The Republic of Uganda inaugurated on January 22, 2022, a maintenance, repair and overhaul facility for military helicopters. This project, completed with the collaboration of the Russian company Pro-heli and the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), gives the country autonomy in the field of aeronautical maintenance.
According to the government, Uganda spends $3.5 million a year to repair its helicopters abroad.
The plant’s objectives
Indeed, the project was born to remedy this external expense. And much more, to make a maximum of economy. So, Uganda in its policy has decided to take complete charge of its aeronautics. “A considerable saving will be made on the costs currently incurred by the Ministry of Defense/UPDF for customs clearance, handling and freighting of helicopters to overseas repair stations, which are not less than $1,200,000 per helicopter,” explained Major General Sabiiti Muzeyi, managing director of Luwero Industries, a subsidiary of the National Enterprise Corporation.
Moreover, the maintenance and the aeronautical revision, are imposed to all the States and especially to the army. This factory is therefore available not only for national but also for international helicopters.
Similarly, this valuable piece of technology is located at the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) airbase in Nakasongola. Basically, the goal of the project is “to become a center not only for the whole of East Africa, including UN missions that use Russian helicopters, but also for the whole African continent.
The launch of the factory was attended by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and several other political and military figures.
It is important to remember that aviation maintenance plays a key role in aviation safety. It allows the control of the aircraft and defines, if necessary, the maintenance operations to be performed.
