February 3, 2022 - Croatia continues to increase its military capacity, after acquiring the 12 Rafale jets from France in November and the 89 Bradley fighting vehicles from the United States in January, now awaits the arrival of two Black Hawk helicopters today.

Two UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters arrive in Croatia today, reports HRT News. Both helicopters will be delivered to Zagreb's Franjo Tuđman airport via a US military plane for strategic transport. It is a donation from the United States, and Croatia will buy two more of such helicopters and set aside up to $100 million for them. 

The helicopters will be delivered in the standard configuration of the US Army with Croatian markings. This will improve the helicopter capabilities of the Croatian Air Force.

Two Croatian pilots were trained to fly Black Hawk helicopters in Minnesota, and helicopter maintenance technicians were also trained.

The arrival of the U.S. ?? Black Hawk weapon system, valued at 360 million Kuna, will contribute to #Croatia’s ?? growing defense capabilities and military preparedness in support of @NATO https://t.co/mbvdICisqj pic.twitter.com/cMKD5brr2L

— U.S. Embassy Zagreb (@USEmbZagreb) February 3, 2022

Defense Minister Banozić said last July during a visit to the Ripley military camp in the United States, where Croatian soldiers are regularly trained, that the 2019 US government donation was an important support to Croatia's national policy aimed at switching to equipment of Western origin.

The two Black Hawk helicopters can also be used to assist civilian institutions in extinguishing large-scale forest fires, search and rescue, and emergency air medical transportation.

Dočekali smo prva dva helikoptera UH-60M Black Hawk koji su donacija našeg strateškog partnera #USA. ??Ovim moćnim sredstvima #HV dobiva nove sposobnosti i povećava stupanj interoperabilnosti. @USEmbZagreb @NATO @VladaRH #WeAreNATO pic.twitter.com/FbKRku4IsF

— MORH/MoD Croatia (@MORH_OSRH) February 3, 2022

Military cooperation between Croatia and the US state of Minnesota began 25 years ago as part of the "State Partnership" program. During this period, the Minnesota National Guard became one of the most loyal military partners of the Croatian Army.

Within Croatia's project to strengthen its military capacity with Western technology, the recent purchases of 12 Rafales military jets from France and 89 Bradley combat vehicles from the United States should be highlighted.

Croatia bought from France 12 Dassault Rafale F3R used multipurpose fighter jets - ten single-seats and two two-seaters - for €999 million to be paid in five installments from 2022 to 2026.

Croatia will obtain 62 Bradley fighting vehicles, 22 vehicles for spare parts, and five for training, and their upgrading will be performed at the Đuro Đaković company in Slavonski Brod. The total value of the deal is $196.4 million, the US donation will amount to $51.1 million, which means that Croatia will pay $145.3 million.

For more, check out our politics section.

ZAGREB, Aug 19, 2020 - Defence Minister Mario Banozic said on Wednesday that he had demanded a renewed report on the cases involving faulty helicopters and their overhaul.

Coming to Government House in Zagreb for an inner cabinet meeting, Banozic was asked by the press about the faults found on Croatian Air Force helicopters, and explained that two faults had been found and that Croatia had demanded the removal of those faults by those who had already performed the overhaul and this would be done at their expense.

He recalled that the overhauled helicopters had registered over 1,000 flight hours in a year.

The minister dismissed as tendentious, media reports that one of the faulty helicopters had intentionally been put at the disposal of the president, which was why he (Zoran Milanovic) was prevented from flying.

Asked about the priorities facing the ministry's organisation in the autumn, Banozic announced the reduction of the number of employees in his department.

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The helicopters and their pilots, as well as other staff of the Croatian Air Force have a lot to be thanked for when looking back on last year. 

It isn't only the tireless efforts of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS) which need to be praised when it comes to dealing with emergency medical situations up and down the country, but the Croatian Air Force and the Croatian Army, as well as their equipment, as a whole.

As Morski writes on the 5th of January, 2019, during 2018, a total of 885 patients were transported by both transport and multipurpose helicopters belonging to the Croatian Air Force (HRZ), whose medical issues, usually those of an emergency nature, required emergency medical aviation. During the transit of these helicopters, 2,283 Croatian Air Force flights were carried out and completed, totalling 855 hours in the air.

Additionally, throughout 2018, 23 requests were received for the assistance of Croatian Air Force helicopters in search and rescue operations on the land, during which a total of 15 injured persons and 132 members of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS) were safely transported. During these particular operations, a total of 107 Croatian Air Force flights were carried out and completed, which amounted to 43.25 hours in the air.

Namely, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia continue to provide excellent support in dire situations in which emergency air transport is required, and they remain in a state of constant readiness (during the day and night) with two helicopters, one of which being the helicopter of the 93rd Air Base, and the the second belonging to the 91st Air Base, stationed at Rijeka Airport's Krk helipad.

In most cases, Croatian Ait Force flights sent out for emergency medical situations work alongside established helipads which fulfil the necessary 24-hour operating conditions KBC Firule, Hvar, Stari Grad, Sućuraj, Selca, Korčula, Blato, Šolta, Dubrovnik-Medarevo, Rab, Lastovo-Ubli, Vis, Lošinj, Cres i helidrom Delta – Rijeka), the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Croatia said.

Make sure to stay up to date with everything you need to know about the Croatian Air Force and much, much more by following our dedicated lifestyle and news pages.

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