Mielec Sells M28 Airframes to Nepal, with the US Support
PZL Mielec facility, belonging to Lockheed Martin, has signed a contract with the US DoD, valued at USD 19 million. The agreement covers delivery of two M28 Skytruck STOL airlifters for Nepal. The delivery is financed by USA, within the framework of the Foreign Military Financing programme.
The contract was announced by the Pentagon on 1st March 2019 and it pertains to two factory new M28 Skytruck Model 05 airframes that are to be delivered to Kathmandu in Nepal by 20th December 2019. Apart from the airframes the agreement also covers (in its amount: USD 18.98 million) crew training and documentation.
As the contract is a part of the FMF procedure, the objective of which is to support the allied militaries, the delivery is being carried out for the Wright-Patterson AFB’s (Ohio) Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. The delivery of two PZL Mielec-made airframes will be covered, in its entirety, by the US Administration.
Notably, these are not the first M28 Skytrucks delivered to the Nepalese military. Back in 2001 PZL Mielec had won a tender which resulted in delivery of two M28 airframes. One of the Nepalese Skytrucks crashed on 30th May 2017, during a flight from Surkhet to Simikot. One of the crewmembers died as a result of the crash. Starting from 2016 Nepal has been making efforts to acquire 6 M28 Skytruck or C-145A airframes, with the US support.