NATO

 Six NATO nations, including Greece, team up for the Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability Project.

The NATO Ministers of Defence for France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have put in place 26,7 million Euros to develop and define the future of their helicopter fleets under a program designated NATO's Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability Project.  Canada is expected to be an observer nation on this project.  

Along with the industrial cooperation, the partners will look at a clean-cut design, which will match their needs and include the latest generation technology on the market. Hybrid and electric propulsion are to be examined as well a systematic open system architecture and the need for radically improved maneuvering in flight.

"This is a clear example of NATO's Allies working together to harness fast-changing technology for the benefit of our military capabilities," said NATO's Deputy Secretary-General,  Mirken Geoana, "By investing our resources and channeling our developments, through a multi-national framework, we are making sure allies will be equipped with the best available equipment."

With many of NATO's medium-class multi-role helicopters, due to the end of their operational service lives, in the next decade, the NGRC project will be critical in adhering to a strict development timeline. The NGRC concept stage is expected to provide the foundation for the partners to develop and field the next-generation model that is able to fulfill a multitude of roles. 

The  NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) will oversee this on behalf of the six nations. 

"I think the most important thing in an industry is to include what the customer wants," said Ben Wallace, Secretary of the State of Defence for the UK, the leading nation for the NGPC project.  "For me, it is not about having competition, it is about the customers, us, being very clear about what we would like. And in that way industry can invest and when it comes to choosing a range of platforms thereisgenuine competion with clear options available."