The Swedish Air Force has significantly improved its helicopter capabilities by extending the range of its UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, known locally as HKP 16. On July 31, 2024, the Air Force announced that it had increased the range of these helicopters by 50%.
Experiences influenced this decision during a mission in Mali in 2021, where three Black Hawk helicopters were deployed to support European special forces. During this mission, the Swedish military realized that the helicopter’s range was insufficient for the Sahel region’s vast distances. Even though Sweden is no longer involved in operations in Mali, the lessons learned led to a decision to increase the range of these helicopters.
The solution was to add an extra fuel tank that holds 750 litres (about 200 US gallons). While this additional tank reduces the cargo the helicopters can carry, it dramatically increases their operational range, initially 590 kilometres.
“This project has been a major effort and wouldn’t have been possible without the strong cooperation between the military leadership, the helicopter squadron, the Defense Materiel Administration (FMV), and the American company Sikorsky,” said Per Johnsson, the technical director of the project. He also mentioned that several helicopters have already been modified and have shown promising results with the new fuel tank. The goal is to complete the modifications for the entire fleet by the end of 2024.
The US Army also played a role in the project by sending personnel to Sweden to help adapt the helicopters to the new fuel tanks. The Swedish Air Force confirmed that all HKP 16 helicopters can use the extra fuel tank when needed.
The Swedish Air Force acquired 15 Black Hawks in 2011 to support operations in Afghanistan. However, due to issues with the availability and high costs of its NH-90 helicopters, Sweden decided to expand its Black Hawk fleet. Recently, the Air Force ordered 12 more Black Hawks, costing around $900 million.
By extending the range of its Black Hawk helicopters, Sweden is enhancing its ability to respond quickly to international security challenges.
