She will become the first
female pilot in VVCG history.
Montenegro has ambitions of
transforming the COPH into a
training centre for NATO and PfP
helicopter pilots. These would
benefit from Montenegro’s varied
local terrain and an average 250
days a year suitable for flying
operations. To date, COPH
services and know-how have
been used by the Luftwaffe – the
German air arm carried out high-
altitude night-time take-off and
landing training during 2010, 2012
and 2013. Helicopter crews from
Croatia, Greece, Slovenia and the
US also received COPH tuition
when they came to Montenegro
to assist in the response to
heavy snowfalls in 2012. The
Macedonian Air Force is another
regular COPH client and has sent
14 helicopter pilots to the school.
New capabilities
The Gazelle is unsuitable for more
demanding personnel and cargo
transport missions as well as for
civilian-orientated search and
rescue (SAR), medical evacuation
(medevac) and aerial firefighting.
As a result, the requirement for a
medium-lift twin-engine multipurpose
helicopter soon became a VVCG
priority. The process for acquisition
of at least two such aircraft was long
postponed after a variety of different
platforms were considered.
The process gained renewed
impetus in summer 2017, when
Montenegro faced a wildfire disaster
that stretched its aerial firefighting
capabilities. NATO’s newest member
was forced to call on international
assistance. Once the crisis was
under control, the government in
Podgorica decided to invest in
further improving the nation’s aerial
firefighting by procuring a pair of
multipurpose helicopters for the
VVCG and an additional two Air
Tractor AT-802s for the Ministry of
Interior’s aviation/helicopter unit.
The latter already fielded two such
aircraft, 4O-EAB and 4O-EAC.
With a budget allocated, the VVCG
explored the market and gathered
different bids. The defence ministry
was advised to buy three, not two
helicopters – one second-hand
Bell 412EP and a pair of brand
new Bell 412EPIs. These would be
procured via an agreement signed
with the Canadian Commercial
Corporation, an organisation
mandated to facilitate international
trade on behalf of Canadian
exporters – including Bell Helicopter
Textron Canada – particularly with
governments of foreign countries.
The agreement for procurement
of three Bell 412s was sealed
in Podgorica on January 30
this year and the first aircraft,
a 2002-manufactured, ex New
York City Police, Bell 412EP
(registration N356TD, ex N23FH;
c/n 36307) was delivered to
Montenegro on April 13.The Bell 412EP arrived with
equipment needed to conduct
tasks such as transport,
medevac, SAR and firefighting
and is certified for instrument
flight rules (IFR) operations. The
Montenegrin 412s will also be
used in support of the VCG’s
land and naval special operations
forces, as well as for patrolling
the nation’s Adriatic waters.
The other two Bell 412EPIs
arrived at Golubovci on
September 10. The helicopters
were manufactured in Canada,
assembled in Tennessee and
then transferred to Bell’s service
centre in Prague, where they were
assembled and tested prior to
being shipped to Montenegro.
In preparation for acceptance of
the Bell 412s, a number of VVCG
personnel underwent training at
various locations in the US and
Europe – four pilots completed
theory, simulator and flight training
at the Bell Training Academy in
Fort Worth, Texas: Lt Col NenadPavlović and Lt Col Jovan Radeta
were certified for the Bell 412EPI,
while Maj Radovan Perović and
Capt Darko Pavlović qualified
on both EP and EPI versions.
Ultimately, the VVCG plans to
train 18 pilots (nine crews) to fly
the three Bell 412s, while at the
same time increasing the number
of active helicopter pilots from
the current 23 to at least 30. The
ambition is for each pilot to fly a
minimum of 120 hours annually.
Apart from pilots, 412 tuition
was also provided for VVCG
technical personnel – one engineer
and two mechanics completed
aircraft structure, powerplant,
mechanical and electrical
systems training in Germany
and in the Czech Republic.
Another similar group received
avionics training at Fort Worth.Not part of the VVCG, the Air
Tractor AT-802s are assigned to the
Ministry of Interior. Serial 40-EAD
was the fi rst new aircraft acquired
in response to the wildfi res in
summer 2017. It’s seen at Podgorica
in September this year. Igor
Bozinovski
Above: Lt Col Radeta applies full concentration to follow another pair of Gazelles
through the confi nes of the Mrtvica Canyon. The mountains in the small Balkan
country provide an excellent location for low-fl ying exercises. Sven van Roijhttp://www.airforcesmonthly.com #369 DECEMBER 2018 // 61
Airforces
Intelligence‘In association with ....’airforcesintel.comA look into t he future
With a modest 2018 defence
budget of a little over €53m,
Montenegro plans to gradually
increase military spending
in order to reach the NATO-
recommended minimum of 2%
of GDP by 2024. With 20% of the
defence budget firmly allocated
for modernising and equipping
the VCG, the defence ministry’s
goal is to significantly intensify
its upgrade of the military. For
the VVCG, this would involve
significant investments in
enhancing Golubovci’s air base
infrastructure and establishing
a modern airspace surveillance
system there. This would rely on anew radar planned for installation
in the north of Montenegro,
greatly improving the nation’s
air surveillance capacities.
The regular budget will also be
used for scheduled inspections
and modernisation of the Gazelle
and Bell 412 as well as for general
overhaul and improvement of
air defence capabilities through
a long-term development plan
to procure new MANPADS.
More than €100m will be spent
on improving Montenegro’s
armed forces by 2025.
Montenegro proved to be
a worthy military partner in
the International SecurityAssistance Force (ISAF) mission
in Afghanistan between 2010
and 2014. This investment
was rewarded last June
5, when Greece and Italy
began providing air policing
of Montenegrin airspace on
a 15-day rotation basis.
By achieving NATO membership,
Montenegro fulfilled one of
its strategic goals – security
was granted and conditions
created for further national
progress. However, the benefits
are mutual as, despite its size,
the Balkan nation remains a
significant contributor to the
collective defence system.Acknowledgement:
Thanks to the Montenegro MoD
and Montenegrin Air Force for their
assistance in preparing this article.AFM