Airbus Helicopters reports that the Sea Lion variant of the NH90 has completed qualification testing ahead of initial deliveries, scheduled for Q4 2019.
Airbus reports that the Sea Lion variant of the NH90 for the German Navy has achieved two recent milestones.
In early November, all ground and flight tests required for qualification of the Sea Lion were concluded. The qualification process is expected to be formally completed in the first quarter of 2019. Military type certification by the German authorities is anticipated in the second quarter of 2019.
The qualification aircraft, the second Sea Lion prototype, is now entering the lay-up phase, during which it will be upgraded to production configuration and prepared for delivery to the Bundeswehr. The aircraft performed its first flight in production configuration in July.
Meanwhile, on 24th October 2018, the first production German Navy Sea Lion helicopter successfully completed the first power-on of all electrical systems on the final assembly line at the Airbus Helicopters facility in Donauwörth.
The first contractual delivery is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2019. A total of 18 helicopters are on order for the German Navy.
The Sea Lions will be the first NH90s to be delivered by with advanced civil navigation capabilities. They will be equipped with the CMC Electronics CMA-9000 Flight Management System (FMS) and CMA-5024 GPS Landing System.