On Monday, April 20, 2026, European company Airbus Helicopters (part of the Airbus Group), Italian group Leonardo, and British company GKN Aerospace (which owns the Dutch company GKN Fokker) signed an agreement with the NATO support agency NAHEMA (NATO Helicopter Management Agency) to study the architecture for the long-term modernization of NHI NH90 multirole helicopters, known as Block 2.
Photo and images: NHI
Airbus Helicopters and Leonardo announced joint work on the NH90 Block 2 architecture on June 18, 2025. The feasibility study agreement with NAHEMA was originally planned to be concluded by the end of 2025.
The Block 2 modernization package will include key structural improvements to the helicopter, such as modular avionics, greater configuration commonality, improved operational support and performance, as well as new capabilities in combat, communications, and crewed-uncrewed teaming. The study should enable current NH90 users to decide on the next steps in upgrading to the Block 2 standard within a timeframe consistent with other ongoing studies into next-generation capabilities and technologies.
“The NH90 has recently reached 500,000 flight hours, a testimony to its maturity and operational relevance, as well as its continuously upgraded capabilities. The Sea Tiger and the NH90 Standard 2 are establishing themselves as the state-of-the-art benchmark for naval and tactical operations and we are already preparing the midterm evolution of the NH90 with the Block 1 upgrade. The signing of the Block 2 contract now marks a decisive step in ensuring the NH90 remains at the forefront of European defence for decades to come,” said Matthieu Louvot, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. “As NATO and its member nations define the future of vertical lift, Airbus and its partners are committed to evolving this proven platform to meet the most demanding operational challenges of the future battlespace,” he added.
This two-year architecture study will ensure industrial continuity by building on the achievements of the Block 1 program, while enabling the platform to evolve with the 2040+ operating environment in mind. Guided by the high-level requirements defined by NAHEMA and the participating countries, the study will be conducted in parallel with the European Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies (ENGRT) initiatives. The purpose of the architecture study is to deliver the key technical outputs needed by NAHEMA and the countries to evaluate and select modernization design options that best meet their long-term sovereignty needs.
In May 2024, the NAHEMA support agency and the NHIndustries (NHI) consortium, comprising Airbus Helicopters (62.5%), Leonardo (32%), and GKN Fokker (5.5%), signed a short- and medium-term modernization plan known as Block 1 (also referred to as Software Release 3), covering various countries, to enhance the capabilities of their in-service fleets in terms of tactical information, data exchange, sensors, navigation, and weapon integration. The Block 2 architecture study will obviously build on the work carried out under the Block 1 package (Airbus is testing a modified NH90 TTH for French special forces).
The cooperation between the two manufacturers also stems from the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two partners in July 2024, whose ultimate aim is to conduct an extensive analysis of the status of the NH90 helicopter program and explore potential future solutions for its evolution.
https://twitter.com/AirbusPRESS/status/2046151164492718321
🚁 Milestone for the #NH90 program! NHIndustries signed a €15M contract with #NAHEMA for the Block 2 architecture study.
Read the full PR here: https://t.co/1KQG88p0WB#Defense #Aviation pic.twitter.com/xi2V9twhvf
— NHIndustries (@NHIndustriesSAS) April 20, 2026
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