Denmark confirms MH-60R selection to replace Lynx helicopters
36 minutes ago
The Sikorsky/Lockheed Martin MH-60R Seahawk has been selected to replace Denmark's Westland Lynx shipborne helicopters, with the US team having beaten a rival offer of AgustaWestland's new-generation AW159 Lynx Wildcat.
The Danish defence ministry announced the decision on 21 November, and says the government's recommendation has been passed to the finance ministry for approval.
"It is gratifying that the politicians have followed our recommendation on the maritime helicopter defence should have in the future," says chief of defence Peter Bartram in a statement.
Nine aircraft should be delivered to the Royal Danish Air Force's Karup air base between 2016 and 2018 under the acquisition,
with the type to replace the service's Lynx 90B fleet in operation from 2017.
Seven of the latter type are currently in use, says Flightglobal's Ascend Online Fleets database.
Denmark's selection of the MH-60R follows that of launch export customer Australia, which will receive 24 of the type.
The "Romeo" was developed for the US Navy, which has so far fielded around 170 examples.
Nine "Romeos" will be delivered between 2016 and 2018 under the deal, which still requires the final go-ahead from Denmark's finance ministry.
The US Navy type was the armed forces' preferred choice, according to chief of defence Peter Bartram.
As the incumbent supplier (the Royal Danish Air Force still flies seven Lynx 90Bs), AgustaWestland had been hoping to score its first export success with the AW159 Lynx Wildcat (Crown Copyright image above).
It also has previously supplied the service with 12 AW101s for search and rescue and tactical transport tasks; this wasn't one of the smoothest type introductions out there,
so perhaps may have been a partial factor in Copenhagen's decision?
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