German military observer criticized the helicopters that Germany will transfer to Ukraine

Military analyst Julian Repke from the German publication Bild criticized the Sea King transport helicopters that Germany has agreed to transfer to Ukraine.

He shared this information on social media.

He stated that these helicopters are already 50 years old, and in Germany, they started decommissioning them in 2020. The main problem lies in their maintenance.

#Breaking
Germany will deliver six 50 year old SEA KING Mk41 helicopters to Ukraine, which are getting decommissioned and replaced by NH 90 NTH Sea Lion since 2020. Pilot training will take place in Germany and they will be delivered with spare parts from mid 2024. pic.twitter.com/OVWoDYfyAR

— Julian Röpcke🇺🇦 (@JulianRoepcke) January 23, 2024

“If in 2006 it took 50 to 60 hours of maintenance to ensure one hour of flight, now the ratio is 1 to 120,” the journalist wrote.

Moreover, Repke clarified that these norms are calculated for peacetime, not wartime. “For a country at war with a small number of pilots and a hostile environment, this is simply a threat to the lives of Ukrainian soldiers,” he added.

It was announced yesterday that Germany would transfer decommissioned Sea King military helicopters to Ukraine. According to the German Minister of Defense, Ukraine will receive six multi-purpose helicopters along with a set of spare parts. The German side will also provide training for Ukrainian military personnel.