The government has received the first batch of two military choppers promised by US President Joe Biden during Kenya’s visit to the States.
In early July, two UH-1 Huey military helicopters reportedly arrived and are now being put together by a skilled team of US Air Force technicians, working side by side with Kenya Air Force members at the Embakasi Garrison Hangar in Nairobi.
Sources familiar with the operations mentioned that the helicopters will undergo thorough testing before they’re officially deployed for use by the Kenya Defence Forces. Six more Bell Hueys are still scheduled to arrive in Kenya, expected sometime in August.
The Hueys are versatile military helicopters manufactured by the American aerospace company Bell Helicopter. These aircraft gained popularity during the Vietnam War and are used for troop & cargo transport, medical evacuations and aerial attacks.
According to the White House, these choppers are intended to enhance Kenya’s regional peace and security efforts.
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Kenya is also set to receive eight MD-500 helicopters from the US to add to the peacekeeping cause.
This series is a crossbreed of the Civilian Hughes 500 and the military OH-6A Cayuse/Loach and includes models such as MD-500E, MD-520N and MD-530F.
“The delivery of the 16 helicopters marks a significant milestone in US-Kenya Defence cooperation. The Hueys will enhance Kenya’s regional security capabilities, while the MD-500s will support peacekeeping missions,” the White House said in their statement.
The arrival of these helicopters’ in Nairobi coincides with Washington officially designating Kenya as a major non-NATO ally. This makes Kenya the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to receive the recognition.
President Ruto’s visit to the US happened to align with the 60th anniversary of the partnership between the two countries. Their meeting covered a variety of topics, including democracy, human rights, healthcare, climate solutions, trade and investment, and peace & security.
Reportedly, Kenya is in the final stages of joining Operation Gallant Phoenix, a program that facilitates multinational cooperation in sharing terrorist-related information.
“Additionally, Kenya is in the process of joining Operation Gallant Phoenix, a program that advances multinational collaboration and sharing of terrorist information to build mutual capacity to collect and use battlefield evidence in civilian criminal justice proceedings in a multiagency, multinational setting.”
“These initiatives should help both countries better protect our borders and our citizens from terrorist actors,” read the statement in part.