Yesterday, an official statement from the Norwegian Ministry of Defense announced that Norway will donate a set of spare parts for Sea King helicopters transferred by Germany and the United Kingdom to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This donation aims to help Ukraine quickly restore maritime capabilities.
The donation also intends to support the operation and maintenance of the six helicopters donated by Germany, as well as those transferred by the United Kingdom. It should be noted that Norway’s Sea King helicopters are already out of service, so the spare parts that Norway will not use itself will aid in establishing a Ukrainian maritime force with enhanced capabilities in transport and search and rescue (SAR) missions.
This support will bolster Ukraine’s capabilities, as the strategic importance of the Black Sea and maritime domain is crucial for Ukraine’s ability to export goods. Norway’s assistance in maintaining these aircraft will provide Ukrainian Armed Forces with flexibility to operate and sustain the helicopters, knowing that necessary spare parts are readily available in case of urgent need.
The Sea King helicopters donated by the United Kingdom were previously retired from service by the Royal Navy, although specific variants transferred to Ukraine were not officially disclosed, it was mentioned that the aircraft will be optimized for SAR missions. Germany confirmed the transfer of six multirole Sea King Mk41 units from Bundeswehr stocks in January 2024, with possible delivery starting in the second quarter of 2024.
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