Hardware and software upgrades for NH90 fleet

A Ministry of Defence project will deliver an upgrade to the NH90 fleet’s encrypted radios and a new navigation system for the helicopters that complies with updated Civil Aviation Authority requirements.

A contract has been signed with NATO Helicopter Industries (NH Industries) covering both hardware and software upgrades and the company will be undertaking the hardware modifications in New Zealand.

According to a 24 October announcement by the Ministry, this is the first time the company, in partnership with Airbus NZ, has undertaken this work locally.

“New Zealand is the first country which uses the NH90 helicopter that will undertake the work to retrofit the navigation system and upgrade the secure communication system.” Frank Dyer, Integrated Project Team Leader at the Ministry of Defence said.

“We’ll also be working with sub-contractor Airbus Australia Pacific (AAP) who will test and qualify the upgrade using the NH90 software test rig located in Brisbane, Australia.”

This work is the next phase of the Operational and Regulatory Aviation Compliance Sustainment (ORACS) project. The upgrades are expected to be complete by 2030.

The ORACS Projects are a series of phased projects addressing changes to the technological and regulatory aviation environment.

Communication, navigation, air traffic management and identification systems in particular must be updated due to changes, such as new regulations and technological upgrades that improve safety and security.

ORACS has been carried out in two phases.

Phase One focused on Automatic Dependant Surveillance-Broadcast to meet changing civil aviation regulations. Phase Two addresses Performance-Based Navigation and secure communications systems updates.

$52.83 million in funding was approved by Cabinet in April 2019 to commence the first phase, enabling the update of civil air traffic management systems to get underway for a range of NZDF aircraft fleets. These upgrades were prioritised for delivery due to the fast approaching compliance date.

The upgrade of the NH90 helicopter fleet was excluded from the 2019 business case as a solution could not be confirmed and investment quality information was not available at the time. In May 2020, a separate business case for the NH90 work was approved to the tune of $21.21 million, so that ORACS Phase One could be delivered across fleets.

Phases 2(a), 2(b) and 2(c) are also underway, following approval by Cabinet in December 2021, April 2023 and June 2024 to deliver secure communication systems updates and a new navigation system.