The delivery of four Huey II helicopters to the armed forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina is expected to be completed by the end of 2021, the country’s defense ministry confirmed on November 26.
The UH-1H-II is built by US rotorcraft manufacturer Bell and its acquisition represents the most significant defense equipment procurement project in the history of the armed forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
According to the defense ministry, Bosnian pilots completed training on the UH-1H-II Huey II in June this year at Fort Worth, Texas.
Through the acquisition of the Huey II, the armed forces will obtain an improved ability to conduct air transport, medical evacuation, fire-fighting and search and rescue missions.
The $38.5 million contract for the acquisition of the Huey IIs was signed between the US and Bosnia in December 2019. The US contributed around 34 million dollars through its foreign military sales and foreign military funds programs, while Bosnia contributed the remaining $4.3 million.
The US has also donated High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (Humvees) to Bosnia, with the latest delivery taking place in July this year. The country is expected to eventually receive a total of 86 Humvees, under a donation worth $14,3 million.
Bosnia and Herzegovina will be joining another 14 operators of the Huey II, which is a modernized and upgraded version of the general purpose helicopter UH-1H Iroquois (Huey), which is in the inventory of the Air Force and Air Defence Brigade of the armed forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
