New details emerge of KDF chopper that claimed the life of CDF Francis Ogolla
Bell Huey II, the KDF chopper that killed CDF Francis Ogolla and other military officials was acquired from the United States in 2016
Bell Huey II, the KDF chopper that killed CDF Francis Ogolla and other military officials was acquired from the United States in 2016.
The mystery surrounding the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Francis Ogolla and nine other KDF officers has raised concerns over the safety of the military aircraft.
Ogolla who was in the company of the officers was on a trip to visit troops deployed in the North Rift under Operation Maliza Uhalifu and to inspect the ongoing school renovation works in five schools.
Yesterday’s chopper crash in Elgeyo Marakwet was the fifth incident involving the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) in the past year.
Recently, a military training helicopter, that had 20 people on board, crashed and burst into flames in the Ngong area. In a statement, KDF later highlighted that the chopper crashed while on a training drill and confirmed that rescue operations were underway.
This has brought to the limelight, the safety concerns of the country’s military aircraft considering that Kenya’s highest-ranking military officer succumbed in the line of duty.
As investigations begin, key details are emerging about the ill-fated aircraft, offering insights into understanding what went wrong.
The aircraft that CDF Ogolla used is called Bell UH-1 Iroquois alias known as Bell Huey II, a chopper designed for the deployment of versatile missions.
The aircraft is one of six Bell UH-1H Huey II helicopters acquired by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) from the United States in 2016.
It is designed and produced by American aerospace company Bell Helicopter.
It is the first member of the prolific Huey family, as well as the first turbine-powered helicopter in service with the US military.
Officials then said that these acquired helicopters were intended to bolster Kenya’s military capabilities.
This is particularly in counter-terrorism operations and support for troops serving in the African Union mission in the region.
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The chopper is an upgraded version of the iconic Bell UH-1H medium-lift helicopter, incorporating advancements such as refurbished zero-timed airframes, upgraded engines, drive trains, avionics, and rotors.
Bell UH-1H was first used by the US military in combat operations during the Vietnam War in 1962.
Aside from the army, it’s primarily used by first responders/ rescue personnel or VIPs. The first production of the aircraft was designed from 1956 to 1987 and to date, only 16,000 have been built globally.
The chopper is mainly used by the United States Army, Australian Army and Japan Ground Self Defence Forces. The helicopter also gained prominence during the Vietnam War, as over 7,000 choppers were deployed.
According to the fact sheet released by BellFlight, an aerospace company that designs the aircraft, the Bell Huey II can carry 14 people and is also designed to accommodate mechanical and electrical provisions in case of emergencies.
It is 17 metres long with a height of four metres.
This aircraft can cruise at a speed of 209km/h with a maximum of 238km/h.
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