The German Navy has received the first of its planned fleet of 31 NH90 Sea Tiger helicopters from Airbus Helicopters via the NHIndustries consortium, with the handover taking place at the service’s Nordholz air base.
The delivery is part of a 2020 contract with Airbus, under which all aircraft are expected to be delivered by 2030. The Sea Tiger will progressively replace the German Navy’s aging Mk88A Sea Lynx helicopters, which have been in service since 1981.
Configured for maritime combat operations, the NH90 Sea Tiger will support both German and NATO missions, including anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, as well as reconnaissance and transport operations in the Baltic Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
The new helicopters will operate alongside the Navy’s existing fleet of 18 NH90 Sea Lion naval transport helicopters, delivered between 2019 and 2023. The Sea Lion fleet is currently employed in maritime search and rescue missions and aboard 702-class replenishment vessels.
To prepare for the Sea Tiger’s induction, the Navy awarded a contract in November 2024 to German company Reiser Simulation and Training for an NH90 maintenance training rig, enabling crews to rehearse complex maintenance tasks in advance.
As the most advanced variant of the NH90 family, the Sea Tiger has been tailored to meet specific German Navy requirements. The first aircraft conducted its maiden flight in Donauwörth, Bavaria, in late 2023, followed by additional flight testing in 2024 ahead of its delivery in December 2025.
The helicopter is equipped with a new electro-optical sensor suite, enhanced electronic support measures, a dipping sonar, and sonobuoys, and is armed with torpedoes and missiles.
