Airbus Helicopters, as part of the joint venture NHIndustries, handed over the first NH90 Sea Tiger to the German Navy during a delivery ceremony at the navy’s base in Nordholz, on the country’s North Sea coast, on 16 December 2025.
Germany’s Bundeswehr ordered 31 NH90 Sea Tigers – the latest version of the NH90 NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH) – for the German Navy’s shipborne operations in 2020, with all aircraft scheduled to be to be delivered by 2030.
The Sea Tigers, which are capable of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) operations, will gradually replace the German Navy’s ageing Mk88A Sea Lynx fleet, which entered service in 1981.
The German Navy already operates 18 NH90 Sea Lion naval transport helicopters, which were delivered on schedule between 2019 and 2023. These are continuously deployed on maritime search-and-rescue missions and on board the German Navy’s Type 702 Berlin-class replenishment ships.
“We are extremely proud to deliver the first NH90 Sea Tiger today to the German Navy, on cost, on time and on quality,” Stefan Thomé, managing director of Airbus Helicopters in Germany, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “The Sea Tiger will provide the navy with a powerful tool to defend Germany’s, Europe’s and NATO’s borders in the Baltic Sea and in the Atlantic, offering outstanding anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.”
The first NH90 Sea Tiger made its maiden flight at Airbus Helicopters’ site in Donauwörth, Germany, on 30 November 2023.
The Sea Tiger has been specifically designed to meet the needs of the German Navy for a latest-generation ASW helicopter that can also perform ASuW, reconnaissance and transport missions. As well as a dipping sonar, sonobuoys, and weapons (torpedoes and missiles), the aircraft has a new electro-optical system and improved electronic support measures.
NHIndustries is owned by Airbus Helicopters (62.5%), Leonardo (32%) and GKN Fokker (5.5%).
