By KYIV. Nov 23 (Interfax-Ukraine) – For the first time, the UK is sending three Sea King transport helicopters to Ukraine, British Defense Minister Ben Wallace has said.
The Air Force said Wallace made the relevant statement during a meeting with allies on military support for Ukraine in Oslo.
According to Wallace, Kyiv will receive three transport helicopters that can be used in search and rescue operations. At the same time, the first of them is already on the territory of Ukraine.
It is noted that the Ukrainian military has been trained in the UK to pilot and maintain helicopters over the past six weeks.
In addition, the UK will also send an additional 10,000 artillery shells to Ukraine, which, according to Wallace, will help the Ukrainian armed forces protect the territory recently liberated from Russian occupiers.
Sea King is a transport aircraft developed in the second half of the 20th century for the needs of the U.S. Navy. This helicopter model was or is still in service with more than 20 countries, including the United States, Great Britain, Australia, Japan, Norway, etc.
In Britain, Sea King helicopters were previously used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy, but they were retired in 2018.
