The Spanish Navy begins operating its new NH-90 MSPT 'Sable' helicopters

In May 2024, the Spanish Navy created the 14th Squadron of its Aircraft Flotilla (FLOAN), dedicated to a new helicopter model.

Airbus shows the three Spanish versions of the NH90 military helicopter together at last
Farewell to the Third Squadron of the Spanish Navy, but not to its AB-212 helicopters

The new model, the NH-90 MSPT, arrived late to replace the AB-212 "Gato" of the 3rd Squadron, retired from service in July 2024. In December, Airbus showed together for the first time the three Spanish variants of the NH-90: the "Lobo" of the Air Force, the "Sarrio" of the Army and the "Sable" of the Navy, which following tradition will receive as its nickname the radio callsign of its unit.

We were already able to see that the NH-90 MSPT "Sable" aircraft will sport a light gray scheme, the same as the other aircraft of the Spanish Navy. As we saw in December, the Navy will receive seven NH90 MSPTs, a tactical transport version with special features for operation from ships.

Among other features, the NH-90 MSPT "Sable" are equipped with automatic main rotor blade folding, which will facilitate operations on the flight decks of Spanish Navy ships. In addition, they have reinforced landing gear compared to other versions of the NH-90 operated by Spain.

A week ago, the Spanish Navy announced that "the first two NH-90 pilots of the Fourteenth Squadron of the Aircraft Flotilla (FLOAN), have begun receiving flight training at the MSPT at the Airbus Helicopters Spain facilities in Albacete. This milestone marks the beginning of the final training phase to be qualified on the first naval NH-90."

"After completing a theoretical phase of Ground School and a subsequent phase in the flight simulator, the group of pilots trained by Airbus Spain is close to completing their training after having begun flights in the helicopter," the Navy said. "These flights are intended to instruct the pilot in different scenarios, using the tactical environment of the NH-90 MSPT both day and night with night vision goggles."

The Spanish Navy has indicated that the 6 pilots who are receiving training on the NH-90 MSPT with Airbus "are joined by 2 more pilots who have already completed their training on the NH-90 GSPA with the Air Force and, finally, a pilot who is taking the instructor course with the Army at the Agoncillo Base, Logroño." The Navy expects that once the first phase of training is completed, "the Fourteenth Squadron will have 9 pilots in addition to an instructor from the Italian Navy to operate the 3 aircraft that will be received throughout 2025, completing the reception of a total of 7 helicopters in 2026."

The Navy has also indicated that it "has received support from both armies' NH-90 Squadrons and Airbus Helicopters to train the maintenance team that will be in charge of operating the NH-90 "Sable" from the Rota Naval Station from the arrival of the first aircraft in the summer of 2025." In the images released by the Navy we can see the first two NH-90 MSPTs, with registration numbers HT.29–39 (10345, 01-14-01) and HT.29-40 (10346, 01-14-02), according to the always very complete website Aeronaves Militares Españolas.

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Photos: Airbus Helicopters / Armada Española.