As of: March 1, 2024, 5:58 a.m
By: Patrick Mayer
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The German Bundeswehr still has 23 “Sea King” in service.
Six of them are supposed to go to Ukraine, but not everyone in Kiev's army is convinced about the old helicopters.
Kiev - The British armed forces have already retired them: naval helicopters known as “Sea King”, which were developed in the 1960s by the US manufacturer Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation.
In Germany, however, 23 of these powerful helicopters are still in use.
Weapons deliveries to Ukraine: Six Sea King helicopters from Germany
The Bundeswehr plans to deliver six of these “Sea King” helicopters to Ukraine to support its defense against Russia.
This announcement was made by the Federal Ministry of Defense on January 24th.
However, as can be seen from the traffic light federal government's list of military support services from February 29th, the Sea King Mk. 41 have not yet been delivered.
And: The planned delivery of these approximately 50-year-old machines from Germany for the Ukraine war is not met with much enthusiasm by at least one experienced Ukrainian helicopter pilot.
Sea King Mk. 41: Six of the Bundeswehr's naval helicopters are handed over to Ukraine.
© IMAGO / Sven Eckelkamp
Kyrylo, a 32-year-old pilot, said in an interview with the
Berliner Morgenpost
: “We don’t need them in our unit.”
Instead, he called for “more modern weapons.”
He added: "It would be helpful if we had Hellfire or Brimstone missiles, they are much more efficient and precise than the missiles we fire."
Against Russian army: Ukraine pilot asks for more Brimstone missiles
Background: Great Britain recently announced the delivery of 200 more Brimstone anti-tank missiles to Kiev.
These missiles can be fired from various military helicopters and are capable of engaging armored vehicles on the ground with high precision and high impact through a 6.5 kilogram tandem shaped charge.
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Kyrylo flies an old Soviet-built Mil Mi-8 from the 1960s, on which carrier devices for anti-tank guided missiles can be mounted.
Technicians have apparently modified the Mil Mi-8 so that the helicopter can even fire the comparatively modern Brimstone guided missiles.
Transport helicopter Sea King Mk.41: Heavy machine gun as armament
However, such a modification should not be possible on the Sea King Mk. 41.
It is known that mounts for mobile machine guns such as the Browning M2 can be installed in the doors and windows of the heavy transport helicopter.
According to the Bundeswehr website, a heavy machine gun with a caliber of 12.7 millimeters is planned for the German Navy's Sea King.
Kyrylo emphasized: “There is no mission in which we are not shot at.” This also means that the crews, usually four soldiers, have to defend themselves during their dangerous missions while Ukrainian losses in the war with Russia are increasing.
Ukraine War: Sea King Mk. 41 is supposed to bring several soldiers into battle
Despite its weaknesses, the Sea King Mk. 41 also has military strengths that make it suitable for use near the front line, while the Ukrainians are currently shooting down many Russian aircraft.
Specifically: The helicopter can fly very low, especially over water, which is what it was originally designed for.
With an output of 3,400 hp and a top speed of up to 250 km/h, the transport helicopter can quickly get the soldiers on board out of dangerous situations.
In addition, the Sea King Mk. 41 can carry up to 20 soldiers, allowing for rapid troop deployments.
(pm)
Our employee Patrick Mayer wrote this article and then used an AI language model for optimization at his own discretion. All information has been carefully checked. Find out more about our AI principles here.