NHIndustries to Pay Norway €375M Over Faulty NH90 Helicopters

NHIndustries has agreed to pay Norway €375 million in compensation for the troubled NH90 helicopter program, ending a long-running dispute over aircraft that failed to meet operational needs.

The Norwegian Ministry of Defense said the agreement cancels all claims against the consortium. Under the settlement, NHIndustries will take back all delivered NH90 helicopters and related components, pay €305 million, and provide a €70 million bank guarantee.

The deal allows Norway to dispose of the fleet and recover part of its costs. While far below the €2.8 billion initially sought, the compensation nearly equals the €500 million Oslo paid for 14 NH90s. Officials noted that full recovery through legal action was uncertain.

Norway ordered 14 NH90s in 2001—six for naval anti-submarine missions and eight for Coast Guard search-and-rescue—with deliveries set for 2005–2008. The first arrived only in December 2011, prompting Oslo to consider alternatives by 2012. By 2016, six had been delivered. A 2018 study said the fleet could meet requirements if maintenance and spare parts improved by 2022, but persistent delays and faults led to contract termination that year.

Then Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram cited missed deadlines, mechanical issues, and high maintenance demands. At the time, 13 helicopters had been received, but only eight were fully operational.

Norway has since chosen six U.S.-made MH-60R Seahawks as partial replacements.

Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken also criticized the NH90 program, announcing plans to retire Belgium’s four NH90 TTH helicopters and calling the purchase a “bad buy.”