NH Industries NH90
Hood Aerodrome, Masterton
The NHIndustries NH90 serves as a medium utility helicopter for the Royal New Zealand Air Force, operated by No. 3 Squadron based at RNZAF Base Ohakea. New Zealand acquired eight NH90s (later increased to nine) in the mid-2000s to replace the aging UH-1H Iroquois fleet, with deliveries beginning in 2011. The RNZAF operates the Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) variant configured for troop transport, cargo lift, search and rescue, and disaster relief operations. These helicopters feature a spacious cabin that can accommodate up to 20 troops or various cargo configurations, fly-by-wire flight controls, advanced glass cockpit avionics, and a four-bladed composite main rotor system. The NH90 represented a significant technological leap for the RNZAF, introducing modern systems including night vision goggle compatibility, advanced navigation equipment, and enhanced defensive systems suitable for both domestic and deployed operations.
“The NH90 represented a significant technological leap for the RNZAF, introducing modern systems including night vision goggle compatibility, advanced navigation equipment, and enhanced defensive systems suitable for both domestic and deployed operations.”
However, the NH90 fleet has faced considerable challenges during its service with the RNZAF. The helicopters experienced persistent technical issues, high maintenance requirements, and poor aircraft availability rates that severely impacted operational capability. Spare parts supply difficulties, complex maintenance procedures, and ongoing reliability problems meant that the fleet often had only a fraction of aircraft available for tasking at any given time. These issues became increasingly untenable for New Zealand's defense needs, particularly given the country's requirement to respond to frequent humanitarian crises and natural disasters across the Pacific region. In December 2022, the New Zealand Government announced the decision to retire the NH90 fleet early and replace them with new helicopters, citing the inability to achieve acceptable levels of operational availability despite significant investment in improvements. The NH90s were officially withdrawn from service in 2023, being replaced by Leonardo AW109 and Airbus H145 helicopters, marking one of the shortest service lives for a major RNZAF aircraft type and representing a significant setback in New Zealand's medium helicopter capability.
