Safran Secures NATO Contract to Equip NH90 Helicopters with Eurofl’Eye Panoramic Vision System

Paris: Safran Electronics & Defense has secured a major NATO-backed contract for the development of Eurofl’Eye, a next-generation distributed panoramic vision system designed for the NH90 military helicopter fleet. The contract has been signed with the NATO Helicopter Management Agency, marking a significant technological upgrade for European rotary-wing aviation.

The programme is being executed in close cooperation with NHIndustries, the prime contractor for the NH90, and Thales, one of Europe’s leading avionics and sensor specialists. The initiative directly responds to the operational requirements defined by France’s Direction Générale de l’Armement and Spain’s Dirección General de Armamento y Material.

A New Generation of Situational Awareness

Eurofl’Eye is a Distributed Aperture System (DAS) that provides NH90 pilots with a continuous 360-degree panoramic view of their surroundings. Designed to operate effectively in night, dust, smoke, fog, and degraded visual environments, the system addresses one of the most critical challenges in modern helicopter operations—maintaining situational awareness during low-visibility missions.

The system relies on six fixed, wide field-of-view infrared cameras mounted around the airframe. These sensors continuously capture the helicopter’s external environment and fuse the data into a real-time, pilot-aligned image. This imagery is projected directly into the TopOwl helmet-mounted display, allowing pilots to “see through” the aircraft structure without shifting their gaze to cockpit screens.

By integrating visual data directly into the pilot’s line of sight, Eurofl’Eye significantly reduces workload, enhances obstacle detection during low-level flight, and improves safety during landing, hover, and tactical insertion phases.

Operational Edge in Degraded Conditions

According to Alexandre Ziegler, Executive Vice President of the Defense Business Unit at Safran Electronics & Defense, Eurofl’Eye represents a major leap in cockpit ergonomics and combat effectiveness.

“Eurofl’Eye will simplify access to essential information by integrating it directly into the field of vision of NH90 pilots,” Ziegler said. “This system will improve pilots’ responsiveness and decision-making, especially in the most degraded external conditions.”

The technology is particularly relevant for tactical transport, special operations, search-and-rescue, and combat support missions, where NH90 helicopters frequently operate at low altitude and in complex terrain.

Initial Deployment on French and Spanish NH90 Fleets

The first operational deployment of Eurofl’Eye will be on French and Spanish NH90 TTH (Tactical Transport Helicopter) variants. These fleets are heavily tasked with expeditionary missions, joint NATO operations, and domestic security roles, making them ideal candidates for the system’s initial rollout.

While the contract value and delivery timelines have not been publicly disclosed, the development phase will draw on combined European industrial expertise, reinforcing interoperability and common standards across allied helicopter fleets.

Strengthening European Defence Cooperation

Beyond its technological significance, the Eurofl’Eye programme underscores deepening cross-border defence cooperation in Europe. With Safran, Thales, and NHIndustries working under a NATO framework, the project strengthens Europe’s ability to develop and field sovereign, high-end defence technologies without reliance on non-European systems.

As NATO and European armed forces increasingly prioritise all-weather, day-night operational capability, Eurofl’Eye positions the NH90 as a more survivable, safer, and tactically agile platform—ready for the next generation of complex battlefield environments.