Croatia continues to increase its military capacity, after acquiring the 12 Rafale jets from France in November, now takes delivery of two Black Hawk helicopters.
Two UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters arrived in Croatia today. Both helicopters have been delivered to Zagreb’s Franjo Tuđman airport via a US military C-17 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.
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.
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.