North Macedonia Has Re-Commissioned Two Modernized Ex-Soviet Mi-8MT Helicopters
Earlier this month, LOM Praha, a leading Czech aviation company, completed the partial modernization and repair of two Mi-8MT transport helicopters (serial numbers 305 and 306) belonging to the Air Brigade of the Republic of North Macedonia and returned them to the Balkan country. The overhaul of these Soviet-era helicopters represents the latest reflection of regional defense partnerships between the two former Eastern Bloc countries that are members of the NATO alliance and forms part of the G2G agreement signed last year between the Government of the Czech Republic and the Government of North Macedonia.
While LOM Praha did not disclose the details of the helicopter’s refurbishment work, the Czech Embassy in Skopje reported that the aircraft’s service life had been extended by three years following the improvements. The embassy also added that due to the satisfaction and positive feedback from North Macedonia, cooperation in the field of aviation maintenance is expected to continue in the future, and LOM Praha will thus provide full life-cycle support to the Air Brigade’s aviation equipment for five years.
North Macedonia’s Mi-8MT helicopters were first produced by the Soviet Kazan Aviation plant in 1985. They were among the military equipment inherited by Ukraine after the collapse of the USSR and were donated to the Balkan country in 2001. For more than 20 years, the aircraft has been in service with the 301st Transport Helicopter Squadron of the North Macedonian Air Brigade, based at Petrovec Air Base near Skopje, carrying out a wide range of missions, from cargo transport to fighting forest fires. The fleet also includes three Mil Mi-17 helicopters purchased from Ukraine.
The Balkan country, one of the youngest NATO members, will soon replace its existing Soviet-made Mi-8/17 helicopters with Leonardo Helicopters’ Agusta Westland helicopters, which meet the appropriate standards set by the alliance. The procurement plan, worth an estimated 330 million euros ($359 million) to upgrade the country’s air force, consists of four AW169 and four AW149 multi-purpose helicopters. The new equipment is expected to arrive in northern Macedonia within 24 to 36 months from the signing of the purchase agreement.
This Soviet-era equipment, which will be gradually decommissioned as new helicopters enter service, is slated to be donated to Ukraine. North Macedonia has previously donated a variety of military equipment to Ukraine, including four Sukhoi Su-25 ‘Frogfoot’ attack aircraft (three single-seat and one double), infantry weapons, ammunition, artillery equipment, T-72 Main Battle Tanks, and anti-aircraft weapon systems.