksijde airbase, which will use the NFH variant, is eagerly expecting delivery of the first machines so that the largely overdue replacement of the ageing Westland Seaking rescue helicopters can start.

Best regards,

Daniel BRACKX

More on the first flight of the Belgian NH90 TTH

NHI is proud to announce the first flight of the first NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopter ordered by the Belgian armed forces.
For this first flight performed on sept 18th from Marignane, the crew tested all the main systems of this new generation aircraft such as the engines and the flight controls.
After landing, the crew expressed its satisfaction with the behaviour of the helicopter.
The Belgian armed forces ordered eight NH90s, four TTHs for tactical transport operations and four NFHs for naval operations.

The Belgian NH90 TTH is a Full Operational Capability standard helicopter. This aircraft is very close to the french NH90 Caiman TTH for which deliveries started in the end of 2011 in Full Operational Capability Standard. This commonality brings to the Belgian customer all the return of experience collected during the development of the french NH90 TTH.

“This first flight is an important milestone for NHI since it marks the arrival of a new comer in the NH90 users community, we are all impressed by the degree of maturity demonstrated by this helicopter” declared Xavier poupardin delegated managing director of NHI.

The NH90 TTH (Tactical Transport Helicopter) variant is a helicopter of 11 ton class primarily configured to perform tactical transport missions in all environments by day and night. The NH90 TTH flexibility allows its users to perform additional missions such as internal/external load transport, Heliborne Operations, Special Operations, Search and Rescue, Casualties Evacuation and Training missions.

The twin-engine, medium-size NH90 helicopter program is managed by the consortium NHIndustries, the Company owned by AgustaWestland (32%), Eurocopter (62.5%), and Stork Fokker (5.5%).
The NH90 helicopter programme is the largest ever launched in Europe, with firm orders now reaching 529 units for 19 Armed Forces of 14 Nations: France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Greece, Oman, Australia, New-Zealand, Spain and Belgium. 

 

Source: NHIndusties

Belgian-wings.be ; Belgian Air Component NH90 helicopter production started

The first NH90 helicopter destined for the Belgian Air Component has been put into production. Following the April 2007 approval by the Belgian Government's confirmation, the NAHEMO (NATO Helicopter Management Organisation), had signed on behalf of Belgium, a contract with NHI to supply Belgium with a total of ten NH90. These ten NH90 include four aircraft in the TTH (Tactical Transport Helicopter) version, four in the NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter) version - and two options. Picture