OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Swedish UH-60M Blackhawk purchase....

[Stratofreighter]

http://www.thelocal.se/33110/20110409/

Swedish military ramps up helicopter fleet

Published: 9 Apr 11 10:23 CET |

Online: http://www.thelocal.se/33110/20110409/

Sweden has committed to buying 15 new American-made Black Hawk helicopters to help increase its fleet in Afghanistan.

Final negotiations are ongoing and if all goes well the first of the new machines may be delivered within a year, according to Defence Minister Sten Tolgfors.

The plan is for Swedish pilots begin training on the new helicopter system in the US this summer in readiness for the arrival of the helicopters early next year.

This, according to Tolgfors will allow Sweden to increase its military presence in Afghanistan from 2013.

The entire new fleet of Black Hawks will be fully operational by 2017.

By purchasing a proven system, Sweden can reduce its costs and take delivery earlier wrote Tolgfors in the Dagens Nyheter (DN) newspaper.

Although the final cost has not been reported the government has allocated 4.7 billion kronor ($755 million) for new helicopters.

The defence minister added that this sum also includes the operation of the system until 2020 and the training of pilots, crew and technicians.

The government is hoping that the purchase of the Black Hawks will provide a long term solution to Sweden's helicopter problems.

They will be hoping for a better solution than the last major acquisition of this kind, the Helicopter 14 (NH-90 TTH), which was supposed to have been delivered in 2008 but is not now expected to be fully operational until 2020.

[Canberra TT.18]

The dutch have a number (buy 15 get 2 for free) Afghanistan proven helicopters for sale!!!
And the Swedish AF already use the type!!!

[Polecat]

The dutch have a number (buy 15 get 2 for free) Afghanistan proven helicopters for sale!!!
And the Swedish AF already use the type!!!

"proven"..... I tend to think Afghanistan ops were another nail in their coffin... (apalling hot and high performance!)

[Canberra TT.18]

The dutch have a number (buy 15 get 2 for free) Afghanistan proven helicopters for sale!!!
And the Swedish AF already use the type!!!

"proven"..... I tend to think Afghanistan ops were another nail in their coffin... (apalling hot and high performance!)

Ok
Well, they made some flight-hours over there.


Pieter

p.s. I do like the idea of Blackhawks in splinter-camo.

[Stefan]

please

(we have specific areas for chit-chats like these)

Regards,
Stefan

[Stratofreighter]

http://www.sikorsky.com/About+Sikorsky/ ... 62529fRCRD

Press Releases

Sweden Becomes 1st European Nation To Procure UH-60M Helicopters
May 18, 2011

STRATFORD, Connecticut - Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. today announced that the U.S. Government has agreed to sell 15 Sikorsky UH-60M BLACK HAWK helicopters to the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (or FMV, which is the Swedish acronym) for operation by the Swedish Armed forces.

The transaction will take place under the U.S. Government’s Foreign Military Sales program, and represents the introduction of the latest and most technologically advanced BLACK HAWK model into Europe. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).

The Swedish Armed Forces will use the aircraft for medical evacuation, utility, and search and rescue missions.

Sikorsky is slated to deliver six of the helicopters in 2011 and the remaining nine in 2012 under an accelerated production schedule.

Sweden is a member of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.

The UH-60M helicopter is the latest version in the long and highly successful BLACK HAWK family.

It is flown by the U.S. Army and provides additional payload and range, advanced digital avionics, improved handling qualities and situational awareness, active vibration control, and improved survivability compared with the predecessor UH-60L model.

The BLACK HAWK helicopter is well known for its ruggedness, survivability and mission flexibility, having logged more than 9 million flight hours since the first model was introduced in 1978.

Worldwide, approximately 2,700 are in operation today.

Sweden will become the 26th nation to operate BLACK HAWK helicopters and only the second in Europe, where Austria operates UH-60L models.

U.S. forces have flown various BLACK HAWK models for 1.2 million flight hours to date in Afghanistan and Iraq without a single material failure.