Norwegian Navy Lands First Seahawk on Coast Guard Ship
Norway's Navy has successfully landed its new Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk helicopter on a Coast Guard ship for the first time. This marks a crucial step in restoring maritime helicopter capabilities after years without operational aircraft. The move comes after Norway abandoned troubled European helicopter plans in favor of proven American technology.
A Norwegian helicopter crew has landed a new Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk on a Coast Guard vessel for the first time. This marks a major step in rebuilding Norway's maritime helicopter capabilities.
The Defense Ministry purchased six MH-60R Seahawk helicopters for naval operations. Colonel Kjetil Bjørkum leads the reestablished 337 Squadron that will operate these aircraft.
Norway's Coast Guard has lacked operational helicopters since 2014. That's when the older Lynx helicopters were retired from service.
Originally, the Coast Guard planned to use European NH90 helicopters. But serious delivery problems forced Norway to cancel that contract in June 2022.
Norwegian crews have been training in Denmark, which bought MH-60R Seahawks back in 2017. This partnership helped accelerate Norway's transition to the new aircraft.
The shift to American helicopters after planning for European models shows how equipment delays can reshape military procurement strategies. Norway is clearly prioritizing operational readiness over regional defense industry partnerships.