Germany announced the anti-ship capability of the NH90 NFH naval helicopter with torpedo and anti-ship missile
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On 16th June 2025, Airbus Helicopters Germany officially debuted its NH90 NFH naval helicopter at the Paris Air Show, armed with the MU90 lightweight torpedo and the new-generation Marte ER anti-ship missile. This high-visibility presentation signals a major step in German naval preparedness as the country confronts rising tensions in the Baltic Sea and increasingly volatile waters around Israel. The system’s configuration reflects strategic shifts in maritime warfare priorities.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Germany’s display of the NH90 NFH armed with both MU90 and Marte ER is more than a technological milestone, it is a geopolitical message (Picture source: Army Recognition Group)
The NH90 NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter), developed by Airbus Helicopters Germany as part of the NHIndustries consortium, is a multi-role naval platform designed for operations from frigates and destroyers. It is equipped for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), and surveillance missions. At the Paris Air Show 2025, the helicopter was exhibited in an operational loadout featuring the MU90 Impact torpedo, a Franco-Italian lightweight ASW torpedo, and the MBDA Marte ER, a long-range anti-ship missile optimized for high-threat maritime environments.
The MU90 lightweight torpedo and the MBDA Marte ER anti-ship missile represent two advanced European naval weapon systems designed for deployment from platforms such as the NH90 NFH helicopter. The MU90 was jointly developed by French firm Naval Group (formerly DCNS) and Italian company Leonardo (through its Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei division), and is a next-generation lightweight torpedo optimized for both deep-sea and littoral anti-submarine warfare. It features advanced acoustic homing, counter-countermeasure capabilities, and high-speed propulsion for engaging modern, deep-diving submarines. In parallel, the MBDA Marte ER (Extended Range), developed by European missile manufacturer MBDA—whose shareholders include Airbus (France), BAE Systems (UK), and Leonardo (Italy)—is a long-range, fire-and-forget anti-ship missile designed for rotary and fixed-wing platforms. With a range exceeding 100 km, it uses inertial and GPS guidance with terminal active radar homing to deliver high-precision maritime strike capability. Together, these systems reflect Franco-Italian industrial cooperation and significantly enhance the maritime strike and deterrence potential of platforms like the NH90 NFH.
Originally developed under the NATO Helicopter Management Agency’s NH90 programme launched in the 1990s, the NFH variant was tailored for naval forces with input from Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands. Germany received its first NH90 NFH “Sea Lion” in 2019 to replace the aging Sea King fleet, followed by the more combat-focused “Sea Tiger” variant in 2023, configured specifically for ASW and maritime interdiction. The integration of the Marte ER missile in 2025 marks a new operational chapter for the platform and responds directly to operational gaps identified in NATO maritime doctrines post-2014.
Compared to older German naval helicopters like the Sea Lynx, the NH90 NFH offers a fully digital cockpit, advanced acoustic processors, fly-by-wire controls, and a larger weapons payload. It can operate in harsher sea states and deploy longer-range, precision-guided munitions like the MU90, which has proven effective in both deep and shallow waters. The addition of the Marte ER provides a significant range and targeting upgrade over previous helicopter-launched anti-ship missiles, rivaling even the US Navy’s MH-60R Seahawk when equipped with Penguin or Hellfire missiles in terms of stand-off capabilities and mission versatility.
The NH90 NFH’s armament package, particularly with the inclusion of the Marte ER, is a clear response to two emerging maritime threats: the growing Russian naval footprint in the Baltic and the intensification of Iranian-Israeli maritime confrontations in the Eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea. In both cases, Germany’s decision to project more power through its navy, using capable airborne platforms, underscores Berlin’s pivot toward proactive deterrence in naval theaters. The strategic implications involve not only military readiness but also alliance cohesion under NATO and the EU’s maritime security frameworks.
Germany’s display of the NH90 NFH armed with both MU90 and Marte ER is more than a technological milestone, it is a geopolitical message. As Berlin increases its maritime footprint in response to regional instability from the Baltic to the Middle East, it is signaling to allies and rivals alike that the Bundeswehr is ready to conduct sustained naval operations with cutting-edge airborne platforms. The NH90 NFH is no longer a procurement item, it is a frontline asset in Germany’s expanding maritime deterrence posture.
