Norway chooses Sikorsky to replace the Nh90 (Leonardo)
Norway approves $1.1 billion deal for Sikorsky's MH-60R Seahawk for partial replacement of NH-90 fleet. But Oslo has yet to decide on a separate acquisition to replace the helicopters of Nh Industries (Leonardo, Airbus and Fokker)
Yet another jab for Nh Industries (Leonardo, Airbus and Fokker) from Norway.
Oslo has announced the purchase of six Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk maritime-capable helicopters at a total cost of NOK 12 billion ($1.1 billion) to replace some of its NH90 aircraft, Breakind Defense reports.
In June 2022 the Norwegian Defense Minister announced the decision to terminate the contract for the Navy's NH90 helicopters. Norway will not only return the NH90 helicopters received so far but has also requested repayment of 5 billion Norwegian kroner, about 0.5 billion euros, plus interest.
Norway's decision to invest in the MH-60R comes after a dispute with NHIndustries over what the government said were delivery delays and excessive maintenance claims related to the NH90. But NH Industries is opposing Norway's decision to return previously ordered NH90 helicopters, as reported by Leonardo in its 2022 financial report .
All the details.
THE OSLO AD
Last week Norwegian Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram announced the order for the six Seahawks. Deliveries are expected between 2025 and 2027. Delivery times assume that Norway enters into an agreement with the American authorities by the summer of 2023.
The new helicopters, which will be based at Bardufoss Air Station in northern Norway, will be used by the Norwegian Coast Guard for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations.
NORWAY'S DECISION ON AIRBUS, LEONARDO AND GKN HELICOPTERS
Meanwhile, Oslo has yet to decide on a separate acquisition to replace the NH90 ASW platforms. That decision is currently "under review by the user and the Ministry of Defence," according to a spokesman for the Norwegian Defense Materials Agency.
In 2001 Norway ordered 14 NH90 helicopters for coast guard duties and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. It was originally scheduled for delivery by the end of 2008, but so far the country has received only 8 helicopters in a fully operational configuration.
As Leonardo also points out in his note "The contract has been subject to extensions and amendments over the years and its conclusion was expected by the end of 2023".
Last June, Minister Gram announced the decision to terminate the contract for the Navy's NH90 helicopters.
Specifically, “the request of the Norwegian Ministry of Defense Agency (NDMA) is to return the n. 13 helicopters already delivered and accepted and request reimbursement of the sums disbursed including interest (having also presented a request for enforcement, for the portion of guarantees still pending, against contractual advances disbursed)” explains Leonardo.
THE NH90 PROGRAM
NHIndustries is the largest helicopter joint venture in European history. The consortium is responsible for the design, production and support of the NH90, Europe's leading helicopter programme. The joint venture is made up of Airbus Helicopters (62.5%), Leonardo (32%) and GKN Fokker (5.5%).
LEONARDO'S CONTRIBUTION
Within the NH90, Leonardo is responsible for or significantly contributes to the design, production and/or integration of a wide range of critical helicopter systems and components, the statement reads. These include the tail section of the fuselage; the naval variant's transmission, hydraulics, autopilot, mission system, propulsion system integration and final assembly of the TTH (land) and NFH (naval) variants for various customers at the Venice plant Card.
Just last week NHIndustries delivered its 500th NH90 helicopter. The helicopters in service have accumulated more than 265,000 flight hours on mission, in any climatic condition, both on land and at sea.
THE LOCATION OF THE COMPANY IN PIAZZA MONTE GRAPPA
In the 2022 financial report, published on 9 March, Leonardo announced that: "Following the aforementioned termination request between September and December 2022, NDMA enforced the residual bank guarantees issued by Leonardo on behalf of NHI for a total of 69, 7 million euros (including interest of 19.3 million euros). It should be noted that Leonardo's share of the enforcement is proportional to its share in the initiative – approximately 41% – and, therefore, equal to 28.7 million euros (including interest of 8 million euros). The actions put in place in order to reach a settlement of the matter are still ongoing".
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/smartcity/norvegia-sikorsky-leonardo/ on Tue, 21 Mar 2023 06:42:17 +0000.