Cases – Unified International

Image - Handover of the Upgraded NH90 Full Mission Trainer

NH90 Full Mission Flight Trainer

Since 2012, the Royal Netherlands Air Force’s NH90 Full Mission Flight Trainer had logged more than 25.000 hours flown by Dutch and international crews. After four years of preparation, a major upgrade was needed to keep it operationally relevant. The modernisation was delivered by a project team of COMMIT, CLRS and Unified International, together with contractor CAE Inc. in 2026.

Throughout the programme, a Unified International specialist with extensive operational and technical knowledge of the NH90 assisted and advised COMMIT during the development, build and acceptance of the trainer, helping to align the user’s operational needs with what the manufacturer delivered.

With the Ready For Training milestone now achieved, full crews can train in the upgraded simulator. Rehearsing complete operational scenarios, from anti-submarine warfare to counter-narcotics operations, so realistically that every training hour counts as flight hour.

Read article

Naval vessels & UAVs

The service life of a naval vessel can span forty years, yet UAV technology evolves at a pace that makes today’s systems obsolete within a decade. Commissioned by the Ministry of Defence (COMMIT/AMS), Unified International conducted an exploratory study into the integration of current and future unmanned aerial vehicles on board naval vessels, and the implications for ship design.

Unified brought together defence stakeholders, international UAV manufacturers, and industry experts to assess not just what is feasible today, but what is required tomorrow. The study identified five top-level functions every vessel must support: from launch and recovery infrastructure to Command & Control and maintenance facilities. Independent of any specific UAV type or supplier.

The result is a practical framework that enables design teams and decision-makers to make well-founded choices early, avoid costly modifications later, and build in the flexibility needed to keep naval vessels operationally relevant for decades to come.

Read article

Reiger Defence

Reiger Suspension partnered with Unified International to support its strategic entry into the defence market. The focus was on developing and positioning a new Seat Suspension Unit (SSU) tailored to the demands of high-speed maritime craft used by special forces with Cross Sectoral Knowledge and knowhow out in the off roads racing.

Unified guided Reiger through the EU tender process, took on a central project management role and ensured a smooth transition from the existing system to the new SSUs. The collaboration covered all key aspects, from tender strategy and product development to branding and stakeholder engagement.

The project successfully addressed key ergonomic and operational performances and was met with strong interest during the product launch at SOFINS, marking a significant milestone for Reiger in the defence sector supporting the capability for them protecting what is valuable to us.

Het-nieuwe-type-Dash-8-gaat-de-Dornier-228-vervangen-2048x1365

Coast Guard

Airborne surveillance plays a pivotal role in providing a recognized maritime picture at sea. The Netherlands Coastguard awarded the contract for this critical capability to an international consortium, now fully operational.

Unified International played a key role in the project’s success by aligning the consortium’s capabilities with the Coastguard’s operational needs. By fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors, Unified ensured the Coastguard received the best possible service.

This successful project exemplifies Unified’s commitment to bridging the gap between public and private sectors in defence, ultimately contributing to the safety and security of the North Sea.

Vertiports

Urban Air Mobility (UAM), Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), eVTOLs and Vertiports: all seemingly futuristic concepts which are in fact already becoming a reality. Initiated from the vision of a sustainable future, Advanced Air Mobility will provide a new, carbon-neutral, air mobility and transport solution using electrical propulsion. In line with Unified’s vision to pioneer a greener future, we have been following the technological and market developments in Advanced Air Mobility closely for years. Two key challenges to overcome in order for AAM to be realised on large scale, is the development of viable business cases as well as realising safe and efficient landing facilities for vehicles in urban and remote area’s.

As a consultancy partner for government entities as well as for developers and operators, Unified is dedicated to provide strategic and technical advice in the area’s of business cases, business development strategy and early stage vertiport feasibility and planning.

By providing strategic insights, we empower our clients to achieve their goals and contribute to the advancement of Advanced Air Mobility.

Partners
Amongst others, Paul de Ruiter Architects and the Province of South Holland.

HAPSS

Hydrogen Aircraft Powertrain and Storage Systems (HAPSS) represent a cutting-edge solution for zero-emission aviation, integrating essential components like LH2 storage, fuel cells for power conversion, electric motors with inverters, thermal management systems, advanced propellers, and comprehensive integration and control modules.

Designed to meet the needs of varying aircraft sizes, HAPSS 2100 delivers 2.1MW of power for turboprop planes seating 30 or more, while HAPSS 4000 scales up to 4.0MW for larger turboprop aircraft seating 60 or more passengers. Beyond system installation, HAPSS offers full retrofit services for existing aircraft, ensuring seamless transition to hydrogen-powered, eco-friendly operations, as well as subsystem integration for new zero-emission aircraft designs.

Partners
—

Aerial Drone Captures Commercial Airplane Flying Over Lush Green

CONSCIOUS Aerospace

Conscious Aerospace, a Tier 1 systems integrator company and subsidiary of Unified International, boasts a rich heritage rooted in pioneering aviation spanning a century. It aims to transform aviation for the benefit of the planet and its inhabitants, supported by substantial financial backing.

Within five years, Conscious Aerospace plans to achieve its first flight using innovative aircraft-build concepts developed in collaboration with other manufacturers. Dedicated to leading the market with a credible green solution, the company targets certification by 2028, thereby establishing a robust Dutch ecosystem in aviation.

Conscious successfully secured funding through an application to the national growth fund, marking the largest project under the government initiative Aviation in Transition (Luchtvaart in Transitie).

Partners
NLR, Tu Delft, Saluqi motors, Zepp Solutions, Fokker services, ADSE, Somni, Aeronamic, Futura

EASA Regulation for High-mounted Emergency Floatation System

At Unified International, we consider the continuous safeguarding and enhancement of safety within aviation as a crucial component of sustainable aviation. Over a period of three years (2020 – 2024), we proudly collaborated as subcontractor of DART Aerospace on a significant research project commissioned by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The project focused on exploring new regulations for offshore helicopters, specifically the implementation of advanced flotation devices designed to create an air pocket in the event of capsising after ditching.

Unified International’s involvement began with supporting DART Aerospace in the successful bid for the project and assisting in the development of a comprehensive project proposal. Throughout the project’s duration, our team provided ongoing project management and reporting support, contributing to efficiently and effectively reaching the project objectives.

In addition, our experts, Luca Casciola, Loes Eijkman, and Michiel Selier, played a key role in the aerodynamic assessment using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). This analysis was a key part in evaluating the technical challenges associated with high-mounted flotation devices. Our team also liaised with EASA and contributed to editing several key deliverables that synthesized the research findings.

We are proud to have contributed to this important initiative, which has successfully concluded, contributing to enhancing the safety of helicopters in offshore operations. The final report and outcomes are now available on the EASA website.

Partners

DART Aerospace, EASA