Helicopter crews ordered to Afghanistan
Jan 29, 2011
The chief of the Swedish Armed Forces Helicopter Wing, colonel Magnus Westerlund, has ordered all personnel in the international medevac unit to go to Afghanistan. The Armed Forces has published a press release stating that all people involved in forming the medevac unit are essential for concluding the mission.
Starting from 1st of April 2011 Sweden will deploy one Helicopter Unit to the ISAF operations (International Security Assistance Force) in Afghanistan. The unit consists of two HKP 10B Super Puma helicopters and their associated staff.
"The personnel is prepared and trained, and it is therefore natural that they get an order to implement the effort. It is a requirement from my side that the unit is assigned tasks that are in balance with the capacity of its staff and the educational status. This is regulated through national restrictions on our participation when needed. It is my firm belief that the helicopter unit will solve their tasks successfully", said Magnus Westerlund in the press release.
The B-model of the HKP 10 Super Puma is a highly sophisticated international medevac platform with improved avionics and an enhanced nursing cabin. Some of its key combat features are IR suppressors, NVG, ballistic protection, robot detection- and self-protection system, engine particle separators and machine gun fittings.