The "Sea Tiger" replaces the "Sea Lynx" Mk 88. 

The first NH-90 MRFH "Sea Tiger" helicopter was ceremoniously handed over to the German Navy in Berlin today. The handover was performed by the Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius and the Deputy Inspector of the Navy and Commander of the Fleet Axel Deertz. The crew then flew the brand new helicopter to Nordholz, where guests and members of the squadron were already waiting for the new arrival.

As expected, the atmosphere at the arrival of the NH-90 MRFH "Sea Tiger" was very good, as it had been at the arrival of the P 8 "Poseidon". In his welcoming address, Airbus Helicopter CEO Stefan Thomé mentioned all the partners, the BAAINBw and above all the user, and emphasised the success of having delivered the first aircraft on time. To the delight of those present, he emphasised: "The best pilots in the world fly here" with the currently "best naval helicopter in the world"

Vice Admiral Axel Deertz thanked the industry and the timely delivery. He said how important the combat helicopter was for the navy and also revealed that the Sea Lynx MK 88 to be replaced would have another task. The sub-hunting helicopter, which has been in service since 1981, will be given to the Ukraine. This means that Nordholz will soon be home to the largest NH 90 base, for which there is also a solution "between Hamburg and Berlin" for another base for the aircraft.

The delighted commander of the naval aviators, Captain Broder Nielsen, gave a rousing speech, emphasising the seriousness of the situation despite all the joy. He ended with an impressive personal account of the life of the airmen in action: "Dear guests, we don't want you to have to tell your grandchildren about the war!". And referring to the minister who had emphasised the Russian threat, Broder Nielsen said: "and to the opponent: don't you dare!"

And indeed, the Sea Tiger is impressively powerful. It is more than just a replacement for the Lynx, it is a leap in capability. The introduction of the Sea Tiger is considered a technological milestone for submarine hunting and airborne naval warfare. It replaces the Westland MK 88A "Sea Lynx" on-board helicopter, which has been flying since 1981 and was the German Navy's first ever on-board helicopter. The replacement, which has been planned since 2020 and marks the modernisation of submarine hunting and naval warfare, has already begun. But today is another day of joy for the naval aviation command in Nordholz. A total of 30 helicopters will be stationed at Naval Air Wing 5 in Nordholz. One helicopter will go to 61 in Manching for trials.

Equipped with state-of-the-art avionics, high-precision sensors and powerful weapons (including torpedoes and anti-ship missiles), the Sea Tiger covers a wide range of missions. It complements the fleet with a powerful means of maritime deterrence, reconnaissance, detection and anti-submarine warfare. It is a specialised variant of the Airbus NH 90 family.