US DSCA approves Bosnia and Herzegovina helicopter sale
The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has approved a potential foreign military sale of AW119Kx helicopters to Bosnia and Herzegovina
The DSCA delivered a required certification of the potential sale to the US Congress on 20 May.
The possible sale, which includes both the helicopters and all related equipment and services, would amount to a total cost of approximately US$100 million. This includes the qualification and transition training of pilots and maintenance staff, the supply of spares, repairs, and consumable parts, technical manuals, and technical assistance, among other things.
The aircraft would be supplied by Leonardo Helicopters US, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The proposed sale is intended to support the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH) in meeting “current and future threats by supporting regional and NATO cooperation exercises, protecting Bosnia and Herzegovinian national security interests in the country’s mountainous and inaccessible terrain”.
The aircraft will also be used by the AFBiH to support disaster relief, search and rescue (SAR), and other humanitarian aid missions in the country, as well as pilot training.
The Canton of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina placed an order for a new Subaru Bell 412EPX last August.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca was a Junior Editor at the Voyageur Group. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.