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Despite this challenge, the initial lessons learned allowed the Dutch to come up with solutions to the problems early on and many of those issues, like the corrosion, are no longer a factor. As aircraft availability and experience grows, so does the potency of the NH90 as a platform.
ROLES AND TASKS
The N5 version of the NH90 that the Netherlands acquired can be used in two roles. Twelve of the NH90 helicopters are equipped in the NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH) configuration. They are equipped with all systems necessary for the maritime combat role. The other eight NH90s are configured as Tactical NATO Frigate Helicopters (TNFH). As tactical transport helicopters they are used both on land and at sea but do not carry sonar or the control station of the sensor operator to save weight and space.
The NH90 can perform all of the roles performed by the helicopter it replaced, the Lynx, and then some. The NH90’s capabilities provide the Dutch with a multi-spectrum surface warfare platform including reconnaissance, anti-piracy operations, anti-submarine warfare, counter-narcotics interdiction, and SAR. The NH90 can also be used to deploy ground forces via fast-roping and carry external and internal loads or troops. The NH90 has also been used extensively for disaster relief missions, notably in 2017 when Hurricane Irma struck Saint Maarten in the Caribbean.
WARFARE
The NH90 is equipped with a helicopter long-range active sonar (HELRAS), but can also work in combination with sonar buoys. As a weapon platform and as a sensor platform it is well-suited for anti-submarine warfare. In addition to the HELRAS, the NH90 in the NFH configuration is outfitted with inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR). With both radar and sonar capabilities, the crew can gain a broad tactical picture of any surface contacts over long distances and underwater. The NH90 also utilizes Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) thermal imaging that makes it possible to perform missions in total darkness, bad weather or poor visibility. The FLIR can also visually identify the targets that have been found with the radar.
The NH90 can be armed with a MAG or M3M machine gun as a door gun and can also carry torpedoes. Currently, the Mk46 torpedo is deployed on the NH90s, but it is nearing the end of its lifespan. A new modernized torpedo will be fielded in 2021 to better face the threat posed by modern submarines. Plans are also underway to explore the possibility of adapting the NH90s to carry air-to-surface missiles.