Finance
Airbus Helicopters Boss Urges Europe to Stick Together on Defence
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 31, 2026
4 min readLast updated: March 31, 2026
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Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even emphasizes the need for unified European defence procurement, defends the NH90 programme’s recovery, and urges continuation of a European-made future military rotorcraft.
Airbus Helicopters CEO Warns Against Fragmented European Defence Programmes
European Defence Collaboration and the Future of Military Helicopters
By Tim Hepher
MARIGNANE, France, March 31 (Reuters) - The outgoing head of Airbus Helicopters called for deeper European collaboration in defence procurement and warned that fragmenting programmes into national projects would drive costs beyond what countries could afford.
CEO Bruno Even also defended the NH90 programme after a series of delays or cancellations and said a future replacement for the military helicopter must remain European.
The Importance of European Cooperation
"People who say European co-operation doesn't succeed are wrong, just wrong. It's a question of will," Even told Reuters.
"In an ever-tightening budget situation, if we had to follow national logic for everything there would be a problem; we wouldn't be able to pay. So European co-operation is the answer, but there are conditions that have to be met."
Even was speaking after eight years leading one of Europe's two military helicopter makers alongside Italy's Leonardo, and the world's largest civil supplier.
The comments from a close ally of Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury come at a time when Europe is debating how to organise its defence industry, including disagreements between Airbus and Dassault over the FCAS fighter programme, and as governments start outlining what they want from the next generation of military helicopters.
Risks of National-First Defence Planning
WARNS AGAINST NATIONAL-FIRST DEFENCE PLANNING
In an interview, Even warned against "interests that are not necessarily national ones, but which may be industrial interests pushing for national programmes".
The former French defence official said he was sticking to his brief, but acknowledged his warning against insular thinking on defence could be interpreted more widely.
"Even if you can read my remarks in a more general way, I am sticking to (the subject of) helicopters," he said.
Dassault declined comment.
France and Germany are in talks to rescue the FCAS fighter after both Dassault and Airbus said they were ready to go separate ways.
NH90 Programme: Challenges and Progress
Addressing Past Issues
NH90 PROBLEMS 'BEHIND US'
Airbus Helicopters has its roots in a Franco-German merger prompted by the development of the Tiger attack helicopter.
Even's tenure has been marked in part by efforts to tackle problems with the European NH90 sub-hunting and army helicopter.
Manufacturers avoided a court trial last year by settling a dispute with Norway over Oslo's decision to cancel its NH90 order.
Even said problems over availability and other issues - which also prompted Australia to retire aircraft early - had now been addressed.
"It's a programme introduced over 20 years ago that may have had issues with maturity. These problems are behind us."
Recent Orders and Support
Spain ordered 34 NH90s and the Netherlands three last year, bringing total orders to 639, of which more than 500 are in service.
The programme won further support last week when NATO buyers cleared a version being developed for French special forces. The first of 18 black-painted aircraft will be delivered this year.
Even said NH90 partners, which also include Leonardo and GKN Fokker, were pursuing new export campaigns but declined to elaborate.
Next-Generation Rotorcraft Capability
Studies are under way for the next round of helicopters known as Next-Generation Rotorcraft Capability.
Airbus and Leonardo have presented different concepts, with Leonardo favouring a tilt-rotor and Airbus promoting a design based on its experimental half-plane, half-copter Racer model or a more conventional alternative.
Even said Airbus would be ready to work with Leonardo as it had on the NH90, which could meanwhile continue to be upgraded.
"All options are on the table and ... in the current situation it's essential that we have a European solution."
(Reporting by Tim Hepher, Editing by Louise Heavens)
Key Takeaways
- •Bruno Even warns that fragmented, nationally driven defence programmes raise costs unsustainably and underscores that ‘European co‑operation is the answer’ — but only with political will and aligned industrial interests.
- •He insists issues with the NH90 helicopter programme — including delays, cancellations and a legal settlement with Norway — are now resolved, pointing to new orders in Spain and NATO validation of a special‑forces variant.
- •Even stressed that future military helicopter replacements must remain European, with Airbus ready to collaborate with Leonardo on ‘Next‑Generation Rotorcraft Capability’ concepts like Racer‑based designs or tilt‑rotors.
Frequently Asked Questions about Airbus Helicopters boss urges Europe to stick together on defence
1Why does the Airbus Helicopters CEO advocate for European defence collaboration?
He warns that splitting defence programmes into national projects increases costs and reduces affordability, stressing the benefits of unified European co-operation.
2What issues did the NH90 helicopter programme face?
The NH90 programme experienced delays and cancellations but the CEO stated these problems are now behind due to recent updates and improvements.
3What is the future plan for European military helicopters?
Studies are underway for the Next-Generation Rotorcraft Capability, with different concepts being explored by Airbus and Leonardo.
4How have countries recently responded to the NH90 programme?
Spain and the Netherlands placed new orders, and NATO buyers cleared a new version for French special forces, showing renewed confidence.
5What risks does the CEO associate with 'national-first' defence planning?
He cautions that prioritizing national interests could fragment the industry and make defence projects financially unsustainable for European countries.
