NH Industries, AIX EN PROVENCE, France: NHIndustries is pleased to inform that after the hand-over, on June 20th during Le Bour-get Air Show, of the first Swedish NH90 transport helicopter, FMV has taken delivery on September 6th of its second NH90, which is the first one assembled by Patria in Halli, Finland.
Sweden signed a contract for 25 NH90 in September 2001, covering 18 firm orders which include 13 Tactical Troop Transport (TTT)/Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopters and five Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), plus seven options.
These helicopters are equipped with a complete new Tactical Mission System (TMS) developed by SAAB in cooperation with NHIndustries. Of the 18 Swedish NH90 helicopters, 14 are to be assembled in Finland.
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Sweden is the launch customer of the High Cabin Version (HCV) of the NH90 which features an increased usable cabin height by 24 centimetres, from 1.58 meters in the standard version to 1.82 meters.
The Finnish company Patria, which is a defence and aerospace group focusing on military aircraft and helicopter life cycle support services, is responsible for assembling most of the Nordic NH90 helicopters ordered by Sweden and Finland, following an industrial cooperation agreement developed in the frame of the Nordic Standard Helicopter Programme (NSHP).
The twin-engine, medium-size NH90 helicopter is provided 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 495 units plus 60 options to equip and modernize the Armed Forces of France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Greece, Oman, Australia, New-Zealand, Spain and Belgium.
Final negotiation steps are yet under process with several other Defence Forces to secure contracts concerning additional NH90, both in the Tactical Transport and Naval versions.
