Norway has announced plans to acquire six Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk multi-mission maritime utility helicopters to replace some of its now-retired fleet of NHIndustries NH90 rotorcraft, which were withdrawn from operational use in June 2022.
The move was announced by Norwegian Defence Minister Bjørn Arild Gram on March 15, with the acquisition set to cost a total of $1.1bn and deliveries set to take place between 2025 and 2027. While the proposed purchase still needs to be approved by the Norwegian parliament, the nation aims to sign a formal acquisition contract with the US this summer. Norway has already opened a dialogue with the US regarding the purchase and it is intended that the first three Norwegian Seahawks will come from MH-60R production slots that have already been allocated to the US Navy.
As per current plans, the six Seahawks will be based at Bardufoss Air Station in northern Norway, where they will initially be operated by the Norwegian Coast Guard and equipped to carry out anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations. Despite this, Oslo is still working on a separate acquisition to replace the Royal Norwegian Air Force’s (RNoAF’s) already retired fleet of ASW-capable NH90 NATO Frigate Helicopters (NFHs), which with withdrawn from use after Norway’s Ministry of Defence authorised the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency to terminate its contract with NHIndustries on June 10, 2022. The reason behind the termination of this 20-year contract and demand for $525m in compensation was attributed to delivery delays and recurring maintenance issues, including a lack of available spare parts.
Norway’s decision to acquire a fleet of MH-60Rs comes after Denmark acquired nine examples to replace the Royal Danish Air Force’s seven surviving Westland Super Lynx Mk 90Bs, with the first two ‘green’ helicopters being delivered on May 10, 2016, and the final aircraft being handed over on July 31, 2018. As per Norway’s plan to acquire the Seahawk, the RNoAF will send personnel to Denmark to gain technical and operational expertise on the type prior to it entering Norwegian service later this decade.
Commenting on how this move will benefit Norway’s future MH-60R fleet, Gram said: “Through this concrete example of Nordic defence cooperation, we gain experience from Denmark before receiving the Seahawks to Norway. This will assist us in gaining Full Operational Capability quicker.”
