Slater Posted June 10, 2022 Share Posted June 10, 2022 Didn't realize that things were that bad: https://www.yahoo.com/news/norway-ends-contract-nh90-helicopters-091316486.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom726 Posted June 10, 2022 Share Posted June 10, 2022 IIRC, the Aussies also announced a pre-mature withdrawal of all their MRH-90 (NH-90) fleet last year, almost two decades ahead of their scheduled retirement, opting for a Blackhawk/Seahawk combo instead. The Germans also have their fair share of issues with their fleet of NH-90 with serviceability rates reported as low as 10-15% by some sources. Not too many happy NH-90 operators out there it seems. I guess there will soon be cheap second-hand examples up for grabs! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slater Posted June 10, 2022 Author Share Posted June 10, 2022 Wonder if Norway has identified a replacement yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EwenS Posted June 10, 2022 Share Posted June 10, 2022 27 minutes ago, Slater said: Wonder if Norway has identified a replacement yet? Not yet. See the very last sentence of the announcement you linked. ”The Norwegian Defence Ministry said it will shortly begin the process of identifying an alternative maritime helicopter.” It would be nice to think that EH-101 / Merlin might be in with a shout as the Norwegian Coast Guard already operate it. But they might be a bit big for the Fridtjof Nansen frigate helicopter deck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slater Posted June 10, 2022 Author Share Posted June 10, 2022 As far as Norway getting their money back, I wonder if that's going to happen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitewolf Posted June 10, 2022 Share Posted June 10, 2022 3 hours ago, Slater said: As far as Norway getting their money back, I wonder if that's going to happen? I understand the contract has not been fulfilled and those airframes delivered are being returned. There's been a major issue with delivery of spares and subsequent availability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamS Posted June 10, 2022 Share Posted June 10, 2022 ‘Scuse my ignorance but is the NH90 related to the UK’s Merlin? Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted June 10, 2022 Share Posted June 10, 2022 I've always liked the look of the NH-90, especially the military ones, and MOST especially the splinter camouflaged ones. It's a shame it's not up to scratch. I read up on it the other day after reading a thread on here, and it has hardly covered itself in glory during its limited time in service Can we have a model of it in 1:48 now please? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwidave4 Posted June 10, 2022 Share Posted June 10, 2022 The title of the thread caught my eye as the RNZAF operates NH90 and we do have a bit of a history with bad purchase decisions. According to Wikipedia we have the highest hour NH90 due to the types high serviceability rate!!!! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted June 10, 2022 Share Posted June 10, 2022 47 minutes ago, Kiwidave4 said: The title of the thread caught my eye as the RNZAF operates NH90 and we do have a bit of a history with bad purchase decisions. According to Wikipedia we have the highest hour NH90 due to the types high serviceability rate!!!! I've not been aware of any major hassles with our ones, as Dave refers to above, they seem to be doing ok. Must be those incredibly able Kiwi aircraft technicians. Steve. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junglierating Posted June 10, 2022 Share Posted June 10, 2022 Fat Lynx fat lynx Wildcat ..whoop 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slater Posted June 10, 2022 Author Share Posted June 10, 2022 Seahawk? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 19 hours ago, GrahamS said: ‘Scuse my ignorance but is the NH90 related to the UK’s Merlin? Graham No, not at all. The Merlin is a slightly older much larger 3 engine design build by Agusta Westland, now Leonardo and seems rather successful. Originally it was designed for Maritime operations, in RAF hands in Afghan hot and high operations it has its fare share of problems though.... finally being handed down ( sea level hight wise!) to the Marines. Some countries operate both types, like Italy, Norway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junglierating Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 9 hours ago, Slater said: Seahawk? Obsolescence issues therefore not future proofed...certainly not for 30 40 50 years airframe life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junglierating Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 2 minutes ago, exdraken said: No, not at all. The Merlin is a slightly older much larger 3 engine design build by Agusta Westland, now Leonardo and seems rather successful. Originally it was designed for Maritime operations, in RAF hands in Afghan hot and high operations it has its fare share of problems though.... finally being handed down ( sea level hight wise!) to the Marines. Some counties operate both types, like Italy, Norway! The who ....I think you will find 845 and 846 are Royal Navy squadrons the cheek of it 😉 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vingtor Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 (edited) On 6/10/2022 at 3:49 PM, EwenS said: It would be nice to think that EH-101 / Merlin might be in with a shout as the Norwegian Coast Guard already operate it. But they might be a bit big for the Fridtjof Nansen frigate helicopter deck. The Norwegian Coast Guard does not operate it (the AW101). Those are purely SAR helicopters, acquired by the Department of Justice and operated by the Air Force. The Coast Guard should have got the NH90 though, some 15 years ago. Nils Edited June 12, 2022 by Vingtor 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 4 hours ago, junglierating said: The who ....I think you will find 845 and 846 are Royal Navy squadrons the cheek of it 😉 You are of course right https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/the-equipment/aircraft/helicopters/merlin-mk4 "Merlin Mk4 is a new aircraft type for the Commando Helicopter Force (CHF). It will advance capability for the primary customer, The Royal Marines." