In addition to the twelve new Bell helicopters signed in December 2019 by the then defense ministers of the Czech Republic and the USA, Lubomír Metnar and Mark Esper, a further eight used aircraft of the same type have now been donated by the US government. This was confirmed by Defense Minister Jana Černochová a few days ago during a visit to the 24th Air Transport Base Praha-Kbely.
“I am pleased to announce that, in addition to the eight Venom multi-role helicopters and four Viper combat helicopters originally ordered, we have reached an agreement with the United States of America for a further six Vipers and two Venoms as a gift,” said Jana Černochová during a visit to the transport and government aircraft base at the old Prague Airport in the Kbely district. The occasion was awards for crews who had distinguished themselves during recent firefighting missions. The Minister explained that the additional aircraft are examples that were already in service with the US Marine Corps, but are fully operational. “It is a donation, we only pay the price for overhaul, any repairs and conversions according to our requirements, as well as for transportation to the Czech Republic and other related costs. We can’t put an exact figure on these at the moment, but compared to the price of new helicopters, these are negligible amounts.”
Twelvehelicopters are not (or no longer) enough
Černochová has repeatedly stated publicly in recent months that the originally agreed twelve helicopters would not (or no longer) be enough. The war in Ukraine has clearly shown that, in view of the conventional conflict, the focus must once again be placed on air support. The Czech Air Force will now receive a total of 20 American aircraft: Ten UH-1Y Venom multi-role helicopters (two of which are used) and ten AH-1Z Vipers (six used). From 2023, these will replace the 15 outdated Mi-24V/Mi-35s in the Czech army; seven of the older Mi-24Vs have already been handed over to Ukraine. It has also been repeatedly stated that the helicopters from the Soviet era (the export version Mi-35 was only delivered after the end of the Warsaw Pact in exchange for debt relief) will be almost impossible to maintain and repair in the Czech Air Force in the future because no spare parts can be obtained from Russia due to the war in Ukraine and the EU sanctions, and Russia will no longer supply them to NATO countries. “If necessary, the decommissioned Mi-24 helicopters can be used as a source of spare parts for certain assemblies of the Mi-171Š transport helicopters that continue to operate or can also be offered for sale,” added Brigadier General Petr Čepelka, Director of the Armed Forces Development Department of the Prague Ministry of Defense. The phrase “also morally obsolete” is interesting in this context.
It should be noted here that Russian types are also currently being replaced by Western models in Hungary and Poland, but the Czech Republic has surprisingly opted for Bell naval helicopters, which are otherwise only operated in Europe by the Turkish Army Air Forces. Militär Aktuell has seen older AH-1E/Ps in Bahrain (where they are also being replaced by AH-1Zs). New weapons, training and Czech added value
According to Colonel of the General Staff Service Miroslav Šajban, head of the Helicopter and Transport Aviation Department, “the Czech army will acquire new technologies for the 21st century through the change and at the same time reduce its dependence on Russia. The fact that we will receive two different types of aircraft should not be neglected either. The UH-1Y multi-role aircraft can be used to transport small airborne infantry units or special forces, but can also strike at ground targets. And the AH-1Z will be used in combat operations.” With the new US helicopters, the Czech army will also receive the appropriate weaponry, such as the Hellfire and Sidewinder air-to-ground missiles for air-to-air operations (AIM-9X is already planned for the Viper in the USA) and the Venom, the latest and most powerful version of the UIH-1N/212/412 series. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bhgo-h0hftw Since July, two groups of pilots and technicians from the Czech helicopter base in Náměšt nad Oslavou in the USA have been retrained on the new helicopter types. The purchase package also includes Bell’s mobile training team (their European headquarters are at Kbely Airport) training local personnel in the Czech Republic for two years before they fully master the operating and maintenance system.
Another aspect: the Czech defense industry – including the state-owned companies LOM Praha (also based in Kbely) and VTÚ, as well as the companies Ray Service, Aero Vodochody and the VR Group simulation specialists – will contribute more than a third of the contract. LOM Praha will support the life cycle of the helicopters and the work will take place in the new H1 facility there. In Náměšt nad Oslavou, a simulation center for training and maintaining the skills of on-board and ground personnel will also be built.
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