Norway takes NHIndustries to court over failed NH90 helicopters, demands €2.8B

Norway is set to take legal action against NHIndustries (NHI) following a failed mediation over the troubled NH90 helicopter program. Oslo is now demanding compensation worth six times the original contract value, marking one of the largest claims ever lodged against a European defense manufacturer. 

A troubled program from the start 

In 2001, Norway ordered 14 NH90 helicopters through the NATO Helicopter Management Agency (NAHEMA) at a cost of around five billion Norwegian kroner (approximately €500 million at the time). Built by NHIndustries, a consortium of Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo, and Fokker, the aircraft were intended for anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, and coast guard missions. 

However, the program quickly ran into problems. In a 2018 report, the Norwegian Chief of Defense already identified that Norwegian NH-90 helicopters could only provide the flight hours agreed upon in their operational contract if “good spare parts availability, enough maintenance frames, and large enough maintenance organization” were secured. 

“We have made several attempts to resolve the problems related to the NH90 in cooperation with NHI, but more than 20 years after the contract was signed, we still do not have helicopters capable of carrying out the missions for which they were purchased,” said Gro Jære, Director of Forsvarmateriell (FMA), Norway’s defense procurement agency, in June 2022. 

Withdrawal and replacement 

In 2022, the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency took the unprecedented step of grounding and returning its NH90 fleet, demanding reimbursement.  

“No matter how many hours our technicians work, or how many parts we order, it will never be possible to make the NH90s compatible with the requirements of our armed forces,” then-Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram said. 

Following the announcement, the helicopter consortium said it was “extremely disappointed” and argued it did not receive an opportunity to “discuss the latest proposal made to improve the availability of the NH90 in Norway and to address the specific Norwegian requirements.” 

Norway has since signed a deal with US manufacturer Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin subsidiary, for HH-60W helicopters to replace the NH90s. 

From reimbursement to a multibillion-euro claim 

Initially seeking a refund of its €500 million purchase, Norway has now significantly increased its claim. According to the magazine Teknisk Ukeblad, Oslo is demanding 33 billion Norwegian kroner (€2.8 billion) from NHIndustries. 

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The figure includes reimbursement of all sums paid to NHI, the cost of the HH-60W order (€1.09 billion), and expenses incurred to keep the NH90s operational. The case will be examined by the Oslo District Court starting November 10, 2025. 

Not just a Norwegian problem 

Norway is not the only nation to voice frustration with the NH90. In December 2021, Australia announced it would procure around 40 UH-60M Black Hawks to replace the Army’s 41 NH90s, known locally as the MRH90 Taipan, citing low availability rates and high maintenance costs. The Royal Australian Navy also sought to phase out its six navalized MRH90s in favor of 12 Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawks. 

Sweden has also opted to phase out its NH90 fleet. In late 2022, the Swedish Armed Forces confirmed plans to retire its HKP-14 versions of the helicopter by 2035. While Stockholm has not taken the same legal route as Norway, it will replace the NH90s with additional UH-60 Black Hawks for transport missions and a yet-to-be-selected successor for naval roles. The post Norway takes NHIndustries to court over failed NH90 helicopters, demands €2.8B appeared first on AeroTime.

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