The reported phase out follows years of availability and maintainability problems with Sweden’s NH90 fleet and a decision to expand its UH-60M Black Hawk fleet.
Less than a decade after taking delivery of its full fleet of 18 NH90 helicopters, Sweden will begin phasing out nine of its NH90 TTHs (Tactical Transport Helicopters) from 2027, reports emerged on Aug. 24, 2026 said. According to Avia News and Aeromorning, the retirement on the HKP 14E (Swedish designation for the NH90 TTH) is envisaged in the 2027 defense plan.
The restructuring builds upon Sweden’s 2024 decision to buy 12 more UH-60M Black Hawks, expanding from its initial purchase of 15 airframes.
The decision follows longstanding availability and maintainability issues that have affected Sweden’s NH90 fleet, as well as the type’s troubled service history with some other European operators. Sweden also began receiving its fleet after years of delays, with the first helicopters delivered in 2011 instead of 2005.
Sweden operates a total of 18 NH90s that it first ordered in 2001. They are currently split into nine HKP 14Es and nine HKP 14Fs (the NH90 NFH – NATO Frigate Helicopter). The HKP 14F will however remain in service, pending a new procurement for an alternative maritime utility and naval combat helicopter.
🚁🇸🇪 La Suède restructure sa flotte d’hélicoptères avec la suppression progressive des premiers #NH90 TTH HCV (HKP14E) @NHIndustriesSAS à partir de 2027. https://t.co/Gz22naLzXP pic.twitter.com/sYVllnykSB
— Philippe Top-Action (@top_force) August 26, 2026
The HKP 14Es are also described as the High-Cabin Version (HCV) used in battlefield tactical roles, ferrying personnel, equipment, Search and Rescue (SAR), MEDEVAC/CASEVAC and sling-load operations. The HKP 14F is equipped with a tactical maritime search radar, dipping sonar, sonobuoys and torpedoes for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), but it is also used for maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) and naval utility roles.
Sweden’s NH90 fleet
Sweden’s original NH90 order was composed of 13 HKP 14Es and five HKP 14Fs. Deliveries were planned to begin by 2005, but overshot significantly and the first four HKP 14 A/Bs in the Initial Operational Configuration (IOC) reached Sweden only by April 2011.
One “enhanced basic” HKP 14C was delivered shortly thereafter. This was followed by seven mission-standard HKP 14Ds delivered between 2013 and 2015, most of which were later converted into the HKP 14E (land-role) standard.
The first HKP 14F (naval role) was delivered in December 2015, bringing the total fleet to 12. In the intervening period, Sweden opted for converting four HKP 14Es into the maritime HKP 14Fs.
In August 2019, Sweden took delivery of the 18th and final production NH90. Then on Nov. 30, 2023, NHI said it delivered the last seven helicopters retrofitted in the “Final Operational Capability (FOC) configuration.”
The Swedish NH90 helicopters operate from the F21 air force base in Luleå and the F17 air force base in Ronneby.
On November 30th, NHIndustries, in collaboration with its long-standing partner PATRIA, delivered the last of 7 NH90 SAR helicopters, retrofitted in FOC configuration, to the Swedish Armed Forces. 🇸🇪🚁#NHIndustries #PATRIA #NH90 #SAR #Sweden pic.twitter.com/iINcKKFawt
— NHIndustries (@NHIndustriesSAS) December 5, 2023
Problems
Issues with the Swedish NH90s have been publicly reported since 2022. In June 2022, then defense spokesperson Louise Levin told Norran that Sweden’s issues with its NH90 fleet were “similar” to that of Norway.
Oslo’s bitter legal battle with NHIndustries over the poor state of the NH90s was resolved in an out-of-court settlement in November 2022. The same month, the erstwhile Swedish Armed Forces chief Gen. Micael Byden announced the cancellation of the plans for an additional order of HKP 14s, citing long-running poor availability rates.
Avia News added that the Swedish NH90s had an operational cost of $18,154 (SEK 200,000) per flight hour, compared to Black Hawk’s $3,630 (SEK 40,000).
Do you know which helicopter 🇫🇮 SOF commonly operate?
Meet the NH90 TTH — Tactical Transport Helicopter. 🚁 Operated by the Utti Jaeger Regiment, it is the backbone of Finland’s special operations air mobility.
What it delivers:
💪 Rapid insertion and extraction of troops and… pic.twitter.com/JU4BVtjaTS
— NATO Allied SOF Command (SOFCOM) (@NATO_SOF) February 19, 2026
NH90 issues with other users
The NH90 has also seen an unpleasant history with some of its other users, like Norway, Finland, Belgium, Australia and Greece. Norway’s experience with the troubled NH90s spurred the government to take NHIndustries to court, with the two parties finally settling separately in November 2025.
NHI agreed to take back all of Norway’s NH90s and reintegrate them into the broader program to make spares available for other users. NHI also agreed to pay Oslo €305 million, in addition to €70 million which amount to previously paid pursuant to bank guarantees.
Australia, which operated 46 NH90 airframes designated the MRH-90 Taipan (Multi-Role Helicopter) since 2008, retired them a decade ahead of schedule. The helicopters had experienced a series of engine failures and maintenance issues. In August 2022, Canberra approved the purchase of 40 UH-60M Black Hawks to replace the Taipan.
While #Sweden has now ordered UH-60M to replace NH90 TTHs, NHI doesn’t consider their retirement a done deal. “There is no firm or official decision on what they intend to do. [The availability problems] were driven by a situation which was prior to 2022, and they are now very… pic.twitter.com/7XqdpPK5eh
— Gareth Jennings (@GarethJennings3) October 21, 2025
Other users like France, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany and Spain have however faced only little issues with their NH90s. France also recently received the first of its 18 NH90 Standard 2 dedicated to special operations.
Tre #NH90 transporthelikoptrar från #UTJR Helikopterbataljon 🇫🇮 tränar i Sverige 15. – 23. november.
Utbildning med den 🇸🇪 helikopterenheten fördjupar samarbetet, beredskapen och förmågan mellan enheterna. Flygverksamhet kommer att bedrivas i centrala delar av Sverige. pic.twitter.com/8HbtFYf1dN
— Utin jääkärirykmentti (@UtinJR) November 14, 2024
Spain approved in September 2018 the purchase of 23 additional NH90 TTHs. In Germany, Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH (EFW) announced on Aug. 26, 2026 a seven-year contract with the German Armed Forces to maintain their NH90 TTHs. The helicopter is also flown by Oman, Qatar and New Zealand.
