William Sprogis describes the genesis of the NATO-defined NH90 helicopter, which will enter service in many armies. The reasons for its success (605 firm orders) are worth spelling out and pondering over, and the lessons applied to future programmes.
Why the NH 90 has Become a Success Story
At the time of the first meetings of NATO Project Group 28 (PG28) in the early 1980s nobody could have imagined that this was to be the starting point for a major programme that would make its mark on the history of the military helicopter. The purpose of this review is not to present a description of the product(1) but to look back at how the project evolved in order to highlight the reasons behind its subsequent success.
A Genuine, Shared Operational Requirement
Naval Operations
The conduct of naval operations over the decades has progressively emphasised the essential contribution of shipborne helicopters:
• In Anti-Surface Unit Warfare (ASUW), the use of a helicopter as ‘the ship’s eyes’ considerably increases this range by using ‘over-the-horizon’ visibility to build up the tactical picture, identifying and designating targets; it can even be armed and engage targets.
• In Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), the helicopter, being invulnerable to attack by submarines, contributes to their detection (with its sonar or buoys) and tracking, and can launch torpedoes.
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