Agusta HKP 15A / A109E LUH (c/n 13761, “31” of Försvarsmaktens helikopterflottilj / the Swedish Armed Forces Helicopter Wing), on static display during the 11th edition of the Sanicole Sunset Airshow, Hechtel-Eksel, September 2024.
The A109 helicopter was developed in the late 1960s by the Italian rotorcraft manufacturer Agusta. Initially designed as a single-engine aircraft, it was ultimately developed as a twin-engine helicopter in response to market demand. The primary objective of the Agusta development team was to create a versatile, multi-purpose rotorcraft capable of meeting the requirements of a wide range of civilian and military customers.
The first prototype of the new Italian rotorcraft performed its maiden flight on 4 August 1971. At that time, the manufacturer was focused exclusively on civilian versions of the helicopter, designated A109A and A109C. The dedicated military variant, known as the A109B, was given low priority.
In 1988, a specialised military version designated A109BA was developed for the Belgian Armed Forces. Derived from the A109C, a total of forty-six helicopters were delivered. In subsequent years, further-developed military variants were acquired by the United States Coast Guard, the South African Air Force, the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and the Philippine Air Force and Navy, as well as by several other military operators worldwide.
In 2001, Försvarets materielverk (the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration) signed a contract for twenty Light Utility Helicopters (LUH) based on the A109E Power variant. The contract covered the delivery of twelve land-based utility helicopters and eight rotorcraft configured for ship-based operations.
The first A109E LUH was delivered to Försvarsmakten (the Swedish Armed Forces) in February 2006. All the new helicopters were assigned to Försvarsmaktens helikopterflottilj (the Swedish Armed Forces Helicopter Wing), a unit formed in 1998 through the merger of all rotary-wing assets previously operated by the Army, Air Force and Navy.
In Swedish service, the A109 helicopters were designated Helikopter 15 – HKP 15A for the land-based version and HKP 15B for the naval variant.
The HKP 15 fleet was rapidly integrated into Sweden’s light utility helicopter system. Its roles included troop transport, MEDEVAC operations, search and rescue missions, surveillance, training, and anti-submarine warfare.
In 2012, support and maintenance services, as well as base administration and logistics for the Swedish HKP 15 fleet, were assigned to Saab. The current service agreement is valid until the end of 2026, with an option for a four-year extension.