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellsprop Posted June 20, 2022 Share Posted June 20, 2022 On 10/06/2022 at 14:10, Slater said: Wonder if Norway has identified a replacement yet? Seahawk or Wildcat are the only real options On 10/06/2022 at 14:49, EwenS said: Not yet. See the very last sentence of the announcement you linked. ”The Norwegian Defence Ministry said it will shortly begin the process of identifying an alternative maritime helicopter.” It would be nice to think that EH-101 / Merlin might be in with a shout as the Norwegian Coast Guard already operate it. But they might be a bit big for the Fridtjof Nansen frigate helicopter deck. Just a tad enormous! That said, they are a superb ASW platform. On 10/06/2022 at 22:58, junglierating said: Fat Lynx fat lynx Wildcat ..whoop On 11/06/2022 at 00:20, Slater said: Seahawk? Perfect, if you want an obsolete aircraft without floatation gear as your primary maritime helicopter. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slater Posted June 20, 2022 Author Share Posted June 20, 2022 Seahawk has definitely been around the block, but that doesn't seem to bother Australia, India, and other countries who keep placing orders. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 15 hours ago, Slater said: Seahawk has definitely been around the block, but that doesn't seem to bother Australia, India, and other countries who keep placing orders. Add Spain and Greece to this.... The Blackhawk design seems to repeat the eternal F-16 or C-130 story in rotary terms.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingsman Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 HeliOps near me here in Portland (UK, not Oregon....) have announced that they will be acquiring 2 ex-German navy NH90s to replace their 2 current Sea Kings for their commercial SAR school. If serviceability really is as low as is being said they may end up regretting that decision for a fee-paying commercial operation. They're not earning if they're not burning and turning...... Wildcat would be a good bet for Norway. Merlin/EH101 is almost certainly too big for their frigate decks but would be a good bet for the Kystvakt (coast guard) for shore-based operations. However those Kystvakt vessels with embarked aircraft like the Nordkapp class are limited to an NH90-size aircraft and currently still operate Lynx. So Wildcat would be a good fit here too. There is the Eurocopter Panther but that is now an old design, mid-80's, and unlike the Lynx-Wildcat has not evolved fundamentally and has proved much less popular than Lynx with only 4 customers. But as Eurocopter and NH Industries are both part of the Airbus empire maybe a Panther - NH90 swap might be a way out for both sides, with NHI refurbishing the NH90s and trying to sell them to some other unsuspecting customer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom726 Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 4 hours ago, Das Abteilung said: HeliOps near me here in Portland (UK, not Oregon....) have announced that they will be acquiring 2 ex-German navy NH90s to replace their 2 current Sea Kings for their commercial SAR school. If serviceability really is as low as is being said they may end up regretting that decision for a fee-paying commercial operation. They're not earning if they're not burning and turning...... Wildcat would be a good bet for Norway. Merlin/EH101 is almost certainly too big for their frigate decks but would be a good bet for the Kystvakt (coast guard) for shore-based operations. However those Kystvakt vessels with embarked aircraft like the Nordkapp class are limited to an NH90-size aircraft and currently still operate Lynx. So Wildcat would be a good fit here too. There is the Eurocopter Panther but that is now an old design, mid-80's, and unlike the Lynx-Wildcat has not evolved fundamentally and has proved much less popular than Lynx with only 4 customers. But as Eurocopter and NH Industries are both part of the Airbus empire maybe a Panther - NH90 swap might be a way out for both sides, with NHI refurbishing the NH90s and trying to sell them to some other unsuspecting customer. That's an interesting piece of news: As far as I know the German Navy is still in the process of taking delivery of their NH-90 Sea Lions and now they are already putting them up for sale?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junglierating Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 Hmm just thought about the use of Lynx on noggy frigates will Wildcat fit ...the tail doesnt fold....theres more to consider than just the helo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britman Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 I suppose a folding mod would take about three years and some daft amount of money to do. Does the Seahawk fold down to the size of a Lynx or Wildcat? Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellsprop Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 3 hours ago, junglierating said: Hmm just thought about the use of Lynx on noggy frigates will Wildcat fit ...the tail doesnt fold....theres more to consider than just the helo Easily, Wildcat is a small heli, 13.5 m (nose to tail rotor blades) with the rotors folded, nh90 is 13.6 m folded. 19 minutes ago, Britman said: I suppose a folding mod would take about three years and some daft amount of money to do. Does the Seahawk fold down to the size of a Lynx or Wildcat? Keith Seahawk is 12.5 m folded. Like I've said before however, the Seahawk has no flotation gear, if you end up in the water, your day is going to be a whole lot worse in a Seahawk than a Wildcat... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now