Zimbabwe receives 18 Russian helicopters
A further 14 aircraft are expected to be delivered by Rostec by the end of next year
Zimbabwe received delivery of 18 helicopters from the Russian government on 19 May at Robert Mugabe International Airport in Harare.
The aircraft will reportedly be used for a range of purposes, including the provision of air medical services, law enforcement, and search and rescue, according to Zimbabwean state-owned newspaper The Chronicle.
The aircraft are the first of a fleet of 32 helicopters to be delivered by the Russian state-owned conglomerate Rostec by the end of 2024.
The Zimbabwean government previously outlined plans to purchase four law enforcement helicopters as part of a US$60 million police vehicle acquisition plan in December 2022.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at AirMed&Rescue. 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.