NGRC: NATO partnership for new helicopters

Six NATO countries signed a declaration of intent on June 16 at a meeting of the Alliance's defense ministers in Brussels to collaborate on concepts for a next-generation helicopter. "We are at the beginning of a new era for rotary-wing or vertical flight here in Europe," said Roberto Garavaglia, Senior Vice President for Strategy at Leonardo Helicopters, during a panel discussion on June 15 at the Eurosatory 2022 exhibition.

According to a NATO statement, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom are providing €26.7 million, or approximately $28 million, for the Next-Generation Rotorcraft Capability (NGRC) project. Canada is likely to have observer status.

The new aircraft must have a range of more than 1,650 kilometers without refueling, with an intended flight duration of eight hours and a payload capacity between 10,000 and 17,000 kilograms.

The goal is also to develop a common airframe for land, air, and sea variants, although the authority is considering the possibility of separate platforms if a common airframe proves too controversial.

On the cover image above: Lockheed Martin and Boeing presented their response to a U.S. Army competition for the next generation of helicopters in early 2021. It's clear: Europe is following this example: Six NATO countries have joined forces to explore concepts for a new aircraft design.

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