NH INDUSTRIES (NHI) is working on a menu of equipment options for the NH-90 transport helicopter in a bid to offer reduced unit costs to both domestic and export customers.
While the Dutch, French, German and Italian governments involved in the NH-90 are fully committed to funding the Fr10 billion ($2 billion) development programme, there is increasing speculation about their continued support for the full, Fr100 billion, 726-craft production programme.
Decisions on production funding are due in 1998, and, although NHI has not yet been asked officially by its customers for ways of cutting production costs, it is working with industry on several potential solutions.
"We're working on plans to re-define the basic aircraft," says NHI marketing manager Alain Gauthier.
Another possible solution under consideration is to reduce the number of NH-90 production lines from three (one each in France, Germany and Italy) to two, or even one, "...but that is entirely a political decision", says Gauthier.
The current fly-away prices of Fr90 million for the TTH tactical NH-90, and Fr145 million for the NFH naval variant, are based on the assumption that there will be three lines, and Gauthier notes that the price is unlikely to be cut by much if the number is reduced. "Wherever the location of the line is, you have to do the same work," he says. "There is not a feeling that any of the three companies want to lose their final production line."
Offering mission-equipment options may make for greater cost savings, says Gauthier. "Half of the price of the naval NFH comes from mission equipment," he explains.
NHI will advise customers to buy a more basic aircraft to start with, adding specific mission equipment later as funding becomes available.
Source: Flight International
