Ukraine will not receive Australian Taipan helicopters due to late request – Australian Defense Minister Conroy
Ukraine sent a request for 45 MRH-90 Taipan helicopters three months after the start of the utilization process.
This was stated by Australian Minister of Defense Industry Pat Conroy, Censor.NET reports with reference to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
The Australian government has officially rejected Ukraine's request to receive a fleet of Taipan helicopters, which are now decommissioned.
Conroy noted that after the helicopters were decommissioned by the Australian army, the country's Ministry of Defense was looking for a buyer for them. In particular, they approached Airbus and NATO contractor Helicopter Industries. However, no one showed interest at the time.
The Australian minister said the government received a request from Ukraine shortly before Christmas last year.
"This request came three months after the start of the disposal strategy," he added.
At the same time, Conroy assured that the Australian government would look for other ways to further support Ukraine and offered to hold a briefing with Ukraine's Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko.
Earlier, the Australian authorities cited safety and operational issues as the reason for the utilization.
