Documents
France Airbus Helicopters
NH90 Caiman
The French designation for the NH90 medium-lift helicopter, built by the multinational NHIndustries consortium in which Airbus Helicopters is the lead French partner. France operates the type in both a naval anti-submarine/utility version and an army tactical transport version.
In service since 2011 · 14 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
300
km/h
1,600
km range
6,000
m ceiling
4,000
kg payload
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
French export-licensed
CIEEMG inter-ministerial approval; broadly export-oriented.
Channel: DGA / direct commercial
Fielded & proven
Established · 14 operators
In service since 2011. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 300 km/h |
|---|---|
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 1,600 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 6,000 m |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 4,000 kg |
|---|
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 20 m |
|---|---|
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 10,600 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 2 |
| Troop capacity Number of embarked troops/passengers (IFV, APC, transport). Higher carries more. | 20 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | 2x turboshaft engines |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 2 |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turboshaft |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | dipping sonar (naval variant), FLIR |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 14 |
|---|
Specifications compiled from public Airbus Helicopters and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Airbus Helicopters NH90 Caiman? +
The Airbus Helicopters NH90 Caiman has a maximum speed of 300 km/h.
What is the range of the Airbus Helicopters NH90 Caiman? +
The Airbus Helicopters NH90 Caiman has a maximum range of 1,600 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Airbus Helicopters NH90 Caiman? +
The Airbus Helicopters NH90 Caiman can carry up to 4,000 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Airbus Helicopters NH90 Caiman weigh? +
The Airbus Helicopters NH90 Caiman has a combat weight of 10,600 kg.
How many crew does the Airbus Helicopters NH90 Caiman require? +
The Airbus Helicopters NH90 Caiman requires a crew of 2.
What engine does the Airbus Helicopters NH90 Caiman use? +
The Airbus Helicopters NH90 Caiman is powered by the 2x turboshaft engines.
What is the Airbus Helicopters NH90 Caiman used for? +
The Airbus Helicopters NH90 Caiman is a helicopter typically used for isr.
How many countries operate the Airbus Helicopters NH90 Caiman? +
The Airbus Helicopters NH90 Caiman is operated by 14 countries.
How much does the Airbus Helicopters NH90 Caiman cost? +
Airbus Helicopters NH90 Caiman: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
Similar systems
Airbus Helicopters
H160M Guepard
Russian Helicopters
Ka-52 Alligator
AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China)
Harbin Z-19
Airbus Helicopters