The MRH90 multi-role helicopter was planned to replace the ADF’s existing Black Hawk and Sea King helicopter fleets with increased and improved capability, ability and capacity to meet emerging requirements. It is a medium-sized, twin-engine, multi-role helicopter intended for land battlefield and maritime environments. NHIndustries (NHI) NH90 is the first production helicopter to feature entirely fly-by-wire flight controls. NHI’s NH90s (called MRH90s in Australia), were developed and are manufactured by a company owned jointly by Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo and Fokker Aerostructures.
A total of 47 MRH90 aircraft have now been acquired from NHI and accepted for Australian Army and Navy service. Fourteen countries now operate over 550 NH-90 helicopters as either Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) variants (over 410 aircraft) or in the NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH) configuration (around 140 aircraft). While it might be thought that Australia’s experiences in bringing their MRH90 aircraft towards Final Operational Capability has been arduous, a run through of the countries which have also acquired NH90 helicopters shows that nearly every one of them has had problems and delays of one kind or another.
Two of Australia’s first four MRH90s were assembled at Eurocopter headquarters at Marignane in France, after manufacture by NHI. They arrived at the Brisbane facility of Australian Aerospace, a wholly-owned Eurocopter subsidiary, in mid-November 2007 aboard a leased Antonov freighter. These first two aircraft were accepted into service in Brisbane at a Defence ceremony on 18 December 2007. Following completion of the first four MRH90s in Europe and their delivery to Australia, the remaining 43 aircraft have been assembled at Australian Aerospace’s Brisbane plant. The final aircraft delivery was in July 2017. The MRH90 capability has more built-in safety features that meet or exceed the ADF’s requirements and utilises the latest technology including composite materials and fly-by-wire systems that will provide more efficient maintenance.