"I believe that this is a historic day for the Croatian Army, which is here together with our US partners. We are strengthening the Croatian Army, developing the new capabilities that we need and I believe that we are doing it very well," Krsticevic said at the "Colonel Mirko Vukusic" barracks in Zemunik.
Attending the flight exercise were also the US military attache, Brigadier Robert Mathers, Croatian Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff Mirko Sundov and other high-ranking officials.
Thanking the US government for its valuable donation, Krsticevic said that US instructors described Croatian pilots as being very competent and thinking proactively.
The training of Croatian pilots on 16 Kiowa Warrior helicopters is being conducted by US flight instructors. They are currently training eight pilots and maintenance staff. The training programme is expected to cover 32 pilots and 44 members of maintenance staff.
"The helicopters came here in December last year, and the training of maintenance staff started already in February and now we have a presentation of flight training. This helicopter has excellent maneuvering capabilities. It can be used for combat purposes and more importantly, civilian purposes, in rescue and search operations, state border control, natural disasters, reconnaissance operations, etc," said Krsticevic.
Brigadier Mathers said that he was glad that Croatia and the USA were developing military cooperation and that they shared the same values and priorities, not only in Southeast Europe but on the global level as well.
The Croatian Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff, General Sundov, thanked the US government and the US envoy for their professionalism and cooperation and their assistance in the training of Croatian pilots and maintenance staff.
Putting the Kiowa Warrior helicopters in use, including staff training, will be conducted over the next five years and the total value of the project is around HRK 455 million.
The Kiowa Warrior helicopters are used primarily in reconnaissance and assault operations. As for civilian purposes, they can be used in search operations, border control and assistance in natural disasters.