Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (Försvarets materielverk, FMV) has signed an agreement with SAAB on System Support for Helicopter 14 Tactical Mission System. FMV acquired Helicopter 14, [NH90 helicopter; Swedish designation Hkp14], through an agreement with NATO Helicopter Industries (NHI). The helicopter has an advanced mission system that includes various systems, such as a sonar system for submarine hunting. This system is developed and delivered by SAAB. The TMS Systemstöd contract guarantees long-term cooperation and secures both competence and infrastructure at SAAB and its subcontractors.
This tactical mission system is the eyes, ears and brain of the helicopter and a prerequisite for being able to add the naval operational capability to Helicopter 14 and Sweden. This agreement means that we can maintain the ability, both concretely as part of Through Life Support and Obsolescence management, but also through future studies and development that secures the capability of Hkp14 for a long time to come” says Anna Kviblad, head of the FMV helicopter department.
In 2001, Sweden signed a contract for 18 NH90 TTH, made up of 13 TTT[i]/SAR and 5 SAR/ASW to be operated by the Swedish Air Force.[153][154] Because of renewed foreign submarine activity at the Swedish coast in 2014 it was decided in 2015 that four TTT/SAR would be modified to SAR/ASW in order to increase the anti-submarine warfare capability, so there will be 9 TTT/SAR and 9 SAR/ASW. The NH90 is known as the Helikopter 14 (HKP14) in Swedish service, the FOC version of TTT/SAR are designated HKP14E and the FOC version of SAR/ASW are designated HKP14F.By November 2015, Sweden had ordered 18 NH90s with ten helicopters delivered.
The NHIndustries NH90 is a medium-sized, twin-engine, multi-role military helicopter. It was developed in response to NATO requirements for a battlefield helicopter which would also be capable of being operated in naval environments. The NH90 was developed and is manufactured by NHIndustries, a collaborative company owned by Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo (formerly AgustaWestland) and Fokker Aerostructures. The first prototype conducted its maiden flight in December 1995; the type first entered operational service in 2007. As of July 2020, the NH90 has logged 254,671 flight hours in the armed forces of thirteen nations.
