Salvadoran helicopter plans
The Fuerza Aérea Salvadoreña (FAS, El Salvador Air Force) is seeking to augment its helicopter capabilities.
Under Plan de Control Territorial, the air force has received approval for the acquisition of two additional Bell 412 helicopters.
The FAS already operates four Bell 412EPs delivered in 2001, one of which serves as presidential transport and the other three with the Grupo de Helicópteros (Helicopter Group) alongside about a dozen survivors of scores of Bell UH-1H Huey delivered during the 1980s.
The two new helicopters will be of Bell 412EPi-models and are slated for delivery in 2022.
Last Spring, the donation of four MD530FF to the FAS was announced by the US Department of State. The FAS started operating the original Hughes 369 in 1979 and has since received fourteen MD500E derivatives.
The MD530FF introduces a new capability with the air force and three of these will be send to Mali for operations with the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), to replace three MD500Es, which first saw service in Mali in 2012.
To augment its fleet of ageing Bell UH-1H Hueys, a number of which have been upgraded to Super Huey II variant, the FAS is keen to purchase another helicopter type, for which the Airbus H145 has been mentioned as a candidate.
The Salvadoran president however, visited Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) last week and admired its range of products as well, including helicopters. For training purposes, an additional Schweizer 300 helicopter is sought, to bring the fleet back to four operational helicopters.
Photos by FAS, MINUSMA, Ron Duurland en Erwin van Dijkman