Airbus Helicopters and Leonardo Helicopters have launched the second phase of the European Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies (ENGRT) project, known as ENGRT II. The new three-year initiative, co-funded by the European Union, marks a shift from research and technology to research and development in military aviation.
Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, stated: “We are stepping up after the first phase of the project, transitioning from a Research and Technology project into a Research and Development project. More than ever we must ensure that our home nations can operate the most advanced technologies now and in the future.”
ENGRT II is supported by 12 EU member states: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Poland and Spain. The project brings together a consortium of 53 industrial and institutional partners under Airbus Helicopters’ leadership with Leonardo as co-lead. Participants range from large defense contractors to specialized small and medium enterprises across Europe.
The project’s main focus is on developing advanced architectural concepts for future European vertical lift aircraft. ENGRT II will explore two main configurations: a compound rotorcraft based on Airbus Helicopters’ Racer demonstrator and a tilt-rotor design led by Leonardo. These studies aim to balance speed, range and payload for upcoming operational requirements.
Another priority is integrating digital capabilities such as cognitive cockpits and artificial intelligence-driven interfaces to improve pilot performance while reducing workload. The program will also advance crewed-uncrewed teaming for better coordination between manned platforms and autonomous systems. Efforts include strengthening cyber-communications for contested environments and enhancing integrated logistic support to maintain fleet reliability during deployment.
The ENGRT II roadmap targets replacing or complementing current military helicopter fleets after 2040 by maturing these critical technologies today. This long-term perspective aims to provide European armed forces with advanced vertical lift solutions suited for future needs.
The project receives financial support from the European Union but reflects only the views of its authors; neither the EU nor its granting authority bears responsibility for those views.
