Norway ends NH90 helicopter contract over delays, errors; wants full refund

COPENHAGEN, Denmark –Norway announced plans to abandon its NH90 army helicopter fleet and seek a refund from a consortium led by Europe’s Airbus, which replied by calling the transfer “illegal.” According to the defence minister and army chief, Norway will return the NH90 army helicopters ordered from the NH Industries consortium because they are either faulty or were delivered late.

NATO member Norway has terminated a two-decade-old deal for 14 maritime helicopters with a French manufacturer, citing delays, faults, and time-consuming maintenance, the defence minister said Friday, calling the decision “a significant choice.”

According to Defense Minister Bjrn Arild Gram, the Norwegian government will return the NH90 helicopters it has received so far and demands a full reimbursement of the approximately 5 billion kroner ($525 million) it paid.

“Regardless of how many hours our specialists spend or how many parts we order, the NH90 will never be capable of meeting the needs of the Norwegian Armed Forces,” Defence Minister Bjoern Arild Gram told a press conference. The helicopter consortium stated that it was “very dissatisfied” with the selection.

“NHIndustries considers this termination to be legally void,” the company stated in a news release. It stated that it had not been given the opportunity to debate the most recent plan to increase the supply of the NH90 in Norway or to address specific Norwegian needs. Airbus shares dipped slightly more than 1%.

“Unfortunately, we have concluded that no matter how many hours our specialists spend or how many parts we order, the NH90 will never be capable of matching the standards of the Norwegian Armed Forces,” Arild Gram said.

The NH90 is a twin-engine helicopter designed to meet NATO’s specifications for a modern, medium-sized, multi-role military helicopter capable of both land and sea operations.

A detailed study of Norway’s marine helicopter capabilities, commissioned by the Defense Ministry in February, concluded that the performance and availability of the NH90 would not fulfil the country’s requirements even with large extra financial commitments.