E vorba de cele 8 UH-1Y Venom respectiv 4 AH-1Z Viper care fusesera deja aprobate de Departamentul de Stat al SUA in luna mai a acestui an, si care au fost selectate de armata ceha, conform declaratiilor ministrului apararii din data de 22 august.
Toata distractia ii va costa pe cehi 622 mil.$, iar livrarile se vor incheia in 2023. Bell a invins concurenta formata din Lockheed-Martin/Sikorsky cu UH-60M si Leonardo cu AW-139M.
Cele 12 elicoptere sunt destinate a inlocui flota invechita de 16 MI-24/35 Hind, dupa ce acestia au cedat cateva aparate Afganistanului. Mi-24/35 ale cehilor au primit deja un minim de modernizari:
- Engines: TV3-117VMA
- EVU exhaust cooling system
- Modification of the cockpit and outer lights to facilitate night vision systems, including personal night vision goggles
- Satellite navigation system GPS (type Garmin-155 XL)
- Standby horizon (type LUN 1241, of the Czech make)
- Storage batteries VARTA
- Civilian Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) responder system
- New systems for signalling and flight data recording
- Altimeter (measuring in feet)
- Stabilised platform with optoelectronic FLIR night vision system
- Multifunctional displays with a sliding map system
- Upgraded communication and navigation equipment
- NATO-standard flight responder
- Camouflage in accordance with ACR and NATO standards
- Planning and combat support system
In paralel cu noile venite, cehii vor continua sa foloseasca si flota de 15 elicoptere MI-171Sh primite drept plata de datorii in mijlocul anilor 2000.
Pana la sosirea americancelor, MI-24 vor mai zbura nitel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9K1n092JWs
Polonezii, in paralel cu achizitia de noi elicoptere de lupta prin programul Kruk, ar dori sa modernizeze si sa prelungeasca resursa pentru MI-24/35 proprii…
Marius Zgureanu
Surse:
. https://aviationweek.com/awindefense/czech-republic-opts-bell-venoms-and-vipers
. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2019-08-23/vipers-and-venoms-czech-air-force