Croatia takes delivery of its first five OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters

a
World Aviation Defense & Security News - Croatia
 
 
Croatia takes delivery of its first five OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters
 
The Croatian armed forces took delivery of the first five OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters on Saturday 30 July 2016. The choppers were delivered at the 93rd Air Force Base of the Croatian Air Force ( CAF) in Zemunik, the Croatian MoD announced on its website. 
     
Croatia takes delivery of its first five OH 58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters 640 001 A USAF C-5 Galaxy landed in Croatia on July 30 with 30 tons of military equipment
(Credit: MORH/ T. Brandt)
     
The helicopters, simulators and other related equipment have been delivered by an USAF C-5 Galaxy strategic airlifter, which landed early in the morning.

The whole process of acceptance and handover will take place in cooperation with the American teams arriving in Resnik and the procedure will take some time, since it is about 30 tons of cargo and hundreds of different components and spare parts that are being delivered in Zemunik airbase.

Helicopter OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, which will be part of the 93rd Air Force Base' squadron of helicopters, have been produced from 2010 to 2012, and were operational between 2012 and 2015. They will come with a standard set of weapons, optical-electronic sensors and radio communication and navigation equipment.

     
Croatia takes delivery of its first five OH 58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters 640 002 These OH-58D Kiowa Warriors are the first of a 16-strong donation from United States
(Credit: MORH/ T. Brandt)
     
Croatian pilots are about to start training exercises, first on the flight simulator and then on the helicopters, and they will be trained by American instructors. The Croatian Air Force will train about 30 pilots.

These five choppers, the first of 16, are the first shipment fulfilling intergovernemental talks started in 2015 and fully formalised in 2016. Croatia is in charge of transportation, VAT and pilots training, for an estimated amount of $30m.

The primary mission of the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior is the scout attack role. It is then equipped with two universal weapons pylons capable of carrying Hellfire missiles, Hydra 70 rockets, as well as Stinger or one .50-calibre machine gun.