Albania will receive a total of three surplus US Army Black Hawk military helicopters. (Photo: Albanian MoD)
The Albanian Air Force has taken delivery of the first two of three UH-60A Black Hawk helicopters at Tirana/Rinas International Airport.
The Albanian MoD posted a video on YouTube on 13 January of the arrival of the military helicopters.
The Balkans nation announced it would receive three US Army surplus Black Hawks in April 2019, with an official contract signed in May 2020. The medium utility helicopters were part of a US support package for Albania, which joined NATO in 2009 and has been replacing outdated weaponry with new material in line with the alliance’s standards.
For an undisclosed fee, the US Army will train Albanian pilots and maintain the helicopters. The delivery date of the third and final Black Hawk has not been officially revealed.
Albanian Defence Minister Niko Paleshi said the arrival of the Black Hawks was a ‘clear sign’ that his country had been investing in its security.
Ahead of the helicopters’ arrival, Paleshi said: “[They are] a big investment and an important step that will give us the power and commitment needed to fulfil tactical missions and emergency operations more efficiently and safely.”
The DroneShield US subsidiary is rapidly expanding its manufacturing footprint in the country and has expedited the process to double its domestic production capacity in at least four months.
The Pentagon has sent an amendment to the Office of Management and Budget, according to Pete Hegseth, including funds for the procurement of E-7 Wedgetails in FY2027.
As Europe confronts its most unstable security environment since the Cold War, defence planners recognise that advanced, dependable and flexible Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) are central to a force that competes and prevails on today’s battlefield.
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The USAF intends to conduct the second phase of the DRAGON programme from FY2026 to FY2030, while the future of the E3 replacement remains unknown.
Indonesia’s purchase of 12 drones with options for an additional 48 is the third deal in as many years between Indonesian and Turkish defence industries, bolstering the former’s plans to strengthen its own domestic production and defence industry.
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