For the first time, Germany will provide Ukraine with military helicopters, the Sea King Mk41 multipurpose helicopters. This was announced by the country's Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, the German publication Tagesschau reports.
It is noted that the helicopters will be transferred from the Bundeswehr.
Pistorius promised Ukraine six Sea King Mk41 multi-purpose helicopters, spare parts, and Berlin will provide training for the Ukrainian military.
"Sea King is a proven and robust helicopter that will help Ukrainians in many areas: from reconnaissance over the Black Sea to the transportation of soldiers. This is the first German delivery of this type," Pistorius said.
It is worth noting that Julian Röpke, a military observer for the German edition of Bild, criticized these transport helicopters.
He stated that they are already 50 years old, and Germany began decommissioning them in 2020. The main problem is their maintenance.
"If in 2006 it took 50 to 60 hours of maintenance to ensure one hour of flight, now the ratio is 1 to 120," the journalist said.
Moreover, these norms are based on peacetime, not wartime, Röpke said.
"For a country at war with a small number of pilots and a hostile environment, this is simply a threat to the lives of Ukrainian soldiers," he wrote.
