| Aviation News-Westlands deliver new military helicopter to Swedish armed forces.
The Italian helicopter manufacturer AGUSTA WESTLAND has delivered the first helicopter Type Hkp 15 to FMV.
FMV has been working for a number of years on the procurement of new helicopters for the Swedish Armed Forces. The purpose is to provide the Armed Forces with modern and more suitable helicopters capable of meeting both new and existing operational requirements.
Since 2001 FMV and Agusta have been working to define the requirements and to develop this new military helicopter which has been given the international designation A109 LUH (Light Utility Helicopter). In Sweden it will be known as Hkp 15.
Hkp 15 is the first helicopter to be delivered under the modernisation plan. A total of 20 helicopters have been ordered consisting of 12 Hkp15A and 8 Hkp15B. The helicopters are to be delivered over the period 2006-2009. The total cost of the whole package, including helicopters, training, equipment etc., is approximately SEK 1.4 billion.
Hkp 15 will provide the platform for general aircrew training as well as its primary use for all tactical training for land and sea operations. There will therefore be two versions of the Hkp 15, the Hkp15A for land operations and the Hkp15B for operations at sea. The latter version will also be capable of operating with the Swedish Navy’s VISBY Class corvettes and can be based on board.
The basic helicopter itself has space for two pilots and six passengers. The helicopter can then be further adapted by fitting a range of internal and external equipment depending on the particular mission. Typical missions might be troop transport, involving the fitting of armament and descent ropes, or working with a Visby-class corvette and carrying out underwater surveillance using a thermal imaging camera and data link. For sonar buoy operations or search and rescue missions, a winch, searchlight and stretchers would be fitted. Mission-specific equipment outfits can also be combined in other ways.
FMV will now be completing the work of preparing the helicopter system for hand-over to the Armed Forces which is due to take place later in spring 2006.
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