The NH90 program is unmatched in the history of Eurocopter and aeronautics in general. It has moved the Group into a whole new dimension of multi-customer relationships, multi-partner working structures and multi-site industrial organization. Despite the complexity, 2008 has seen a ramp-up in deliveries, and numerous development and qualification goals have been achieved.

Technological complexity is not the only factor that makes the NH90 program exceptional. From a commercial point of view, the relationship with NH90 customers is based on two types of contracts. The program’s founding countries—France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal—are represented by the NATO helicopter management agency NAHEMA, while export contracts have been signed directly with the customer countries. Executing these export contracts has called for a special industrial organization, and NHIndustries was set up by the industrial partners Eurocopter, AgustaWestland and Fokker to provide a single point of contact for NAHEMA and the customer countries. While the specific customization offered to customers has ensured the aircraft’s commercial success on the export market, it has also resulted in 23 different variants, which have entailed new challenges and increased complexity: The management of interdependencies between the versions being a good case in point. Winning certain export contracts also required the implantation of new local assembly lines in Finland, Spain and Australia—in addition to the ones in France, Germany and Italy.

Improving the Organization
To tackle this complexity, the program’s internal organization has been integrated as much as possible, based on multi-skilled work teams. This setup has ever since proven to be a complete success in terms of speeding up communications and the decision-making process. The program team is further supported by representatives from the key functions—development, production, finance, quality—all working within the same multi-disciplinary unit. External organization between partners is also based on a new way of working. For technical aspects, joint design offices (JDO) have been created. The formation of these new work groups is decided by the partners’ chief engineers. The JDOs are each assigned a critical design duty and are tasked with achieving a technical goal within a specified deadline. The JDOs report to the program management monthly and they have accelerated the qualification process for each critical issue. The JDOs are now working on all the critical qualification points for the tactical transport helicopter (TTH) and the NATO frigate helicopter (NFH) versions.

A Stronger, More Effective Program
he results are there for all to see. Altogether six qualifications have already been completed and the qualification for two IOC+ (the enhanced initial operational configuration) versions has also been obtained for Germany. The challenge now is to finalize the IOC+ qualifications for Italy and the e-basic standard for Sweden and the Sultanate of Oman. The objective for mid-2009 is to ensure that full operational capability (FOC) is granted for NAHEMA and export customers, as well as the TTH version. “Step A” must also be qualified for the NFH version, which underwent a naval campaign this summer. The campaign was a complete success—in particular the evaluation of the tactical navigation and radar systems. The delivery schedule is also proceeding according to plan. Two MRH90s were handed over to the Australian army on time at the end of last year and five different customers accepted 11 helicopters at the end of August. In all, 22 aircraft have now been delivered.

Preparing for the Future
Technical and industrial cooperation are the keys to making such a complex program work. NHIndustries has been reorganized to strengthen and clarify these inter-partner relationships, through the nomination of managers from Eurocopter and AgustaWestland. Duties have been clearly defined: Eurocopter is chiefly responsible for the TTH version and AgustaWestland for the NFH version. Dominique Maudet, senior vicepresident for governmental programs at Eurocopter, has the final word: “Despite its complexity, the new organization has given the NH90 program firmer foundations. Eurocopter teams can now fully focus on their goal of satisfying customers in one of the biggest programs in aeronautical history.”