Sweden's NH90s Are Ready After 8 Years

The Swedish Army expects to have its newly acquired batch of three NH90 utility helicopters (renamed HKP-14s) ready for international deployment by April 2016, eight years later than originally planned.

The lag in deployment is due to production delays and delivery issues mainly attributable to French supplier NHIndustries.

Thus far, only three NH90s have been delivered to the Swedish Army's Helicopter Wing, with a fourth HKP-14 due to be added by the

end of 2011. The delays in delivery have impeded the Army's ability to provide suitable tactical, transport and medical evacuation services to its troops in Afghanistan.

Sweden ordered 18 NH90s as part of a joint Nordic helicopter purchase agreement in 2001. Sweden, Norway and Finland placed orders for 52 multirole NH90s at a combined cost of $1.2 billion. The cross-border deal was conducted under the Nordic Standard Helicopter Program and is the biggest common Nordic procurement to date.

In April, Swedish Defense Minister Sten Tolgfors informed Parliament that the Army was unlikely to have its full complement of 18 HKP-14s operational and deployable until 2020. The first HKP-14s were delivered to the Helicopter Wing in April, and the first 100 hours of flight time were recorded Sept. 8.

The Swedish government responded to the Army's helicopter deficit last spring, when the Ministry of Defense was sanctioned to ramp up its combat and tactical helicopter fleet by engaging in talks to acquire 15 Black Hawks, built by U.S.-based Sikorsky Aircraft. The project is funded from a $755 million special projects budget to strengthen the helicopter wing's operating capability, particularly with a view to operations in Afghanistan.

The MoD expects the first batch of Black Hawks to arrive within four to eight months, with the full complement of aircraft being operational in 2017.

The Norwegian Army took delivery of a first batch of NH90s during the final quarter of 2010, and the helicopter is undergoing full operational testing by the Air Force's Operational Testing & Evaluation unit. Norway ordered 14 NH90s in 2001.