Norway to buy six Sikorsky Seahawks for $1.14B

The Norwegian military is planning to buy six Seahawk helicopters from Stratford-based Sikorsky Aircraft for $1.14 billion.

According to a Reuters report, the purchase follows the decision by Norway last June to cut its fleet of NH90 military helicopters ordered from an Airbus-led consortium because of problems with the aircraft”™s reliability and delays in delivery.

Norway is a NATO member and shares a border with Russia in the Arctic. The new helicopters would be used for monitoring a sea area spanning 772,000 square miles.

“This will strengthen our national control, the military”™s preparedness and our presence in the northern areas,” Bjoern Arild Gram, Norway”™s defense minister.

Photo courtesy of Sikorsky Aircraft