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United States to donate eight H1 helicopters to the Czech Republic

Ministry of Defence & Armed Forces of the Czech Republic

23.8.2022

Author: editorial staff (ob)

The Czech Republic will receive eight helicopters from the H-1 program free of charge from the U.S. Government the Czech Minister of Defence Jana Černochová confirmed during her visit to the 24th Transport Air Force Base. The Czech Air Force will acquire a total of 20 American machines: ten UH-1Y Venom multirole helicopters, and ten AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters. From 2023 on, they will replace the obsolete Mi-35/24V helos in the Czech Armed Forces.

"I am delighted I could announce yesterday that we succeeded to negotiate not only the acquisition of eight new Venom multirole helicopters and four Viper attack helicopters from the USA but also the donation of six additional Viper attack helicopters and two Venom multirole machines," Defence Minister Jana Černochová said during her visit to the Prague-Kbely Air Force Base.

The Minister arranged the delivery of eight machines in April during her visit in Washington. The helicopters are used but are fully operational. "It will be a donation, we will only pay for maintenance, reconfiguration to our requirements, transport to the Czech Republic, and for other associated costs. At the moment, it is impossible to express them in exact figures, but the costs are incomparable with the price of new helicopters " Minister Černochová highlighted.

In the past months, the Minister underscored on multiple occasions that the 12 ordered helicopters were not enough. According to her previous statements, the war in Ukraine clearly showed that air support is indispensable in conventional conflicts.

More than just NATO-compatible

The Czech Air Force is currently equipped with eight Mi-35/24V attack helicopters that have in service with the Czech Armed Forces since 2003. The hardware is morally and physically obsolete and was used by the Soviets as early as during the war in Afghanistan in the 1980s.

"The progressively decommissioned Mi-24 helicopters can, if needed, be used as a source of spare parts for Mi-171Sh helicopters, or they can be alternatively put up for sale," said the Director of the MoD Force Development Division BG Petr Čepelka.

According to the Colonel Miroslav Šajban, Head of the Division's Helicopter and Transport Aviation Department, the Czech Armed Forces will obtain modern machines fit for the 21st century, and reduce its dependence on Russia. "We must not forget that we will receive two different types of machines - a multirole helicopter (UH-1Y Venom), which can be employed for airlifting small teams as well as in air-to-ground role. The AH-1Z Viper is expected to be employed in combat missions."

The Czech Armed Forces will also receive relevant armament along with the new American helicopters: Hellfire air-to-ground missiles, and Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.

• Since July, two groups of pilots and technicians from Náměšť nad Oslavou have been retraining in the USA for the new types of helicopters. Bell's mobile training team will be training local staff in the Czech Republic over the course of two years, before they master the helicopters' operation and maintenance system.
• The Czech defence industry's participation will amount to one third of the project's value, and will include state enterprises LOM Praha and VTÚ (Military Technical Institute), as well as Ray Service and VR Group. LOM Praha will provide the life cycle support of the helicopters which will take place in a new H1 facility. A new simulation centre will be built in Náměšť nad Oslavou for the training of ground and flight personnel for the new machines.
• The intergovernmental agreement on the purchase of 8 UH-Y Venom multirole helicopters and four AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters was signed by the then Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic Lubomír Metnar and U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper.