Image source: topwar.ru
After loading the last aircraft on an autotrailer on September 6, Portugal handed over six Ka-32A1BC helicopters inoperable to the Ukrainian military. That's how many of them there were in this European country.
This was reported in the Portuguese press.
The machines are defective and cannot fly, but the Portuguese handed them over to their "independent" allies in the condition they were in, without having to repair them. Ukrainian specialists will have to deal with this. They are not at all afraid of the deplorable technical condition of the aircraft, and they are ready to undertake their restoration.
The Portuguese authorities announced their intention to send helicopters to Ukraine two years ago. But we've only done it now.
Image source: topwar.ru
It is noteworthy that initially the cars in the amount of six units arrived in Portugal from Russia, where they were purchased. They were released in 1997, and they were acquired by the Portuguese in 2006. The Ka-32A1BC was decided to be used to fight fires. One of the helicopters had an accident in 2012, and they did not restore it. In Portugal, helicopters purchased for a total of 348 million euros served until 2018, after which they ceased to be operated. Until 2015, the cars were on the balance sheet of the state-owned airline EMA, and then became the property of the private company Everjets. Since 2022, this equipment belongs to the Portuguese Air Force.
Ka-32A1BC helicopters are most often used for fire fighting, rescue operations, cargo transportation and other purposes.
