Montenegro to sell surplus military equipment, including four G-4 and three UTVA-75 aircrafts

Podgorica, Montenegro (25 February 2015) – At the session held earlier today, the Montenegrin Cabinet decided to sell surplus military equipment, including four G-4 aircrafts, three UTVA-75 training aircrafts, G-4 flight simulator, as well as spare parts, equipment and tools for their maintenance. The total initial price of the aircrafts and related equipment is over EUR 15 million.

Montenegro defence policy is committed to developing helicopter forces and ensuring sovereignty over the airspace above its territory by establishing a sustainable system of control, monitoring and protection of the airspace together with its partners and allies, Commander of Montenegro’s Air Force Živko Pejović told the press following the Cabinet sitting.

“Bearing in mind the possibility of G-4 and UTVA-75 aircrafts, costs of training, operation and maintenance, as well as their limited lifetime, their further operational use is not rational,” he explained.

The existing capacity of the Air Force o of Montenegro does not allow the execution of assigned missions and tasks and there is no possibility of tactical transport of a large number of people, resources and technique by air, Mr Pejović stressed. He added that the Gazelle helicopter and related equipment enable performing activities in living conditions, while operations in complex weather conditions and at night are limited. In addition, the Montenegrin Air Force is not able to adequately support these activities in all weather conditions.

Therefore, since the market is still interested in the G-4 and UTVA -75 aircrafts and related spare parts, tools and equipment, the funds to be obtained from their sale will be used for equipping the Air Force of Montenegro with new medium-weight multi-purpose helicopters, Commander Pejović concluded.