The VVCG’s Helikopterska
eskadrila (Helicopter Squadron)
currently has 13 Gazelles,
though only six are believed to
be airworthy. Usually, four are fit
to take off at any given moment
due to maintenance-related
operational availability restrictions
and logistics difficulties for what
is now an ageing aircraft. While
some logistics issues are related
to budgetary constraints, the
main problem is the long-standing
refusal of Airbus Helicopters
(recognised as the original
equipment manufacturer [OEM]
of the Aérospatiale SA341/342
Gazelle) to assume responsibility
for licence-built Yugoslav aircraft,
manufactured by SOKO, and to
provide operators, including the
VVCG, with full-spectrum logistics.
A partial solution for the
Montenegrin Gazelle problems
was found in September 2014.
An agreement came into force
between the Montenegrin defence
ministry and Airbus Helicopters
to allow the small nation to
place annual orders for OEM-
sourced Gazelle spare parts, tools,
equipment and technical literature
worth up to €400,000. However,
the agreement doesn’t cover
maintenance of any Yugoslav-
made parts installed on SOKO
Gazelles, including the Astazou
turboshaft engines produced under
licence by the 21. Maj factory in
the Belgrade suburb of Rakovica.
Montenegro’s Gazelles suffer from
a lack of reliable logistics. When
it comes to heavy maintenance,
the choice is limited to either
Ikar or the more experienced
Serbian military aeronautical
plant Moma Stanojlović, which
provides logistics for some 45
SOKO Gazelles serving the Serbian
military. Ikar reportedly has only
limited in-house capabilities
and relies heavily on technical
and professional expertise
and support from Serbia.
Currently, Ikar remains the
defence ministry’s preferred heavy
maintenance facility for the Gazelle
fleet. At the time of writing, HI-42
12703 and HN-45M 12939 were
undergoing a C-2 inspection and
limited modernisation in Banja Luka.
The next aircraft scheduled to passthrough Ikar is HN-45M 12935.
Montenegro plans to gradually
reduce its Gazelle fleet, leaving
it with up to five such aircraft in
the near future. The process will
involve retirement of currently
operational aircraft once they
reach the end of their service life.
Meanwhile, recent and ongoing C-2
inspections and modernisations
will allow Montenegro to
keep its surviving Gazelles in
service until at least 2030.Helicopter training
Retirement of the Utva 75
piston trainer has left the VVCG
without the capacity to conduct
independently the basic selection
and initial training of pilots. With
only modest annual requirements
for new pilots, the outsourcing
of the aircrew production
process was recognised as a
logical solution. Since 2007,
the armed forces have relied
on Croatia, Germany, Greece,
Italy, Macedonia, Serbia and
the US to provide education
for its military cadets. For the
tuition of new military pilots,Montenegro turned to Greece’s
well-established training system
and has also made use of the
Macedonian defence ministry’s
Petrovec-based Pilot Training
Center, a commercial effort led
by Elbit Systems of Israel.
Once they complete their
education abroad, the young
Montenegrin pilots return home
for Gazelle conversion training
at the VVCG’s Centar za obuku
pilota helikoptera (COPH, Centre
for Helicopter Pilot Training),
established in 2009. This unique
unit is stood up periodically
from personnel of the Helicopter
Squadron and specialises in
theoretical and practical training
for rotary-wing pilots. Its Gazelle
conversion programme consists
of 95 flying hours in 285 sorties
flown over a period of 33 weeks.
The Montenegrin military will
reach an historic milestone
when VCG cadet Kristina Bačić
completes her studies at the
Hellenic Air Force Academy and
returns to Montenegro to receive
the rank of
lieutenant.Below: Montenegro’s fi rst Bell 412 is a former New York City Police ’EP model,
delivered to Golubovci in April. In contrast to the two new-build 412EPIs, it
currently retains this civil scheme. It wears Bell factory c/n 36307 as its VVCG
military serial. via Igor Bozinovski
60 // DECEMBER 2018 #369 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com
Montenegrin Air Force
Force
Report