France has ordered a total of 18 NH90 Standard 2 helicopters, which will be assigned to the French Army Aviation's Special Forces regiment based in Pau. Deliveries are scheduled to continue through mid-2029.
Spain also joined the program in December 2025, placing an order for 31 NH90 helicopters in a similar special operations configuration.
The NH90 Standard 2 is an enhanced version of the Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) platform, developed to meet the evolving operational requirements of special operations forces.
The new configuration features Safran's Euroflir 410D electro-optical system, a next-generation digital map generator, and a dedicated workstation for a third crew member. It also incorporates enlarged rear sliding windows to improve the employment of self-protection weapon systems.
Future capability upgrades are expected to include the Direct Aperture System (DAS), an advanced panoramic vision system that combines six fuselage-mounted infrared cameras with the Thales TopOwl helmet-mounted display to enhance pilot situational awareness in degraded visual environments, including snow, dust and fog. The roadmap also includes full integration of the Thales TopOwl all-digital helmet display system.