By CHIMPREPORTS
A UPDF chopper worth Shs 45bn ($12m) has malfunctioned in Somalia, raising fears about the quality of aircraft procured by Uganda’s defence ministry.
The Mi-24 is now grounded at Baledogle Air Base in Somalia.
Efforts to reach defence Spokesperson Felix Kulayigye for comment were yet to bear fruit.
However, defence officials disclosed that the chopper is among the recently purchased Mi-24s.
“The aircraft was bought to be used for combat and rescue operations in Somalia,” said a source who preferred anonymity to speak freely.
“But the chopper has not done any work because it’s garbage.”
It is understood that UPDF brought experts from Georgia to repair the aircraft but have also failed.
The development does not only undermine Ugandan armed forces’ efforts to combat the Al Shabaab terror group in the war-torn country but also reinforces calls for a probe into the procurement of aircraft by defence officials.
Increased plane crashes
It also comes high on the heels of several air crashes involving UPDF planes.
On January 2, 2024, a Russian-made UPDF Mi-28 attack helicopter dropped from the sky in western Uganda before turning into smouldering rubble.
Officials said the crash was caused by bad weather in the hilly areas of Ntoroko district.
The incident claimed the lives of UPDF pilot, Lt Allan Tukamuhabwa Kapando and Lt Swadiq Aroma who were involved in combat operations against ADF terrorists in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The Mi-28 Havoc combat helicopter was developed by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and its unit cost is around $18 million (Shs 60bn).
Last Thursday, a UPDF spy plane crashed in Kasese district, western Uganda.
The UPDF Diamond aircraft, which costs about Shs 5bn, was used for reconnaissance missions in the ongoing military operations against ADF militants in DRC.
The UPDF has about a dozen Mi-24/35 attack helicopters in service along with several Mi-8/Mi-17s, several AB 206 Jet Rangers, half a dozen Bell 205s, and a couple of Bell 212 helicopters.
In April, 2023, President Museveni commissioned the first locally-overhauled Mi-24 by Russian company Proheli International Services at Nakasongola Air Base.
The aircraft was seen fitted with new dust filters, indicating possible deployment in Somalia.
The UPDF said the aircraft was upgraded for day and night operations and “will be used to curb the persistent cattle rustling and during other operations against terrorists in the region.”
The National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), the production and commercial arm of the UPDF, entered into the joint venture with Proheli to set up the Mi-24 maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility.
However, the increased aircraft accidents undermine efforts to build a strong air force to counter regional security threats and also leads to wastage of billions of shillings of taxpayers’ money.
Despite witnessing increased cases of aircraft crashes in recent years, the UPDF is yet to give an elaborate explanation to the taxpayers.
Previous crashes
In 2021, UPDF helicopter on a mission to support AMISOM troops crashed soon after take-off in Balidogle in the Lower Shabelle region of Somalia.
Earlier in 2012, three out of four UPDF choppers crashed in Kenya on their way to Mogadishu to fight Al Shabaab, leaving 7 Ugandans soldiers dead.
In September 2022, at least 22 experienced combat operations officers were killed when a UPDF helicopter crashed in east Democratic Republic of Congo after delivering logistics to Ugandan soldiers fighting the Allied Democratic forces (ADF) insurgents in the region.
The Mi-17, which was primarily used for transportation, reportedly hit a tree shortly after taking off and crashed on troops on the ground collecting food it had just delivered.
In July 2023, a UPDF helicopter which was on routine operations in Karamoja sub region crash landed.
In 2022, two Mi-24 helicopters crashed in Fort Portal and Mityana.
In 2021, a UPDF jet ranger crashed at Lido beach in Entebbe, killing Capt Caroline Busingye.
The Entebbe crash happened six days after another UPDF helicopter came down soon after taking off in Balidogle, Somalia.
In 2020, Maj Naome Karungi who was UPDF’s most senior female pilot perished alongside flight trainee Benon Wakola when their jet ranger reportedly hit a hill in Butambala district.
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