Shipping to the Swedish Navy
Helifuel has now received technical approval for deliveries to the Swedish Navy. It is about helicopter refueling systems to be installed on board the corvette that is now being upgraded.
- Excellent! Engineer Hans Nilsson at Kockums in Karlskrona as representatives of National Defence Material Works (FMV) and Kockums AB recently visited Helifuel to conduct a validation test of the plant.
The engineer Lars Lindgren at FMV was said to be very pleased by the visit of the company and the evaluation of the equipment. The equipment is great and is as it should be. We have not found anything to put my finger on, says Lindgren.
Helifuel has signed a contract to supply helicopter refueling systems for two of the five korvetter serve as Kockums AB has built and delivered to the Swedish Navy. The vessels have been operating for between six and ten years and will now be rebuilt with such new weapons systems and refueling system for helicopters.
For Helifuel there is a significant recognition and a feather in the cap to be accepted as a supplier to the Swedish Navy, which is considered among the world's most advanced naval services. The vessels have, like the Norwegian coast korvetter, attracted international attention as the hull and superstructure is built of composite materials, which provides near stealth capabilities with very low radar signature. This makes it very difficult to detect the vessels on the radar.
Engineer Lars Lindgren says that korvetter have equipment from a number of European countries in addition to the U.S., Canada and Australia. - Navy is very pleased with the vessels, which with up to ten years of operation has proven to meet expectations fully. Now the corvette requires upgrading. The equipment we have tested and evaluated in Helifuel is superior and will enhance the vessels' operational capacity.
As the vessels already built, extra equipment needs to be adapted to the space available on board. This means that the helicopter refueling system must be compact and require little space. These requirements Helifuel has met, says Lindgren, who praises the Sveio-company's ability to develop and deliver customized solutions.
The corvette are small naval vessels that the Swedish Navy uses for different missions. Helifuel has for more than ten years been in contact with National Defence Material Works and Kockums AB consulting on the possible deliveries. The equipment will be delivered by January 2012.
This system is designed for helicopters fuelling while the helicopter is on the vessel and to pump the fuel out of the helicopter. It is also designed for filling while the helicopter is in the air and the vessel is in motion. In bad weather, this can be demanding operations, but Helifuel have experience to meet these operational considerations through earlier deliveries of efficient systems for the Navy and Coast Guard in Norway.
Equipment must satisfy a number of military needs and requirements. The plants will work under battle conditions. That means they must be resistant to vibration and shock waves from explosions.