Czechia donates attack helicopters to Ukraine
During a press briefing US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Mark A. Milley on 23 May 2022, Austin thanked the Czech Republic for its substantial support, including a recent donation of attack helicopters, tanks and rocket systems.
Without naming the type of helicopter nor the number involved, Scramble Magazine assesses the type is the Mi-24V Hind attack helicopter, because this type is operated by Ukraine.
Ukraine Mi-24 attack helicopters are operated by the Ukraine Army Aviation 7th Separate army aviation regiment at Novyi Kalyniv air base, the 11th Separate army aviation regiment at Kherson air base and the 16th Separate army aviation regiment at Brody air base. It is possible that also the Mi-35 attack helicopters are involved in the transfer to Ukraine.
Czechia is starting to replace their attack helicopters with the Bell Helicopter AH-1Z Viper of which four have been ordered. On 23 February 2022, Bell Textron Inc., Fort Woth (TX), started the production of the AH-1Z Viper for the Vzdušné síly armády České republiky (CzAF, Czech Air Force). The donation of Mi-24 attack helicopters might result in more Vipers to be ordered.
According to the Scramble database the Czech Air Force had/have sixteen Mi-24V/Mi-35 Hind attack helicopters in its active inventory:
Photo by Luca Bani (Scramble Archive)