The Dutch Ministry of Defense will apply a mid-life upgrade (MLU) to 19 NH90 naval helicopters.
As announced by State Secretary Christophe van der Maat to the Dutch House of Representatives, the decision was made to carry out a thorough modernization of the 19 NH90 naval helicopters, as, in two years, many of them will have reached half of their expected operational life.
The Netherlands armed forces have been using the NH90 since 2010 and several of its systems date back to the 1990s and need to be replaced because they are now obsolete.
The NH90 is mainly used for anti-submarine warfare and amphibious transport. The helicopter can collect large amounts of sensor data and share it in real time with other units, air or naval. The MoD believes that, due to the unparalleled qualities of this device, there is currently no equivalent viable alternative available.
See also: NHIndustries statement on Australia’s decision to ground “for good” its MRH90 helicopters
What does the upgrade involve?
The goal of the MLU is to make NH90 mission systems future-proof. Both hardware and software of the devices are upgraded. The modernization includes new communications equipment, an improved sonar system and the integration of the new MK54 torpedo.
In addition, electromagnetic surveillance and collection equipment is being upgraded. The fine-tuning of support systems is also part of the modernization package. This includes training resources and simulators, including the mission analysis and planning system and test equipment.
A major part of this upgrade is the replacement of the tactical data link system. The current Link 11 datalink system is largely obsolete and will eventually be decommissioned. The replacement is Link 22, which is also used by NATO partners. Link 22 has many more options and is more secure. This system is needed to share the large amounts of data collected by the NH90 with other flight and navigation units.
The first NH90s are expected to be upgraded starting in 2028 and last another 15 years.
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