Croatia to receive 8 Blackhawk helicopters following deal with US

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
13 Mar 2024 17:24

The eight Blackhawks are due to be delivered in 2028 as part of the cooperation deal between the US and the Balkan nation.

A US Army Blackhawk helicopter flies past during Super Garuda Shield 2022 joint military exercises in Baturaja, Indonesia, Friday, Aug. 12, 2022. (AP)

Croatia is due to receive eight Blackhawk helicopters as a result of a deal signed with the US on Wednesday, amid attempts by the Balkan nations to amp up their militaries, state media confirmed.

Croatia, a NATO member since 2009, has provided a part of its arsenal to Ukraine, including Soviet-era helicopters.

Croatian Defense Minister Ivan Anusic said, "This is a great and important moment for the armed forces and for the whole of Croatia, and also a confirmation of the partnership and excellent cooperation with the United States."

However, the eight Blackhawks will be delivered in 2028.

This deal mirrors a similar one signed between Albania and the US, with the former receiving two Blackhawk helicopters in January.

Last month, NATO Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, urged European nations to enhance their arms production to aid Ukraine and avert the possibility of a prolonged confrontation with Moscow.

In an interview published by German media ahead of a crucial NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels and the second anniversary of the war in Ukraine, Stoltenberg stressed the necessity of swiftly rebuilding and expanding the industrial base to accelerate deliveries to Ukraine and replenish NATO's supplies.

That was followed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's talks with several Balkan leaders in the Albanian capital Tirana, during which he pleaded for more support against Russian troops and also discussed cooperating in joint-defense production.

In 2021, Croatia signed an order with France for 12 used Rafale fighter jets -- the largest arms order made by Zagreb since its war of independence in the 1990s.

Last week, Bloomberg stated that the Biden administration is weighing utilizing around $200 million from US Army funds to give Ukraine immediate "security assistance" as attempts to approve new funding in Congress are hindered.