– This is the day of jubilation the Coast Guard has been waiting for and it is gratifying that the work has been done quickly and well. IM so happy.

This is what Oliver Berdahl, head of the Coast Guard, told TV2 shortly after news emerged that Norway would buy six helicopters.

Birdal followed the defense secretary’s press conference from the Coast Guard base Sortland in Nordland.

Did you receive any advance warning about today’s news?

– I did not receive any advance warning, but I am aware of the work that has been done. It wasn’t a surprise, but I didn’t know it would happen today, says Berdahl.

The fact that the government wanted to buy the American Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk was high on the president’s wish list. This was the type of helicopter recommended by the Coast Guard when purchasing the NH-90 at the time.

– This is a well-proven, well-functioning, helicopter that will be quite suitable for operational use by the Coast Guard, and this is the most important thing. It has been successful all over the world. There are many countries that use this type of helicopter, Berdahl says.

The Coast Guard without a helicopter was on standby after the scandalous NH-90 helicopter was canceled in June 2022.

The advantage of purchasing the helicopter type from the United States is that all defense pilots are trained in the Black-Hawk type, which is the land-based version of the Seahawk.

There is no doubt that there are a number of advantages and synergies, says Berdahl.