On January 13, Albania received two surplus Sikorsky UH-60A Black Hawk helicopters from the US Army, which was announced by Niko Peleshi, the country’s minister of defense.
The helicopters were transported to Rinas Air Base, which is close to Tirana, on a US Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III strategic airlifter.
To prepare its crews for the anticipated acquisition of additional helicopters of the same type, Albania intends to employ its UH-60s in utility, tactical transport, fast-roping, and aerial firefighting duties.
The Black Hawks will become part of the Albanian military’s fleet of eight Bölkow-Blom Bo.105E-4 helicopters, three Airbus Helicopters EC145, four AS532AL Cougar helicopters, seven Agusta-Bell AB206C-1s, five Agusta-Bell AB205A-1s, one Agusta A109C, and eight other helicopters.
Albania is the fifth country in the Balkans to employ the UH-60 Black Hawk; the other four are NATO members, Greece, Romania, Croatia, and Turkey. Kosovo has also shown a desire for the incredibly powerful Black Hawk.
