Skopje, 14 March 2024 (MIA) – Eight helicopters manufactured by Italian company ‘Leonardo’ will be procured for the needs of the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia. The helicopters will cost EUR 230 million and will be paid for in four installments, with the first installment, amounting to 16 percent of the total cost, to be paid out in 2024.

In a media briefing Thursday, Defense Minister Slavjanka Petrovska said the selection was carried out in line with the Long-Term Defense Capabilities Development Plan 2023-2032, and the Army’s plan for the restoration of its aviation.

Petrovska stressed that the procedure for the selection of the company began after a public call in 2019, a team of experts at the Ministry then researched the market and realized numerous meetings and visits to manufacturers. The decision was made following a comprehensive and objective analysis, she said, noting that the criteria for it concerned the price of procurement, maintenance and technical assistance, availability of spare parts, the lifespan of the helicopters, their modularity and interoperability with NATO members.

The Defense Minister highlighted that the procurement also includes training for pilots and technical personnel, training simulators, as well as a hangar that will house the new helicopters.

In addition to Italy’s ‘Leonardo’, Petrovska said three other companies had applied to the public call – a Franco-German consortium, a company from the United States, and one from Canada.

The first helicopter is set to be delivered during the second half of 2026, with the delivery of all helicopters expected to be finished by 2028.

The contract for the procurement of the helicopters will be agreed on Friday and signed by the Defense Minister and the Italian Ambassador, as representatives of the governments of the two countries. By the end of March, a contract will be signed with the manufacturer as well.