NH Industries (NHI) is eyeing the potential for several sizeable new orders this year from both new and existing operators.
Speaking to FlightGlobal at Defence IQ’s International Military Helicopter 2025 conference on 26 February, NHI managing director Christian Naso said Spain is eyeing a 30-unit commitment.
Although the deal is “dependent on the way the budget is allocated”, Naso says NHI “is hoping to take this order this year”.
Madrid is likely to take the NH90 TTH troop transport variant for its army but may consider splitting the order to also receive new NFH anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters.
Spain is currently receiving NH90s from a previous 23-unit order – its second batch – with the first example handed over in December 2024.
Under that commitment, six NH90s will go to the army, 10 to the air force, and seven to the navy. Deliveries will run until 2028.
Thomas Gut, vice-president, head of the NH90 NAHEMO programme at Airbus Helicopters, says the manufacturer earlier that week received certification for the airframe-engine combination of the enhanced version of the GE Aerospace CT7-8F5 turboshafts that will power the Spanish fleet.
While the Netherlands has also indicated its intention to order up to six additional ASW-configured NFHs, NHI is looking beyond its partner nations for another big order.
Naso confirms the NFH variant has been offered to Saudi Arabia, where it faces competition from the Sikorsky MH-60R.
However, Naso declines to discuss quantities – thought to be a low double-digit number – or contract specifics.
Any agreement is also likely to require an element of local industrial participation in line with the kingdom’s Vision 2030 economic diversification programme.
NHI is a three-way consortium comprising Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo Helicopters and GKN/Fokker.
