Norway Threatens Resignation of NH90

Norway threatened NHIndustrie it will cancel your order for NH90 helicopters, if you do not receive them in the last given by each term. The first helicopters were to be initially delivered over 6 years ago.


If the manufacturer fails to provide helicopters for a period specified by us, we consider the cancellation of the contract , said coast guard unit in the north of Norway's deputy defense minister, Roger Ingebrigtsen. He added that we are a customer and can not wait forever to get our goods. On the market there are a number of helicopters that are proven in combat and used by other countries .

Place of expression was not random. Norway has ordered a six-board NH90 helicopters for the frigates type Fridtjof Nansen . Although the last of the ship was transmitted to the recipient in 2010, the delay in fitting them with helicopters can be accepted.


While a further eight NH90 took to get to 337th squadron of the Air Force, acting on behalf of the Coast Guard. Currently, the large ships of this formation are 3 effective from 6 owned Westland Lynx Mk. 86th Period of their service but definitely ends in 2014-2015. Meanwhile, Norway has received so far only one NH90, in November 2011. Given the slow pace of delivery and achieve long-term operational readiness in other countries, has raised a legitimate concern regarding the possibility of replacing the required deadline of old helicopters.


Speech of the Minister Ingebrigtsena indirectly indicated the possibility of buying American UH-60M. Same option already applied in practice, the Swedes, the NH90 will reach operational readiness until 2020. Therefore decided to purchase 15 helicopters of U.S., as an intermediate solution. Sikorsky delivered the first two exams at the beginning of this year, only a few months after signing the contract.

NH90 order backlog now stands at 529 copies in 14 countries. The assembly lines were located in six of them: France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Finland and Australia. To date, the producer gave recipients 118 helicopters. Mass production began in 2006, with a 6-year delay.


The delay in supply is not the sole cause of the problems NHIndustries. A serious threat to the already signed contracts is the current budgetary position of European countries. Some of them, including Germany announced to limit the number of machines ordered, and in early July its participation in the program and complete cancellation of NH90 has announced plans to buy Portugal..