UK reaffirms NMH numbers after report of scaling back requirement

Despite recent reports that the UK had scaled back its NMH requirement, the MoD has reaffirmed its commitment to buy ‘up to 44′ new helicopters to replace the Puma (pictured) and three other types. (Janes/Patrick Allen)

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has reaffirmed its commitment to the New Medium Helicopter (NMH) programmefollowing a report that it had scaled back the number of rotorcraft it was looking to procure.

Answering questions in the House of Commons, Minister of State in the MoD James Cartlidge said the number of helicopters to be procured under the NMH requirement to replace the Airbus Puma HC2 and three other UK military rotorcraft types remains the same, despite the CEO of Airbus Helicopters UK, Lenny Brown, reportedly saying that industry had been informed that the requirement had been dramatically reduced.