Norway and NHIndustries (NHI) have reached an amicable settlement resolving all disputes related to the country’s terminated NH90 helicopter program, the two sides announced in a joint statement on November 3, 2025.
Under the agreement, NHIndustries will take back all NH90 helicopters previously delivered to Norway, along with spare parts, tools, and mission-specific equipment. The company will assume full ownership of the recovered assets and reintegrate them into the broader NH90 program, making parts and equipment available to other operators.
In exchange, NHI will pay Norway €305 million (about $330 million), in addition to around €70 million (about $76 million) already paid through bank guarantees. All court proceedings between the parties are now concluded, formally closing a dispute that had dragged on for more than three years.
“The parties have engaged in constructive cooperation and demonstrated a willingness to resolve the matter,” the statement said, crediting mediators at the Oslo District Court for their “professional and trustworthy” handling of the process.
Both parties said they “look forward to moving ahead positively.”
From €2.8 billion claim to negotiated settlement
The agreement follows Norway’s June 2022 decision to cancel the NH90 contract, citing chronic delays, maintenance issues, and low operational availability. Oslo demanded €2.8 billion (around $3 billion) in compensation from NHIndustries and its parent companies, Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo, and Fokker, claiming the consortium had failed to deliver a fully functional fleet.
NHIndustries rejected Norway’s termination, arguing that the NH90’s performance and reliability had improved and that the aircraft were being withdrawn despite ongoing support efforts.
The settlement puts an end to one of the most high-profile disputes in recent European defense procurement history. For NHI, it also allows the company to reclaim valuable assets and components at a time when other NH90 users are seeking improved availability and spare-parts supply.
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