Airforces Monthly - February 2017

EXERCISE REPORT Swedish Mountain Flying
An important part of mountain
flying training involves landing
and taking off from various
small locations, and these are
practised extensively during
the missions from Abisko.
Hundreds of places in the area
that are known to be useful for
helicopter landings are clearly
marked on a special Fjällflygning
HKP 14 Configurations
map produced by the Swedish
Armed Forces. These include
different mountaintops,
ridges, ledges, valleys and
bowls, all of them located in
truly spectacular scenery.
There is no doubt that it is
extremely demanding for the
pilots to fly in and out of these
sites, but the work is performed
safely and routinely. ‘Whiteout’
conditions can occur when
hovering close to the ground,
and the technicians hang out
of the helicopter’s open side
doors to help look for visual
references in the terrain, as
well as for potential obstacles
behind and below the aircraft
that the pilots cannot see.
Version Mission equipment Mission capability Will be
modified to
HKP 14A/B 16 troop seats Troop transport, cargo
transport (internal load)
HKP 14F
HKP 14C
HKP 14D
HKP 14E
HKP 14F
As for HKP 14A/B, plus:
Dual rescue hoists, flotation system, cargo hook, weather radar,
searchlight (SX-16 Nightsun), anti-icing system (main/tail rotor and
horizontal stabiliser)
As for HKP 14C, plus: electro-optical system (daylight camera,
forward-looking infrared and laser rangefinder), electronic warfare
system (radar warning, laser warning, missile approach warning,
chaff and flare dispenser), ballistic protection (cockpit and cabin
floor and pilot seats), infrared suppressors for engine exhausts,
particle separator (engine inlet), M/58 (FN MAG) machine gun, nine
stretchers, 20 troop seats, sling-load camera, cargo rolling device
(via rear ramp), cargo-floor winch (for loading cargo), fast-rope and
rappelling, static line (for parachuting), ski undercarriage option
As for HKP 14D, plus: tactical mission system, tactical radar, helicopter
in-flight refuelling, external life raft (integrated in helicopter)
As for HKP 14E, plus: data link, dipping sonar, sonobuoy dispenser,
lightweight torpedoes
As for HKP 14A/B, plus:
hoisting operations,
cargo transport (sling
load), support of civilian
population (eg aerial
firefighting with Bambi
Bucket)
As for HKP 14C, plus:
search and rescue,
casualty evacuation,
medical evacuation,
special operations
As for HKP 14D, plus:
tactical troop transport
As for HKP 14E, plus:
anti-submarine warfare
HKP 14E
HKP 14E
-
-
Multinational
element
Since 2002 the Flygvapnet
has invited helicopter units
from Norway and Finland to
participate in the Fjällflygning
training at Abisko. This is
perhaps not so relevant to the
Norwegian crews, as they are
generally well experienced in
A Finnish NH90 and Swedish HKP
14D together at Abisko’s heliport
in April 2016.
68 FEBRUARY 2017 #347