The Royal New Zealand Air Force has completed a comprehensive upgrade for its entire NH90 helicopter fleet at Base Ohakea.
The modernization project covered software and equipment solutions to refine the fleet’s performance.
Among the highlights of this initiative is the improvement of the identification process between the military’s NH90s and partner forces scanning friend-or-foe airborne systems.
Additionally, the update ensures the fleet complies with New Zealand Civil Aviation regulations for mandated aircraft identification broadcasts with the so-called “ADS-B OUT.”
It also enhances flight automation, enabling the helicopters to maintain precise hovering all the way to touchdown from the previous limit of 15 feet (5 meters).
This function is expected to be valuable during “brownout” conditions, where rotor downwash stirs up dust, debris, or snow, which significantly reduces visibility.
“The upgrade includes the latest generation of secure inter-aircraft communications, Saturn, to enable secure communications between aircraft in a combat environment,” Capability Development Officer Squadron Leader Austin Smith explained.
“We’ve had a dispensation for the Air Force to operate without ADS-B OUT, but this now enables us to operate without restriction. It also allows us to hover automatically over water lower than previously able, enhancing the safety of activities like Special Forces entering the water from the helicopter.”
‘First’ to Upgrade
According to the air force, the upgrade was initially set for three years overseas, specifically at NH90 centers in Europe.
However, standards showcased by the New Zealand Defence Force’s Deeper Maintenance unit over the fleet convinced NH90 developer NH Industries to facilitate the work locally.
The effort was supported by components sourced from retired Australian Defence Force NH90s, allowing modifications without grounding the New Zealand NH90s and finalizing them in just four weeks.
“We’re the first country to do it, and it’s happened incredibly quickly,” Smith said.
“In the future we will look at delivering more software and hardware that will enable additional communication functions and performance-based navigation. This will allow the helicopter to operate more efficiently in civil air traffic control environments.”
The NH90 Helicopter
The NH90 helicopter measures 20 meters (66 feet) long, has a rotor diameter of 16 meters (52 feet), and a weight of 11,000 kilograms (24,251 pounds).
It is equipped with twin engines with 2,300 horsepower each for a speed of 300 kilometers (186 miles) per hour, a range of 1,600 kilometers (994 miles), and five hours of endurance.
The aircraft offers seating for up to 23 personnel and can be integrated with mounted automatic machine guns.
