NATO’s next-gen rotorcraft contracts awarded to Lockheed, Airbus, Leonardo

NATO has awarded contracts to Airbus, Leonardo, and Lockheed Martin to develop concepts for medium-lift military helicopters. The alliance plans to deliver the new class of medium-lift military helicopters by 2035- 2040.

The awarding of these contracts officially begins NGRC’s Concept Study 5, dedicated to medium lift rotary capabilities.

Although NATO didn’t disclose the contract values, earlier tenders suggest each is worth $6.2 million.

Contractors will provide valuable, independent perspectives

“These three contractors will provide valuable, independent perspectives on potential integrated platform concepts that can meet the NGRC challenge, aiming to identify and exploit cutting-edge technologies to meet the NGRC operational and supportability capabilities, as well as seeking innovation in digital design and development processes and advanced materials and manufacturing,” NATO stated .

For the needs of the study, Airbus will collaborate with RTX’s Collins Aerospace, Raytheon, and MBDA over the next 13 months to analyze two integrated concepts for next-generation military rotorcraft.

According to the French giant, participating in this NATO study for next-generation military rotorcraft provides a unique chance to leverage their experience with European armed forces. The goal is to create a European solution that meets NATO’s needs and guarantees industrial sovereignty and engineering expertise across Europe.

“This project will be fully interoperable with other NATO means. With our experience in both civil and military helicopter design, we are convinced that we have the right cost effective, high performance, and operationally efficient solutions at Airbus Helicopters for the next generation of military rotorcraft,” said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters.

Replacing aging helicopters nearing end of life cycle by 2040

After four years of development, the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) program is expected to aid in replacing outdated units from the 1960s with a modern airframe and advanced propulsion technology.

The 13-month studies acknowledge that many of NATO’s medium multirole helicopter fleets are aging, with a significant number nearing the end of their life cycle between 2035 and 2040, as many of these designs date back to the previous century.

Lockheed Martin highlighted its X2 rotorcraft as a next-generation technology, while Leonardo, in partnership with Bell Helicopter, is advancing the tiltrotor V-280 Valor, which is nearing Milestone B under the US Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program.

“Building on the 40+ year legacy supporting frontline global missions, Lockheed Martin Sikorsky looks forward to continuing this trusted partnership with NATO. Extending Lockheed Martin Sikorsky’s technical expertise in developing advanced rotorcraft systems, we have assembled a group of leading companies from European Industry to support the execution of NGRC Study #5,” said Andy Adams, vice president of Lockheed Martin Sikorsky Future Vertical Lift.

The NGRC program will replace various helicopters, including AW101s, UH-60 Black Hawks, Super Pumas, and NH90s. Although the UK initially joined the NGRC, it is now focusing on its own New Medium Helicopter program.