The Swedish Defence Material Administration awarded Saab AB a contract worth nearly $20 million to provide component maintenance for the tactical mission system (TMS) of NH90 helicopters of the Swedish Armed Forces, the company said on July 20.

The contract length is five years with an option for one additional year.

The contract concerns component maintenance for the TMS to ensure full system availability, including the helicopter’s sonar system for anti-submarine warfare (ASW).

Saab previously developed and delivered the TMS for the Swedish variant of the NH90, designated Helikopter 14 (Hkp 14) in Swedish service. With this contract, Saab is responsible for support and maintenance of the entire Hkp 14 TMS.

“This agreement confirms our strength as a support provider who ensures the availability of our products throughout their lifecycle. It also confirms our long-standing and good relationships with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration and the Swedish Armed Forces when it comes to their helicopter operations,” Jonas Hjelm, head of Saab business area Support and Services said in a statement.

The component maintenance work is set to occur at Saab’s facilities in Järfälla, Jönköping, and Linköping in Sweden in addition to several foreign subcontractors.

The NH90 helicopter program is managed by the NHIndustries consortium. It is owned by AgustaWestland (32 percent), Airbus Helicopters (62.5 percent), and Fokker (5.5 percent). AgustaWestland is a division of Finmeccanica.