A file photo of Swedish crew members walking from their NH90 helicopter. Sweden has now formally received back the last of 18 such helicopters to be retrofitted to full-operating configuration. (Swedish Air Force)
Airbus has completed retrofits of 18 NHIndustries (NHI) NH90 helicopters for Sweden, the chief stakeholder in the consortium announced on 10 December.
The milestone saw the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) formally receive the final NH90 (designated HKP 14 in national service) at the Airbus Helicopters Marignane production and retrofit facility in southern France. The aircraft will be transferred back to Sweden in early 2025.
“This ceremony marks the end of the modification process that has been going on for several years and where we upgrade the helicopters, both the ground versions and this maritime version, to the full operational capability that the Swedish Armed Forces has ordered,” Lars Helmrich, head of Aerospace Materiel at the FMV, said.
The formal handover of the final HKP 14F anti-submarine warfare (ASW) version for Sweden came a year after the final HKP 14E search-and-rescue (SAR) version was delivered back to the country in December 2023 following retrofits. The Swedish Air Force (SwAF) now fields nine HKP 14F and nine HKP 14E helicopters in their respective final configurations (the split between the ASW and SAR roles has changed since deliveries were launched in 2011, as the country's operational objectives shifted back more towards ASW as relations with Russia have deteriorated).
In the SwAF service, the NH90 is operated by 1 Helicopter Squadron at Lulea airbase, 2 Helicopter Squadron at Linköping-Malmen airbase, and 3 Helicopter Squadron at Ronneby airbase.
For more information on the NH90, please see NHI in talks for up to 100 new NH90s .
Looking to read the full article?
Gain unlimited access to Janes news and more...
