Sweden to begin retiring NH90 helicopters in 2027 as Black Hawks arrive

Sweden's air force will begin retiring the first of nine NH Industries NH90 helicopters used in the battlefield transport role in 2027, according to Colonel Niklas Blomberg, commander of the service's helicopter wing. Most of these aircraft, known locally as the HPK 14E, should be out of the fleet by the end of 2028.

Sweden announced in 2022 that it would retire half of its NH90 fleet, citing poor availability rates and the cost of future upgrades. A separate group of nine NH90s configured for anti-submarine warfare will stay in service longer, with a phase-out deadline of 2035.

Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawks will replace the departing battlefield transports. Sweden signed a foreign military sales agreement with the United States in 2024 worth about $900 million to acquire 12 of the aircraft, with deliveries due to begin in 2028.

Blomberg said fleet commonality played a role in the decision, since Sweden already flies 15 Black Hawks in other roles. The goal, he said, is to move from operating two helicopter types for land transport to just one over time.

The anti-submarine NH90 fleet is expected to be replaced in the early 2030s, coinciding with the introduction of new naval helicopters, Blomberg said. The battlefield-transport NH90 variant was absent from a recent air show marking the Swedish air force's 100th anniversary, while the anti-submarine version was on display. That contrast suggests the service is already distancing itself from the retiring type.