The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has reaffirmed its commitment to the New Medium Helicopter (NMH) programme, clarifying that its progress will not be impacted by the UK’s broader defence spending plans or the scheduled retirements of the Puma and Chinook helicopters.
In response to written parliamentary questions from James Cartlidge MP, Maria Eagle, Minister of State for Defence, confirmed that the programme is advancing as planned.
Amid discussions about increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, Cartlidge asked whether this timeline could affect the NMH programme. Eagle assured: “The progress of the New Medium Helicopter programme is not dependent on reaching 2.5% GDP of expenditure on Defence spending.”
The programme is being pursued independently of these broader budgetary considerations, Eagle remarked.
Current Status of the Programme
Launched in February 2024, the NMH programme aims to replace ageing Puma helicopters and other legacy platforms with modern, versatile aircraft. The competition has shortlisted Airbus Helicopters UK, Leonardo Helicopters UK, and Lockheed Martin UK, with the evaluation process managed by Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S).
Eagle confirmed: “There are no plans to change the extant New Medium Helicopter competition… The competition remains sensitive, and the evaluation and approval process must complete before further details, including aircraft numbers, can be confirmed.”
The procurement process is on track, with a contract award expected in 2025, subject to government approval.
The MoD also reiterated that the decision to retire 14 Chinooks and the remaining Puma helicopters will not influence the tender scoring or evaluation criteria for the NMH competition.
A Defence Priority
The NMH programme is central to the UK’s efforts to modernise its rotary-wing capabilities and address operational gaps left by retiring platforms. It is designed to provide a reliable and adaptable solution for a range of missions, including troop transport, humanitarian response, and medical evacuations.
By focusing on domestic production and involving UK-based competitors, the MoD say that it also aims to strengthen the UK’s defence industrial base, supporting jobs and enhancing supply chain resilience.
The NMH programme is advancing alongside a wider strategic defence review, led by Lord Robertson, which is set to report in 2025. The review will outline the shape of the UK’s Armed Forces to address new threats, but the MoD has made it clear that the NMH programme’s development remains unaffected.
So ten second hand Blackhawks?
Blackhawks pulled out
Isn’t the A149 the only one left standing? The other bidders have pulled out haven’t they.
As far as I know that is correct. I saw a recent report that Airbus had decided against building an assembly facility at their works in North Wales, and had therefore not submitted a bid. So now it’s just down to Westlands.
Yes the AgustaWestland AW149 is the only option left as the other bids did not make the deadline
Why this article don’t say that only Leonardo remains in the competition?
The other two bidders withdrew as they could no longer see a viable business case as the number of helicopters being bought kept shrinking. I think we’re down to 25 now from the original nominal 44. I assume Leonardo will use any MoD order (possibly loss-making) as a means of promoting the AW149 in the export market. In the meantime HM forces will have to live with yet “another capability holiday.” Embarrassing especially when one looks at French capabilities who always seem to take a longer term, more considered approach to defence procurement.
The point is that UKDJ text do not make any reference to that. It just goes as if NMH competition still have the French and Americans.
They really just need to get on and order 30 AW149s really.
We’ll be lucky to get that many
I would think the slow progress is largely down to trying to fit it into budget. We seem to be limited to buying 6 or 7 helicopters a tear, the rotary budget is pretty small.
It is like painting carriages on a train. First one is getting the last 16 Apache rebuild delivered, which is due early next year. Then it’s the 6 Jupiter 2s, which will belatedly replace the retired Bell 216 and incr3ase in budget 416 in Brunei and Cyprus. Then the 14 new Chinook ER (extended range) to replace the 14 older Chinooks being withdrawn from service. As these cost over £100m apiece, that is going to take 3 or 4 years I would imagine to get them all paid for. Then it’s the turn of the NMH.
Like every other branch of the services, rotary needs a 25% increase in budget, which it would get if (a) HMG conceded that we are barely spending 2% at present, not any of the exaggerated figures MOD proclaims, and (b) defence gets a genuine, not tricky, increase to minimum 2.5% of GDP.
Yet again another programme is declared ‘save’ from the on going SDR due to report next year. Very soon all that will be left for the SDR to influence is the numbers of equipment to be procured and especially the phasing of the programmes. So the numbers of equipment are likelyto be cut (again) and the phasing of their deliveries extended (which will increase costs) the Politicains will continue to claim they have given the Forces the best equipment available but not in the numbers or timescales to improve our defensive posture and in effect they will continue to hollow out our Forces whilst to the uninitated ‘everything in the garden looks rosey’ until we are actually called on to commit forces to a active conflict.
This is a disaster. The loss of Puma is not just in losing the ability to provide an airborne tactical deployment of sections but also in a load of pilots and master aircrew who aren’t going to hang around whilst the MoD decides. Like the loss of Albion/ Bulwark without immediate replacements these gaps are going to hit retention. UK armed forces are going through a death by a thousand cuts! and not 1 chief is calling it out. Where’s the integrity or service before self?
