Military Super Pumas leaves Kallinge Air Force Base

On 4 December the Swedish Armed Forces Helicopter Wing distinguished the retirement of the HKP 10 Super Puma from active service at the F17 Kallinge Air Force Base in southern Sweden. The helicopter type is now being replaced by the brand new HKP 14 (NH90), which made a tribute fly-by together with a HKP 10 at F17 to celebrate the event today.

The delivery of the HKP 10 began in 1988, when the F21 Air Force Base in Luleå got its first Super Pumas. F17 got its first Super Puma in the autumn of 1989. The helicopters replaced the aging HKP 4A (Boeing-Vertol 107) that had been used for regional search and rescue services since 1963.

The fleet of HKP 10s, which consisted of 12 aircraft at the most, has served at several locations throughout Sweden, but it is now being phased out in favour for new helicopters. The last remaining Swedish Super Pumas are currently operating from the F21 Air Force Base in Luleå.

In a total, the HKP 10 Super Puma made roughly 1000 rescue missions during the 25 years in service at the F17 Kallinge base. The private operator Norrlandsflyg inherited the civil SAR through the Swedish Maritime Administration in the spring of 2007, but the Super Pumas remained active in other roles until their official retirement at the 3rd Helicopter Squadron today.

The new naval HKP14s are gradually being supplied to the F17 base, where they will operate parallel to the smaller HKP15 (AgustaWestland 109 LUH). New hangars are currently being built in order to hold a large number of helicopters starting from 2017.