This three-year project, co-funded by the European Union, represents a decisive transition."We are stepping up after the first phase of the project, transitioning from a Research and Technology project into a Research and Development project," says Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. "More than ever we must ensure that our home nations can operate the most advanced technologies now and in the future."
A consortium of twelve nations
The scale of ENGRT II is reflected in its backing. Supported by 12 EU Member States, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Poland and Spain, the project aims to mature critical technologies required to protect Europe in highly contested environments. Airbus Helicopters leads and coordinates a 53-member consortium of industrial and institutional partners, with Leonardo serving as co-lead. This network spans major defence contractors to specialised Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), ensuring the project draws from the full breadth of the European technological and industrial base.
Advanced architectural concepts
At the heart of the project is a rigorous exploration of architectural concepts designed to define the future of European vertical lift. The ENGRT II project is dedicated to optimising the critical physical trade-offs between speed, range, and payload by exploring two primary configurations. These include the compound rotorcraft, derived from the Airbus Helicopters Racer demonstrator, and the tilt-rotor configuration led by Leonardo. By analysing these distinct architectures, the project seeks to find the ideal balance of performance required for future operational challenges, ensuring that the European industry remains at the cutting edge of vertical flight technology.
Digital superiority: AI and collaborative teaming
Beyond physical architecture, the initiative focuses on a comprehensive suite of military capabilities designed to meet future operational challenges by prioritising key research pillars. To optimise pilot performance, the project will develop cognitive cockpits and AI-driven interfaces that heighten situational awareness while reducing mental workload.
The initiative will also mature crewed-uncrewed teaming to ensure the seamless integration of crew platforms with autonomous systems, all while maintaining secure, resilient cyber-communications for operating within highly contested and electronically jammed environments. Heavy emphasis will also be placed on integrated logistic support to ensure high fleet reliability and availability, a necessity for maintaining operational readiness even when platforms are deployed in dispersed or austere environments.
Looking toward the 2040 horizon
The roadmap for ENGRT II is firmly set on long-term operational needs, specifically targeting the replacement and complement of current military fleets after 2040. By maturing these technologies today, the project ensures that European armed forces will have access to the most advanced vertical lift capabilities when they are needed most. This 2040 horizon acts as a guiding timeline for the industry, ensuring that the research conducted now translates into the tangible, high-performance military assets of the future.
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Members of the Consortium European Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies ENGRT II
Coordinator: Airbus Helicopters — France
Other Members:
Aernnova Engineering Division SAU — Spain
Aerospace & Advanced Composites GmbH — Austria
Airbus Defence and Space GmbH — Germany
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH — Austria
Alpha Unmanned Systems SL — Spain
ASE SpA — Italy
Amonyx ApS — Denmark
CIRA – Centro Italiano Ricerche Aerospaziali SCPA — Italy
Clue Technologies SL — Spain
Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. — Germany
Elettronica SpA — Italy
GKN Fokker Aerospace BV — The Netherlands
HAT.TEC GmbH — Germany
Hensoldt France SAS — France
Hensoldt Sensors GmbH — Germany
Indra Sistemas SA — Spain
Institut de Recherche Technologique Jules Verne — France
Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial Esteban Terradas — Spain
IRT Antoine de Saint Exupéry — France
ISD Lyseis Olokliroménon Systimaton Anonymos Etaireia — Greece
ISSEL Nord — Italy
Leonardo – Società per Azioni — Italy
MBDA Deutschland GmbH — Germany
MBDA France — France
MBDA Italia SpA — Italy
Office National d’Études et de Recherches Aérospatiales (ONERA) — France
Patria Aviation Oy — Finland
Pegasus Research & Development GmbH — Austria
Politecnico di Milano — Italy
Rockwell Collins France SAS — France
RTA Rail Tec Arsenal Fahrzeugversuchsanlage GmbH — Austria
Safran Electrical & Power — France
Safran Electronics & Defense — France
Safran Power Units — France
SIA DATI Group — Latvia
Sieć Badawcza Łukasiewicz – Instytut Lotnictwa — Poland
Sonovision Ingenieros España SAU — Spain
Stichting Koninklijk Nederlands Lucht- en Ruimtevaartcentrum — The Netherlands
Tecnobit SL — Spain
Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus VTT Oy — Finland
Thales AVS France SAS — France
Thales SIX GTS France SAS — France
TXT E-Tech SRL — Italy
Von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics — Belgium
See also |
NGRC Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability NATO Support and Procurement Agency
Airbus Helicopters France 
