Three Bell 505 helicopters delivered to Kingdom of Bahrain

Bell Textron has announced the delivery of three Bell 505 helicopters to the Royal Bahrain Air Force.

Bell delivered the aircraft during an inspection and acceptance event in February 2023 at Bell’s Mirabel facility.

“We are honored to provide the Bahrain Defence Force another premiere Bell asset to train the next generation of Bahrani pilots,” said Sameer Rehman, Managing Director, Africa and Middle East, Bell. “Generations of Bahraini pilots have flown in Bell helicopters, and the Bell 505 will continue the tradition of excellence for years to come.”

The Bahrain Defence Force has flown the Bell 212 and multiple generations of AH-1 attack helicopters. This delivery marks the first 505 helicopters for the country and includes a package with training, tooling and spares.

“With low operating costs and high reliability, the Bell 505 has emerged as a customer favorite to prepare cadets for a safer and more effective transition to advanced helicopters,” Rehman added.

Bahrain joins other Middle Eastern countries by choosing the Bell 505 as its military trainer, with the Royal Jordanian Air Force having signed an agreement in November 2022 for 10 of these helicopters.