It took a long time to develop this helicopter, the NATO Helicopter for the 1990s, hence NH90. While it was launched in 1985, only in 2007 the first examples became operational. And even now, there are still debates about performance issues and operating costs. Still, it is a helicopter you are likely to encounter.

The NH90 is a medium-size helicopter, of which a land and naval version were developed. The appearance is quite conventional, with some exceptions. The first exception is the sharp transition between the upper and lower part of the fuselage, that runs from the nose to the tail boom like the 'bone line' styling of a car. Another characteristic is the tail boom, that end flat, when seen from above. Other features of the NH90 are a four-blade main rotor, a long engine/gar box housing with air intakes at the top, a rear loading ramp and a four-blade tail rotor at the top of the vertical stabiliser. There is a low-mounted, strut-braced horizontal stabiliser with a modest dihedral on the right side. The retractable gear has two wheels at the nose gear and single wheels on the main gears. The latter retract in small sponsons.

The different basic versions of the NH90 can be distinguished by looking at

• the presence of a rear loading ramp
• the presence of a disk shaped radome under the fuselage
• whether the main rotor blades can be folded

Each country can customise the basic version further, which could lead to additional differences within a basic variant.

MTT stands for Maritime Tactical Transport, and is a mix of the NFH and TTH variants. So the NH90-MTT has a rear loading ramp and floding main rotor blades, but no radome. Only the Italian navy has this version, designated as MH-90A.

Meant specifically for naval operations, the NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH) variant has a large disk shaped radome under the front fuselage. Additionally, its main rotor blades can be folded. Therefore, the blade attachment is different from the TTH variant. Finally, the NFH has no rear loading ramp.

The German navy calls this version the Sea Lion when used in the SAR role and Sea Tiger when used for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) from ships. The Italian navy calls it SH-90A.

The other main variant of the NH90 is the TTH, Tactical Transport Helicopter. The NH90-TTH has no folding main rotor blades and no dish shaped radar under the fuselage. It can however be equipped with a two-piece rear loading ramp. To protect the lower part from being scratched when open to the ground, it has two bumps on the sides. 

Various military customers have given specific designations to the NH90-TTH: UH-90A by the Italian army, MRH-90 Taipan by the Australian army, Caïman by the FRench army and Caimán by the Spanish army.

The Swedish army has a high cabin version (HCV) of the NH90-TTH, designated Hkp14. The difference compared to the standard TTH is especially visible near the eyebrow cockpit windows and the curve or the 'body line' near the tail boom.