The Portuguese Ministry of Defence has decided to suspend the country's participation in the co-operative NH90 helicopter programme and will not longer receive the 10 NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopters (TTHs) that were ordered to equip the army's light aviation unit (Unidade de Aviação Ligeira do Exército).
The cancellation will save Portugal EUR420 million (USD532 million), which is expected to be invested in other projects, although a significant amount of funding has already been invested in the NH90 programme.
The decision is a major setback for the army, which expected to have its own air mobility capability.
Portugal is currently facing a harsh economic climate that is adversely affecting the procurement of much-needed hardware for the country's armed forces. Several scheduled acquisition programmes have been cancelled, postponed or are being renegotiated. The acquisition of Pandur II 8x8 wheeled armoured vehicles for the army and navy, for example, is being renegotiated with manufacturer General Dynamics European Land Systems in order to receive fewer than the 260 planned units.
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