Article in original language (Montenegrin) below.

Montenegrin Army Air Force helicopters spent over 130 hours in the fight against fires in Montenegro, dropping tens of tons of water. Three Bell 412 helicopters extinguished flames from the North to the South of the country, thus saving the lives and households of citizens, but also the natural beauties of Montenegro.

Firefighting missions are a special challenge for the aircraft crew, requiring extraordinary piloting skills, as well as mid-air and ground team coordination. The flight paths involve low altitudes, at high temperature conditions, and gusts of strong wind that are a frequent occurrence during fire season, requiring moderate and careful movements with the pilot’s steering.

The helicopter crew functions as a well-trained team in which everyone knows their role – while the aircraft hovers only a few meters from the water surface, the pilots listen to the instructions of the technician who supervises the loading of the water-tank.

During flight, they choose the direction that would allow them to “hit” the largest surface area of where the fire has broken out. The Bell 412 is capable of releasing a metric ton, or as much as a ton and a half of water, in a single run, while multiple aircraft operating in coordinated firefighting efforts enable a constant dousing of the flames.

Helicopters took part in extinguishing all major fires in Montenegro this summer, so citizens had the opportunity to see them protecting residential areas near Gorica Hill in Podgorica, and in the sky above Cetinje, Niksic, Bar, Pljevlja, where they made a great contribution in preserving the natural beauties of the Lovćen and Durmitor National parks, which were also affected by forest fires.

As a credible ally, the Army of Montenegro also participated with the Bell 412 helicopter in extinguishing wildfires in the Republic of North Macedonia. Montenegrin pilots, side by side with their colleagues from North Macedonia, fought the fire for seven days, facilitating the efforts of the fire crews on the ground.

The Army of Montenegro is proud to be at the service of its citizens and use its capacities for their protection, fulfilling the tasks stated in its third mission, and providing support to other institutions in challenging situations.

For more information please contact SOVCG.

Original

Letačke posade Vazduhoplovstva Vojske Crne Gore provele su preko 130 sati u borbi protiv požara u našoj zemlji, izbacivši pri tome desetine tona vode. Tri helikoptera Bell 412 gasila su plamen od sjevera do juga naše zemlje, čuvajući tako živote i domaćinstva građana, ali i prirodne ljepote Crne Gore.

Angažovanje na zadacima borbe protiv požara poseban je izazov za posadu vazduhoplova, traži sjajne pilotske sposobnosti, koordinaciju u vazduhu, ali i sa ekipama na zemlji. Leti se na maloj visini, po visokim temperaturama, a udari jakog vjetra, tako česti u sezoni požara, traže umjerene i pažljive pokrete pilotskom palicom.

Posada helikoptera funkcioniše kao uvježban tim u kome svako zna svoju ulogu – dok letjelica lebdi samo nekoliko metara od površine vode piloti slušaju smjernice tehničara koji nadzire punjenje vedra.

Tokom leta bira se pravac kojim će se „pogoditi“ najviše područja zahvaćenih vatrom. Bell 412 ispušta tonu, do tonu i po vode u jednom naletu, a više letjelica na terenu omogućava konstantno zasipanje plamena. 

Helikopteri VCG učestvovali su  u gašenju svih većih požara u Crnoj Gori ovog ljeta, tako da su građani imali prilike da ih vide u odbrani kuća kod brda Gorica u Podgorici, na nebu iznad Cetinja, Nikšića, Bara, Pljevalja, pri čemu su dali veliki doprinos u očuvanju prirodnih ljepota nacionalnih parkova Lovćen i Durmitor, koji su takođe bili zahvaćeni plamenom.

Kao kredibilan saveznik Vojska Crne Gore je sa helikopterom Bell 412 učestvovala i u gašenju požara u Republici Sjevernoj Makedoniji. Naši vazduhoplovci su se, rame uz rame s kolegama iz te zemlje, sedam dana borili s vatrenom stihijom, olakšavajući napore vatrogasnim ekipama na zemlji.

Vojska Crne Gore ponosna je što može da bude na usluzi svojim građanima i iskoristi svoje kapacitete za njihovu zaštitu, ispunjavajući zadatke iz svoje treće misije, odnosno pružajući podršku drugim institucijama u izazovnim situacijama.