The Swedish Air Force (SwAF) has received into service its first upgraded NHIndustries NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH), the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 17 December.
The helicopter arrived at the main operating base of the Swedish Helicopter Wing at Malmen Air Base near Linköping directly from the production facility in Finland.
Designated Helicopter [HKP] 14D (or HKP 14TTT/IM [Tactical Troop Transport/International Model]) in Swedish service, the upgraded NH90 is the first of 14 such helicopters that will be handed over to the SwAF at a rate of one per quarter. The four basic configuration NH90s that are currently in service will be retrofitted to the HPK 14D standard, an MoD spokesperson told IHS Jane's .
Once in service, these 18 helicopters will be divided between 1 Helicopter Squadron at Luleå (Kallax) Airport near the Finnish border, and 3 Helicopter Squadron at Kallinge (Ronneby) Airport in the far south of Sweden. Unit deliveries will commence in March/April of 2014, to be followed shortly after by the declaration of initial operating capability (IOC).
While the basic configuration HPK 14 was suitable only for flight training, the upgraded variant helicopter is fully mission capable. The HPK 14D's equipment fit includes digital displays and moving maps, a weather radar, an electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor turret, laser rangefinder, deicing systems, as well as missile warning and countermeasure systems. Ten sets of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) sensors will be acquired to be fitted as required, and the fleet will be fitted with the Saab Tactical Mission System (TMS) so as to be integrated with Sweden's network-based defence concept.
In SwAF service, the HPK 14D will be used for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), tactical troop transport (TTT), search-and-rescue, and medical evacuation operations. According to Saab, a key requirement is the ability to reconfigure the helicopter between the ASW and TTT roles within two hours.
Sweden first declared its intent to procure the NH90 in September 2001, when it placed a SEK6 billion (USD913 million in today's money) order for 18 helicopters and associated equipment. Deliveries were due to commence in 2005, but delays meant that it was 2007 before the first helicopter was handed over to the FMV procurement agency. The SwAF received its first basic configured helicopter in 2011.
The initial contract for 18 NH90s included an option for a further seven aircraft. However, in January 2012 Sweden confirmed it would not be taking up the option following the acquisition of 15 Sikorsky UH-60M (HPK 16) Black Hawk helicopters.