CEO Bruno Even, the outgoing head of Airbus Helicopters, has called for deeper European collaboration in defence procurement and warned against fragmenting programmes into national projects that could drive costs beyond what countries can afford. He defended the NH90 programme after a series of delays or cancellations and insisted that a future replacement for the military helicopter must remain European. Even also warned against industrial interests pushing for national programmes. Spain ordered 34 NH90s and the Netherlands last year, bringing total orders to 639, with over 500 already in service.