The Ukrainian Navy has already received two of the three Sea King helicopters. Despite the fact that one of these machines took part in the war in the Falklands (so, as you can imagine, it’s not a new bird), it is very effective in performing its tasks because it has been well maintained and is still being maintained.
The UK has announced that it is providing three Sea King search and rescue helicopters to the Ukrainian Navy as part of a military aid package. The pilots say that these are some of the best aircraft in their class. This was reported by the BBC.
The publication also noted that one of the helicopters took part in the war for the Falklands, which is, for a moment, 1982 (the other two are newer). However, even the serious age of the aircraft does not prevent it from performing its tasks effectively. Vasyl, one of the pilots who works with the helicopter, said that he feels as if he has exchanged an old Soviet vehicle for a “classic Western car”.
The Ukrainian military is happy with the new birds. According to Vasyl, the Sea King is exactly what the Ukrainian navy needs because it is practical, reliable and easy to fly. “I love this helicopter because it is incredibly fun to fly. It is one of the best for combat operations, whether it is transporting equipment or conducting search and rescue operations. It is easy to fly even in difficult conditions,” the pilot adds.
Excl: UK Sea King helicopter on patrol in Ukraine. So old it played historic role in Falklands conflict. Even flown by Prince Andrew. But Ukraine pilots praise chopper as useful, reliable & easy to fly. pic.twitter.com/c6Ru0HlOKF
— James Landale (@BBCJLandale) April 13, 2023
The Sea King helicopters are primarily used for search operations, evacuation of the wounded in need of urgent medical care, movement of special forces to their positions, and transportation of equipment. One of the key tasks is to search for pilots who could have ejected and landed somewhere behind enemy lines in the territory temporarily not controlled by Ukraine.
In total, the Ukrainian army will receive three Sea King helicopters. The Navy currently has two, the first of which was delivered in January this year. A few years ago, the machines were upgraded, so they fully meet modern requirements. But, according to the pilots, since the Sea King is not a new helicopter, it is relatively easy to learn. But engineer Igor, who is currently training on his third helicopter, says that very few parts of the original model remain, as the machine has been redesigned almost completely.
The third helicopter is to be delivered to Ukraine in the coming weeks.
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