👍
This is indeed the problem….some good people have given a lot of their lives to a tasking an perfecting that tasking. They get satisfaction from being the best at it…imparting knowledge…
If you suddenly cut it with no replacement in sight and they will just walk as it was ‘their thing’
The Puma techniciens may be welcom in France, where we opérate Caracal, Super pumas and so on 😉
Well this is good to hear.
At this low point, even though I have always wanted BH, I’ll take AW149!
Reminder that back in the mid 2000s 40 BH were offered to the UK for 300 million, with support package, and I think UK build too.
Instead we spent 1 billion plus on Wildcat and more money on updating Puma.
Again, industry, not military capability and readiness, takes priority.
Order 20, keep the 6 Dauphins, plus the 6 HC145s, I’ll take it.
It is better than no RAF medium capability at all, which is where we are headed.
£300m feels like peanuts in todays terms.
The whole Westland thing has always been a huge money pit. It is an area where extraordinarily poor value has been achieved. I’m all for keeping genuine domestic manufacturing going but how real is the Westland design and manufacturing now?
Please not another money pit. This really should be a MOTS deal.
Mind you the BHs would be falling apart by now as an a cutting edge innovative world class maintenance program would have extended the intervals of everything ignoring the concomitant damage caused by failing to replace cheap parts in a timely manner so all the expensive bits break. Combined with a world class cutting edge that bla bla program that uses a few of the frames back to back until they fall apart.
Sometimes being very clever is very expensive!
Well Westland has never designed much. The Lynx and 50% of Merlin are its most accomplishments.
Wessex and Sea King, AH-64 are American designs.
Every airframe made at Westland, now Leonardo UK is literally tailor made for the customer. If we could spit out 1 variant endlessly things would be a lot easier. Every contract the aircraft are redesigned to fit requirements customers have & the equipment they must use from their own domestic supply chain.
So give Leonardo the order just because they are the only ones left ? Airbus and Sikorsky pull out as the tender was impossible to meet on cost versus delivery of capability and timeframe . Would love to see the requirement set that put 2 major companies out of the competition and left italy as the only option. Amazingly Leonardo says they can do it . If that doesn’t ring the alarm bells not sure what will .
AW149 is too small in my opinion. Limited troop capability and mission systems . The question is do we need a medium lift ? Puma hasn’t flown in anger in years and are all parked up at Benson apart from the dets to Cyprus and Brunei. Has anyone noticed …. Nope
Yes, I think a medium lift is necessary.
A Chinook is not suitable for all roles just like sending a QEC in place of a River, while possible, is un necessary.
The one that gets my goat is Atlas doing the previous niche C130 SF tasks.
Puma was only in Brunei and Akrotiri because they cut the Bells and Griffons from those locations.
So UH 60 are not too small but AW149 is? are you not mixing it up with AW139?
I was wondering that too AlexS. The AW149 has a bigger cabin than the Black Hawk and can carry more combat-laden troops or cargo.
The BH has the edge in being able to lift signifcantly heavier loads, due to more powerful engine.
Otherwise, they are much of a muchness.
If Leonardo can build them at a competitive price, then we keep some limited helicopter manufacturing capability in the UK. It was not worth the other competitors’ setting up assembly plants in the UK for the very small number of NMH now envisaged.
Seeing is believing I suppose 🙄
So if the purchase is independent of broader budgetary decisions, then how about you know, actually ordering them….?
“By focusing on domestic production and involving UK-based competitors, the MoD say that it also aims to strengthen the UK’s defence industrial base, supporting jobs and enhancing supply chain resilience.”
Don’t they mean strengthen Italian defence industral base??
As the ultra expensive AW149 is the only entry in a competition to chuck billions down the drain…
Good lord, I’ll say it again ‘Just buy secondhand refurbished Blackhawks’ we could get double the number for the same budget…
The RAF and the Army want it, same old, same old….
And fabulous airframes they are too. Best for the job
Ultra expensive!? Bristow uses the AW149 in its civilian guise as AW189.
It would be interesting to see how the MOD receives a pitch of second hand Blackhawks. Presumably upgraded national guard UH-60’s?
USAF choose AW139 for their nuke sites over Blackhawks.
completely different role. AW139 is basically a police helicopter.
The BlackHawk Helo was one that Special Forces and the Royal Marines wanted they are a perfect fit for UK Cannot Believe that the AW149 is the only option We should have the BlackHawk
That would be common sense. UK MoD and politicians do not “do” common sense.
Course not. Industry is their priority, not what the military might actually want.
There was a RAF SHF pilot on here who commented several times that in that community BH was long the desired choice.
And also the SOCOM version if it for DSF.
But they are no longer in the running.
No one is! Except the AW.