ILA 2026: German Army charts aviation modernisation path

A German Army NHI NH90 TTH helicopter at the ILA Berlin Airshow 2026. These will receive significant upgrades over coming years as part of the service's wider aviation modernisation roadmap. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)

Having recently stood up and assigned a new aviation brigade to NATO, Germany is now in a long-term modernisation effort for its helicopter capabilities.

Speaking under the Chatham House Rule ahead of the ILA Berlin Airshow 2026 running from 10 to 14 June 2026, an official spelled out the Germany Army's 15-year roadmap that will see its current manned helicopter types teamed with unmanned capabilities.

“Germany has assigned one aviation brigade to NATO since 1 January [2026]. The German Aviation Brigade has been embedded in multinational exercises, demonstrating capabilities in attack missions, air transport, and tactical aeromedical evacuation. The presence of German aviation forces is a message of readiness, combat power, and strong commitment to NATO. The German Aviation Brigade has been operationally ready for a year, and will maintain this posture for the coming decades,” the official said at the IQPC International Military Helicopter 2026 conference in London in February.

“Looking ahead, Germany is planning a 15-year roadmap to integrate manned and unmanned systems across its aviation assets. Our rotary-wing aviation capabilities are still the same as they have been in the past 30 or 40 years – geared at agility, flexibility, rapid projection of effects – but in the future it will be the right mixture between manned and unmanned assets. This shift will impact doctrine, mission planning, and execution”, he added.

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