Sweden joins list of nations looking to axe NH90 helicopter fleet

After Belgium, Australia and Norway announced plans to axe and replace their respective NHIndustries NH90 helicopter fleets, Gen Micael Bydén – the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces – revealed that Sweden would follow suit in a recently published defence modernisation and procurement guidance report.

The report, which was published on October 31, revealed that Sweden now intends to scrap both its Hkp 14E (NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopter – TTH) and Hkp 14F (NH90 NATO Frigate Helicopter – NFH) fleets due to their poor availability rates. While the plan still requires government approval, Sweden’s decision to axe its NH90 fleets comes as no surprise as the Swedish Air Force is understood to have been dissatisfied with the platform for some time and has publicly discussed plans to cancel the agreement and withdraw its Hkp 14E/F helicopters from operational service.

A Swedish Air Force-operated NHIndustries Hkp 14E (NH90 TTH) tactical transport helicopter conducts cold weather operations in Sweden. The nation has joined Belgium, Australia and Norway in announcing plans to axe its NH90 fleet due to poor availability rates.
A Swedish Air Force-operated NHIndustries Hkp 14E (NH90 TTH) tactical transport helicopter conducts cold weather operations in Sweden. The nation has joined Belgium, Australia and Norway in announcing plans to axe its NH90 fleet due to poor availability rates. Airbus Helicopters/Anthony Pecchi

Speaking with Key.Aero in 2021, Maj Gen Carl-Johan Edström, Chief of the Swedish Air Force, expressed his unhappiness with the Hkp 14E/F, adding that Sweden was looking at other options to fulfil its capability requirements and noted that a decision on the NH90’s future in Swedish service would need to be made within two years. He outlined the need for reliable anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities to support the Navy and also to provide tactical troop transport services for the Army. As part of its helicopter strategy, Sweden will also be looking to procure a fleet of new basic training/utility rotorcraft to replace the Air Force’s 20-strong fleet of AgustaWestland Hkp 15A/B (A109M) light utility helicopters – split between 12 Hkp 15As and eight navalised Hkp 15Bs – which will be withdrawn from operational service by 2030, as per current plans.

To cater for the withdrawal of the respective Hkp 14E/F fleets, the report states that Sweden would procure more Sikorsky Hkp 16 (UH-60M) Black Hawk utility helicopters to replace its Hkp 14Es, as well as a “new maritime operational helicopter” to succeed its Hkp 14Fs in operational service. “The aim is to meet operational requirements earlier and increase availability within the helicopter systems to be able to support the army, special forces and navy needs,” the report added. While no helicopter type was specifically mentioned with regards to the replacement of the Hkp 14F, Stockholm has held a clear interest in the Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk for quite some time, meaning that it is likely the type will at least be considered as a suitable successor for the NH90.

Sweden’s move to axe its Hkp 14E/F helicopters comes after Belgium, Australia and Norway announced plans to phase out and replace their own NH90 fleets. As part of its Strategic Defence Review (published in June 2020), Belgium revealed plans to phase out its four-strong fleet of NH90 TTH helicopters by 2024 due to the platform’s high operating costs and low availability. These helicopters will be replaced in Belgian Air Force service by 15 Airbus H145M light utility helicopters. Despite plans to withdraw its four NH90 TTHs, the nation still intends to retain the four NH90 NFHs in Belgian Navy service for the foreseeable future.

The decision to axe the Hkp 14E/F fleet now rests with the Swedish government.
The decision to axe the Hkp 14E/F fleet now rests with the Swedish government. Airbus Helicopters/Anthony Pecchi

Having acquired 47 MRH-90 Taipans (NH90 TTHs) in total, Australia has operated the type since July 2008. While it was initially acquired to replace the Australian Army Aviation Corps’ (AAAC’s) Bell UH-1 Iroquois light utility helicopters, more examples were ordered to replace the Army’s legacy S-70A Black Hawks. Despite operating the type for more than a decade, Australia has made no secret of the fact that its MRH-90 fleet has suffered from delays, development deficiencies and a lack of available spares/repair parts, leading to poor availability rates. When the legacy S-70A fleet was retired in December 2021, the Australian government announced plans to replace the AAAC’s MRH-90 fleet with UH-60M Black Hawks. On August 25, 2022, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) revealed that US State Department approval had been given for the possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of 40 UH-60Ms to Australia.

In Australian service, the pooled MRH-90 fleet is shared between the AAAC and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). In May 2022, the Australian government followed up on its earlier announcement and revealed plans to replace the MRH-90s used by the RAN with more MH-60R Seahawks.

Norway, the Scandinavian neighbour and long-term ally of Stockholm, was determined to move on its intention to terminate its NH90 NFH contract on June 10, 2022, when the nation’s Minister of Defence announced that the fleet had been withdrawn from Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) service with immediate effect and that the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) had been given the task of terminating the contract for the supply and operation of the type with NHIndustries. Oslo also sought to gain 5bn kroner ($525m) from the firm in compensation.

Key.Aero has approached NHIndustries for a comment regarding the nations that have announced plans to axe their respective fleets, but the consortium had not responded at the time of publication.