NHI offering ‘much cheaper' surplus Norwegian NH90s to international market

NHI now owns 14 NH90 helicopters that it bought back from Norway, and which it is now offering to the international market at a much discounted rate. (Royal Norwegian Air Force)

NHIndustries (NHI) is now looking to sell surplus Norwegian NH90 helicopters to the international market at a heavily discounted rate, consortium president Axel Aloccio told Janes and other defence media on 7 October 2026.

Speaking at the site of chief stakeholder Airbus Helicopters' Marignane facility in southern France, Aloccio said that the 14 NH90 NATO Frigate Helicopters (NFHs) and their spare parts are now in Norway under NHI ownership, and that the consortium that also includes Leonardo Helicopters and GKN Fokker Aerospace is offering them for resale at a much reduced price.

“We have the helicopters – they are still in Norway in an Airbus facility while we wait to find a new home for them. We are offering [prospective NFH customers] these Norwegian helicopters because they are second-hand, and they are much cheaper,” Aloccio said, adding that based on current discussions they may go to more than one customer.

The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RoNAF) operated 14 NH90 NFH helicopters on behalf of the Norwegian Coast Guard (NoCG), with the type flown from land and embarked on NoCG vessels. The country's government said that these helicopters were unable to fulfil its requirements, and following a legal process NHI agreed in November 2025 to buy them back to reintegrate them within the NH90 programme, selling them on and/or making in-demand parts and equipment available to other users of the NH90.