Airforces

10 // JANUARY 2018 #358 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com

NEWS Continental Europe

Norway receives first AW

Above: AW101 Srs 612 serial 0268 (ZZ103) during aircrew training at Cornwall Newquay

Airport prior to delivery. This is the fi rst AW101 for the NAWSARH programme, which will

replace the RNoAF’s Sea King Mk43B fl eet. Bob Sharples

LEONARDO HAS begun

delivery of 16 AW101 Srs

612 helicopters to the

Norwegian Ministry of

Justice, which oversees the

Coast Guard’s Norwegian

All-Weather SAR Helicopter

(NAWSARH) programme.

The first AW101 for Norway,

serial 0268 (ZZ103),

departed Leonardo’s

Yeovil, Somerset facility

on November 17, 2017 for

Stavanger-Sola flystasjon

(air station), in southern

Norway. The Merlin was

flown by personnel from

330 skvadron, Royal

Norwegian Air Force

(RNoAF), and made a brief

fuel stop at Newcastle

International Airport

using the callsign ‘NOW

5001’. However, only a

week later the aircraft

flipped over at Sola and

was badly damaged

(see Attrition, p91).

The aircraft had just

begun a period of

operational test and

evaluation before

entering service with the

RNoAF in 2018. Aircraft

deliveries will continue

until 2020 with search

and rescue operations

being established with

the aircraft deployed

across each of six main

operating bases.

The Srs 612 aircraft for

NAWSARH is equipped

with an advanced SAR

equipment package

including a multi-panel

Leonardo Osprey active

electronically scanned array

(AESA) 360° surveillance

radar, four-axis digital

automatic flight control

system (AFCS), twin rescue

hoists, searchlight, electro-

optical sensor and a fully

integrated avionics and

mission system. Other

systems and equipment

include a mobile telephone

detection system, obstacle

proximity warning

system, weather radar,

complete medical station

and mission console.

Serial 0268 was

expected to be joined by

another aircraft shortly

before Christmas. So

far five of the 16 ordered

have been built.

Above: On November 7, HD.21-18 (10153) ‘802-18’ was at

Albacete, almost ready to begin a fi nal round of test fl ying

before delivery to 802 Escuadrón, based at Gando in the

Canary Islands. Roberto Yáñez

Spanish Super Puma

developments

THE THIRD and final new-

build H215 for the Ejército

del Aire (Spanish Air

Force) arrived at Airbus

Helicopters’ Albacete plant

on November 23, 2017

after a direct flight from

Marignane, France. The

helicopter, still in primer,

wore the temporary

registration F-WWOY for

the ferry flight. The Super

Puma will be customised

to meet Spanish Air Force

search and rescue (SAR)

requirements at Albacete,

where it will also receive

service colours. It is

likely to become HD.21-

19 in Spanish service.

At the same time the

second new H215 – HD.21-

18 – was being prepared

for delivery to the Gando-

based Grupo 82. The

helicopter arrived at

Albacete from Marignane

in September and was

due for delivery to the air

force by early December.

To increase its SAR

fleet, the air force also

recently received two

ex-French Armée de l’Air

AS332C Super Pumas

after their withdrawal

from French service.

Both of these aircraft

are at Maestranza Aérea

de Madrid (MAESMA),

Madrid’s rework centre,

to receive a complete

overhaul and the equipment

needed to enter Spanish

service. The second-hand

helicopters will become

HD.21-15 and HD.21-

17. Roberto Yáñez

Above: Three newly arrived CH-47Ds for Hellenic Army Aviation sit on the dockside in Greece on November 22, awaiting a rotor blades refi t before being fl own

out to Megara to join the 4th TEAS. US Embassy in Athens

THREE ADDITIONAL

CH-47 Chinooks have

been delivered to the

Aeroporia Stratou (Hellenic

Army Aviation) from US

Army surplus stocks.

The helicopters arrived

in Greece by sea from

the US on November 22,

in full Greek markings.

The serials are ES-927,

ES-928 and ES-929.

They are from a batch

of ten that were ordered

in 2015, of which six have

now been delivered. The

first three of those arrived

at the military port of

Keratsini on November

11 last year – see Three

ex-US Army CH-47Ds

now with Greek Army,

January 2017, p15. The

tenth and final helicopter

was expected to arrive

before the end of 2017.

All are being delivered to

the 1st and 2nd Companies

of the 4th TEAS (Army

Aviation Helicopter

Battalion) at Megara. They

join nine CH-47DG and

six CH-47SD variants

already in service

with the 4th TEAS.

A further five CH-47Ds

from the same source

are also being sought

and the US Defense

Security Cooperation

Agency announced

on April 28, 2017 that

US State Department

approval had been granted

for the purchase – see

CH-47Ds cleared for

Greece, July 2017, p10.

The DSCA said the

deal would be worth an

estimated $80m including

all associated equipment,

spares and support. It

is unclear whether a

contract has yet been

signed. Dave Allport

for delivery to the Gando-

Three more Hellenic Army CH-47Ds delivered