Rough Path to Production
The NH-90 has from inception has traveled a rough path. NH Industries was formed in 1992 with the design, development, manufacture and first flight of the first NH-90 following in just 3 years (18 December 1995). Since that first flight the program has been wrought with problems, both technical and programmatic. A case may be made that that NH Industries attempted to include many yet unproven attributes in one airframe. Some of those attributes are responsible for today’s issues. Now 19 years later, with limited production continuing, it appears as if many of the initial issues are still present creating havoc for those nations that elected to procure them. Some nations, Sweden for example, have elected to procure MH-60s as an interim solution while awaiting the solutions for NH-90 problems.