Focus on lesser known air arms
NATO’s Newest Arm
Located at Skopje, capital of North Macedonia, the young Republic’s sole military airbase Petrovec AFB, is the military section of Skopje’s International Airport. The airbase houses the BHS (Borben Helikoperski Skvadron, Combat Helicopter Squadron) and the THS (Transporten Helikoperski Skvadron, Transport Helicopter Squadron) as well as a Pilot Training Centre (PTC) and Technical Maintenance Centre. The squadrons are placed under the Air Wing, part of the Joint Operational Command of the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia (ARM). The country has gone through turbulent times in recent decades for some years but now disputes from the time of the Former Yugoslav Republic have finally been settled and funds invested for personnel and equipment.
The early days
North Macedonia had declared itself independent from Yugoslavia after a referendum in September 1991 and at that time adopted the name ‘The Republic of Macedonia’. The beginning of the North Macedonian Air Wing was humble, the first President of the Republic of North Macedonia, Kiro Gligorov having formed the armed forces of the Republic in April 1992. Two months later, on 10 June, the first Air Wing aircraft was an UTVA-75, leased from the Makedonski Vozduhoploven Sojuz (North Macedonian Aeronautical Union), this date now being had a national holiday of the republic.
Pilot Training Centre
In 1995, flight training began at Petrovec AFB when the Air Wing received four fixed wing, Czech-built Zlin-242s trainers. However, the elementary flight training was erratic and structured training began only in 2001, but stopped in 2010 when the North Macedonian MoD signed an agreement with ELMAK (Elbit North Macedonia) for pilot training. Elbit Systems, the Israel international defence electronics company had offered a programme to train and qualify helicopter pilots for the North Macedonian Air Wing and Police. The centre now operates four Bell 206B3s and five Zlin Z-242s with also Mi-24 and Mi-17 full mission helicopter simulators, but all PTC facilities and the entire fleet belong to the Republic of North Macedonian.
Before cadets arrive at the PTC, they have been through a Government selection process and English language tests. Shraga Yaari, Director of the PTC, described the course for candidates, “Those that successfully pass the selection process of the MoD go through a selection procedure at the PTC, tests taking place both on ground and in the air. During flight screening, candidates fly for some ten hours on the Zlin. Once the elementary flight training is completed, candidates assistance to fly another 35 hours on this type before many to be basic training stage and transition on the Bell 206B3.
COIN missions
In the very year that the PTC was founded, the Republic of North Macedonia was invaded by insurgents from the ethnic Albanian National Liberation Army (NLA). At that time, the Air Wing was relatively new and incapable of any counter insurgent (COIN) missions. So as to combat the adversaries, its fleet was vastly expanded in a short period, with the Ukraine delivering four Mi-8MTs, ten Mi-24V attack helicopters, two Mi-24K photo-reconnaissance helicopters and four Su-25 ground attack aircraft while Greece provided the Macedonian defence forces with two UH-1H Huey utility helicopters.
After several months of battle, the Ohrid Framework Agreement was signed in August 2001, which ended the armed conflict and in the years that followed, the Air Wing started modernisation of its fleet and reorganisation of its force. This led, among other things, to decommissioning of all Su-25s in 2004, the former Greek Hueys were also taken out of service. One of the helicopters was flown to Greece for major overhaul but was not returned because of financial problems, the other aircraft stored at the platform of the BHS waiting to be overhauled, something that will probably never happen. In 2003, an Antonov An-2 bi-plane was bought to conduct paratrooper operations but went into storage in 2012.
Overhaul of Mi-24/Mi-17s
The first major overhaul of the rotor fleet was done by the Israel-based Elbit Systems and completed some four years after transfer of the former Ukrainian helicopters to Macedonia.
This upgrade took place in two stages. After the Jasmin basic stage in 2004, the advanced phase, Alexander was completed in 2009. The Jasmin update invited, among other things, the installation of both mechanical and electrical systems for the ANVIS/HUD, adaptation of new navigation and IFF systems plus cabin modification. The Alexander-phase was more comprehensive and involved various new equipment for radio communication plus moving digital displays, ILS, and installation of Forward Looking infrared (FLIR) cameras, the electro optical-payload positioned on port side. The helicopters now had IFF-equipment to NATO and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
In April 2005, the Air Wing had two Jasmin-updated Mi-24Vs as well as two Mi-17 helicopters, the update including Helmet Display and Tracking System (HDTS) Aviators Night Vision Head-Up Display (ANVIS/HUD), the North Macedonian Air Wing being one of the first Mi-24 users to operate at nighttime. However, owing to financial constraints, the full fleet was not upgraded, and the Mi-24Ks phased out and just two Mi- 24Vs went through the Alexander-phase, other helicopters receiving the Jasmin-mod.
On 10 June 2016, a contract for overhaul of four Mi-8/17s and six Mi-24s was signed with Elbit Systems, the entire overhaul planned to take two years and conducted at Skopje Air Base.
The initial contract was for overhauling of six Mi-24s, however, only two helicopters were actually done, '209' and '210', both helicopters receiving the Jasmin-upgrade. The commander proudly continues his story: "The original paint scheme of our aircraft was developed in 2006 and was done by members of the Air Wing. The original, Russian paint scheme, with stains and blue underside, had no tactical advantage and as we operate low level, a camouflaged underside was necessary. The markings are now more visible, with a small detail on sides of our Mi-24Vs: a shark-shaped head on both sides. As soon as the helicopter is in flight, with the landing gear retracted, the aircraft transforms into becoming a shark – an effective and attractive adjustment for the Night Thunders Squadron”!
Accession to NATO
On 17 March 2020, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg informed the on ratification of orth Macedonia’s accession to NATO, …with that, all allies have welcomed this 30th member of NATO. Still, with its relatively low defence budget, North Macedonia sees little opportunity to purchase and maintain fighters, but by joining NATO, the country can rely on its allies to perform air policing operations.
The PTC operates five Czech-built Zlin 242s trainers. The fixed wing aircraft are housed in their own hangar at Petrovec AFB
The Future
Now that its aircraft fleet is operational there is a new problem - that of a shortage of pilots! At this time, the Air Wing has 40 operational and combat-ready pilots, 15 of which are posted at headquarters. Apart from shortage of flight crew, the Wing also faces major financial hurdles and shortage of equipment. After years of decline in funds received by the North Macedonian armed forces, some small investments have lately been made.
The 2018 budget was 14% larger than the budget of the preceding year and plans made to increase defence budget by 0.2% of GDP for the following three fiscal years (2019-2021), with the objective of meeting the NATO targets of 2% by 2024. In the current year the total budget for the ARM was 168 million euros (1.39% of the North Macedonian GDP). The coming years will show how the Air Wing will develop, in terms of equipment, but time is running out for a tender for a new helicopter fleet.
The parliament of North Macedonia has already decided that the purchase of a new platform will start three years before the determined deadline, the choice probably being on a Western-origin type. The Colonel substantiates this: "The strategic aspect of North Macedonia is shifting towards the West, becoming a NATO member would therefore limit our options to place an order in Russia."
Article and photos: Sven van Roij