For US$ 100 million, the US authorizes the sale of Bell 412EP helicopters for the Zambian Armed Forces
The United States government has authorized the possible sale of Bell 412EP helicopters (Enhanced Performance) to equip the Zambian Armed Forces. This is clear from a recent notification from the State Department to the US Congress for approval of the possible operation included within the FMS Program.
Following what was published on January 15 by the Defense and Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the government of the African country requested the United States to purchase an unspecified number of Bell 412EP helicopters. The total amount of the operation, whose main supplier is Bell Textron, reaches US$ 100 million.
From the State Department they indicated that: “The proposed sale will improve Zambia’s ability to carry out peacekeeping and regional security missions, disaster response and humanitarian aid over long distances and in non-standard weather conditions. Zambia will have no difficulty incorporating this equipment into its armed forces.”
Finally, and complementing the package, it includes navigation and communications equipment, transponders, training for pilots and crews, just to name a few of these elements authorized for sale to the Zambian Armed Forces.
*Photographs used for illustration.
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