Airliners.net

Germany is looking for a replacement of the Sea Lynx:

Likely contenders for the requirement are:

the NH90,
the Leonardo Helicopters AW159 Wildcat
and the Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk.

The Sea Lynx is planned to be retired in 2025

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... nt-446952/

My bet is the NH 90

Sort of old news isn't it? The Sea Lion (naval NH90) is the scheduled to be the follow on just the german Navy does't seem to like it.

Sea Lion is a replacement for the Sea King mainly used for SAR missions now. The Sea Lynx is used as an on-board helicopter and anti-submarine warfare. Since its main use is on board of Germany´s fregattes it has to fit into the hangars. AFAIK the NH 90 did not fit into the hangars of the older ships but it should not be an issue with the next generation fregattes.

I would not be suprized if they feel the NH90 is a kind of expensive. It has so many customizations / customers things kind of got out of hand. Maybe the AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat is an option?

columba wrote:

Germany is looking for a replacement of the Sea Lynx:

Likely contenders for the requirement are:

the NH90,
the Leonardo Helicopters AW159 Wildcat
and the Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk.

The Sea Lynx is planned to be retired in 2025

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... nt-446952/

My bet is the NH 90

One of these would be my guess,

NH90,
Leonardo Helicopters AW159 Wildcat

With the latter being the most likely.

Or how about Lockheed makes a pitch for CH-53K and S-70B? Package deal?

What did they do to the seahawk blades? Some folks got too much time with CFD..

If they really want NH90 frames perhaps New Zealand, Belgians, French might be willing to part with theirs for a song. Did the Finnish NH90’s ever crack 50% readiness?

NZ doesn’t have any issues with the NH90, so I doubt they would be willing to sell them, plus they are waiting on an NH90 simulator which was ordered last year.

Kiwirob wrote:

NZ doesn’t have any issues with the NH90, so I doubt they would be willing to sell them, plus they are waiting on an NH90 simulator which was ordered last year.

And neither does France or Belgium, that I'm aware of.
Spain just ordered more too.

And the Dutch seem to be quite satisfied with their NH 90 NFH as well, writes German aerospace magazine Flug Revue (No. 01/2019, pp. 56 - 59). They propose an updated version in cooperation with Germany, Norway, Belgium and France for cost-sharing with new torpedoes, guided missiles (Naval Strike MIssile) and Videolinks & Satcom.
In my opinion the best choice for the German Navy. It doesn't make any sense to operate two different helicopter types.
At least, the German Navy has already chosen a name for the future on-board-helicopter: Sea Tiger.
https://augengeradeaus.net/wp-content/u ... HiTaTa.pdf (Speech of the C-in-C of the German Navy, Admiral Krause, p. 20)
It seems, that can be done much faster than anything else...

In Norway it's a dissaster ! The NH-90 spends so much time in maintanence and has so insufficient flight hours, that it's almost not in use and we are still waiting for 6, even though they should have been delivered over 10 years ago….

FW200 wrote:

And the Dutch seem to be quite satisfied with their NH 90 NFH as well, writes German aerospace magazine Flug Revue (No. 01/2019, pp. 56 - 59). They propose an updated version in cooperation with Germany, Norway, Belgium and France for cost-sharing with new torpedoes, guided missiles (Naval Strike MIssile) and Videolinks & Satcom.
In my opinion the best choice for the German Navy. It doesn't make any sense to operate two different helicopter types.
At least, the German Navy has already chosen a name for the future on-board-helicopter: Sea Tiger.
https://augengeradeaus.net/wp-content/u ... HiTaTa.pdf (Speech of the C-in-C of the German Navy, Admiral Krause, p. 20)
It seems, that can be done much faster than anything else...

Think the NH90 Is to big for the smaller vessels the Wildcat is in line to operate from.

Wes...

Mortyman wrote:

In Norway it's a dissaster ! The NH-90 spends so much time in maintanence and has so insufficient flight hours, that it's almost not in use and we are still waiting for 6, even though they should have been delivered over 10 years ago….

In the above mentioned report in the German Aerospace magazine Flug Revue the Commander of the Dutch 860 Sqn operating the NH 90 NFH, Commander Kleingeld, is quoted that the reliability of the NH 90 has improved with growing experience of the maintenance crews.

wezgulf3 wrote:

Think the NH90 Is to big for the smaller vessels the Wildcat is in line to operate from.

The corvettes don't have a helicopter-hangar, only a landing deck. And for the frigates, their hangars should be large enough for a NH 90.

Hey guys,
I believe that Australia's experiences with the NH90 hasn't been very positive but is improving. I don't recall the specific issues - maybe Ozair knows?
I hope that Germany do choose the Wildcat! It would be great to see a fantastic helicopter chalk up another export client!
Cheers
Bunumuring

The decision has been made:

31 NH 90 NFH will join the fleet from 2025 on.

https://augengeradeaus.net/2019/07/marine-soll-nh90-hubschrauber-als-ersatz-fuer-sealynx-bekommen/

keesje wrote:

What did they do to the seahawk blades? Some folks got too much time with CFD..

Those were obviously styled by Toyota engineers.

FW200 wrote:

The decision has been made:

31 NH 90 NFH will join the fleet from 2025 on.

https://augengeradeaus.net/2019/07/marine-soll-nh90-hubschrauber-als-ersatz-fuer-sealynx-bekommen/

Logical choice. Congrats for Marine and NH Industries.