The Spanish Army’s BHELMA IV has received its first NH90 at El Copero air base in Dos Hermanas, near Seville, starting the unit’s gradual replacement of its Cougar fleet. The helicopter arrived on 22 September after a ferry flight from Agoncillo, La Rioja, where the Army already operates the type, and the delivery opens a 16-aircraft renewal for the battalion.
The aircraft is the first of 16 NH90s planned for BHELMA IV and belongs to the latest Standard 3 configuration. The unit has designated the helicopter “Lince”. Three more NH90s are due before the end of 2026, with the final aircraft expected in 2028.
BHELMA IV becomes the second Spanish Army unit to field the NH90, extending the model’s footprint within the FAMET helicopter force. The new fleet will replace Cougars that entered service at El Copero in 1998, as crews and maintenance personnel begin the transition to the new platform.