Digital classroom for the Sea Lion

Rheinmetall supplies digital classroom for the German Navy's new NH90 NTH Sea Lion multi-purpose helicopter in Nordholz

The German Navy is once again relying on Rheinmetall's simulation expertise to train its NH90 NTH Sea Lion helicopter crews. In December 2020, the company received an order from the European NH90 procurement and management organisation NAHEMA to supply an Asterion classroom solution to Naval Air Wing 5 in Nordholz. Delivery will take place in 2021.
The digital Asterion classroom is used to train maintenance personnel for the new Naval Transport Helicopter (NTH) NH90 NTH Sea Lion. The system includes a soft panel cockpit with touchscreen instrument displays, a mission console trainer required for naval helicopter training, Asterion software, desktop hardware and tablets.

Asterion is a modern, integrated, holistic training concept for all training phases. It simulates the behaviour of all helicopter systems true to the original, such as hydraulic, electrical or tactical systems.

The SeaLion and its predecessor SeaKing at the handover ceremony in Nordholz 2020

The forthcoming delivery of the digital Asterion classroom represents another sales success for the German Armed Forces. The Asterion simulation software has already been integrated in a similar form into the functional cockpit of the NH90 NTH maintenance training rig. This system is also used by Naval Air Wing 5 for training maintenance personnel. The German Army also uses Asterion simulation technology for its ground crew training systems at the International Helicopter Training Centre in Faßberg. Here, the Army Air Corps' maintenance and repair personnel are trained in the operating and maintenance procedures for the Army variant of the NH90 on three true-to-original cockpit replicas from Rheinmetall.

Now a familiar sight: SeaLion operations in Nordholz

The NH90 programme is regarded as the largest European military helicopter programme, in which Rheinmetall is now involved with additional training resources. The Asterion simulation is now also listed with the NH90 procurement and management organisation NAHEMA and can therefore be procured by all NH90 user nations. Other NH90 user nations have already expressed great interest in the concept.

The German Navy has now taken delivery of the first NH90 NTH Sea Lion multi-role helicopters and will be able to use the Rheinmetall simulators to provide comprehensive training for maintenance personnel in the future. The training and retraining of personnel on the new, very complex helicopter is a top priority, especially in the initial phase.

The "new one" above the Nordholz sky June 2020

Text and animation: Rheinmetall

Photos: Angres / Schlüter