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On 16th June 2025, Airbus Helicopters Germany officially debuted its NH90 NFH naval helicopter at the Paris Air Show, armed with the MU90 lightweight torpedo and the new-generation Marte ER anti-ship missile. This high-visibility presentation signals a major step in German naval preparedness as the country confronts rising tensions in the Baltic Sea and increasingly volatile waters around Israel. The system’s configuration reflects strategic shifts in maritime warfare priorities.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Germany’s display of the NH90 NFH armed with both MU90 and Marte ER is more than a technological milestone, it is a geopolitical message (Picture source: Army Recognition Group)
The NH90 NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter), developed by Airbus Helicopters Germany as part of the NHIndustries consortium, is a multi-role naval platform designed for operations from frigates and destroyers. It is equipped for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), and surveillance missions. At the Paris Air Show 2025, the helicopter was exhibited in an operational loadout featuring the MU90 Impact torpedo, a Franco-Italian lightweight ASW torpedo, and the MBDA Marte ER, a long-range anti-ship missile optimized for high-threat maritime environments.
The MU90 lightweight torpedo and the MBDA Marte ER anti-ship missile represent two advanced European naval weapon systems designed for deployment from platforms such as the NH90 NFH helicopter. The MU90 was jointly developed by French firm Naval Group (formerly DCNS) and Italian company Leonardo (through its Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei division), and is a next-generation lightweight torpedo optimized for both deep-sea and littoral anti-submarine warfare. It features advanced acoustic homing, counter-countermeasure capabilities, and high-speed propulsion for engaging modern, deep-diving submarines. In parallel, the MBDA Marte ER (Extended Range), developed by European missile manufacturer MBDA—whose shareholders include Airbus (France), BAE Systems (UK), and Leonardo (Italy)—is a long-range, fire-and-forget anti-ship missile designed for rotary and fixed-wing platforms. With a range exceeding 100 km, it uses inertial and GPS guidance with terminal active radar homing to deliver high-precision maritime strike capability. Together, these systems reflect Franco-Italian industrial cooperation and significantly enhance the maritime strike and deterrence potential of platforms like the NH90 NFH.
Originally developed under the NATO Helicopter Management Agency’s NH90 programme launched in the 1990s, the NFH variant was tailored for naval forces with input from Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands. Germany received its first NH90 NFH “Sea Lion” in 2019 to replace the aging Sea King fleet, followed by the more combat-focused “Sea Tiger” variant in 2023, configured specifically for ASW and maritime interdiction. The integration of the Marte ER missile in 2025 marks a new operational chapter for the platform and responds directly to operational gaps identified in NATO maritime doctrines post-2014.
Compared to older German naval helicopters like the Sea Lynx, the NH90 NFH offers a fully digital cockpit, advanced acoustic processors, fly-by-wire controls, and a larger weapons payload. It can operate in harsher sea states and deploy longer-range, precision-guided munitions like the MU90, which has proven effective in both deep and shallow waters. The addition of the Marte ER provides a significant range and targeting upgrade over previous helicopter-launched anti-ship missiles, rivaling even the US Navy’s MH-60R Seahawk when equipped with Penguin or Hellfire missiles in terms of stand-off capabilities and mission versatility.
The NH90 NFH’s armament package, particularly with the inclusion of the Marte ER, is a clear response to two emerging maritime threats: the growing Russian naval footprint in the Baltic and the intensification of Iranian-Israeli maritime confrontations in the Eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea. In both cases, Germany’s decision to project more power through its navy, using capable airborne platforms, underscores Berlin’s pivot toward proactive deterrence in naval theaters. The strategic implications involve not only military readiness but also alliance cohesion under NATO and the EU’s maritime security frameworks.
Germany’s display of the NH90 NFH armed with both MU90 and Marte ER is more than a technological milestone, it is a geopolitical message. As Berlin increases its maritime footprint in response to regional instability from the Baltic to the Middle East, it is signaling to allies and rivals alike that the Bundeswehr is ready to conduct sustained naval operations with cutting-edge airborne platforms. The NH90 NFH is no longer a procurement item, it is a frontline asset in Germany’s expanding maritime deterrence posture.
