The German Navy has taken delivery of its first NH90 Sea Tiger maritime combat helicopter, Airbus Helicopters announced on December 16, 2025.
The handover took place during a delivery ceremony at Nordholz naval air base, Airbus Helicopters said in a statement. The Sea Tiger is being delivered through NHIndustries, the multinational consortium regrouping Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo Helicopters Division, and Fokker Technologies and responsible for the NH90 program.
Germany has ordered a total of 31 NH90 Sea Tiger helicopters, with deliveries scheduled to run through 2030. The aircraft will be used primarily for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) missions.
Replacing the Sea Lynx
The Sea Tiger will replace the German Navy’s Mk88A Sea Lynx helicopters, which have been in service since the early 1980s. The transition is part of a broader effort to renew Germany’s rotary-wing capabilities, following a recent order for 20 additional Airbus H145M helicopters for the Bundeswehr.
The NH90 is a twin-engine military transport helicopter developed in partnership between France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. The NH90 Sea Tiger is the latest evolution of the NH90 NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter) variant and has been tailored to German Navy requirements.
It is equipped with a new electro-optical system, upgraded electronic support measures, a dipping sonar, sonobuoys, and a range of weapons, including torpedoes and missiles. Qualification and testing campaigns were conducted in the Mediterranean and the North Sea.
Broader European NH90 momentum
Germany already operates 18 NH90 Sea Lion helicopters in a naval transport and search-and-rescue role. Those aircraft were delivered between 2019 and 2023 and are routinely deployed on maritime SAR missions and aboard replenishment vessels.
The delivery coincides with several European navies expanding or modernizing their NH90 fleets, reflecting sustained demand for this type across NATO navies. On December 10, 2025, the Netherlands confirmed an order for three more NH90 maritime helicopters.
NHIndustries said more than 135 naval NH90 helicopters have been delivered to six countries to date, with the global NH90 fleet accumulating close to 500,000 flight hours across military, humanitarian, and search-and-rescue operations.