Czech Air Force Mi-24/35 Retired

The Czech Air Force held a farewell ceremony at the 22nd Helicopter Air Base at Namest nad Oslavou for the Mi-24 and Mi-35 gunships of the 221st Helicopter Squadron, closing 45 years of Hind operations in Czechoslovak and Czech service. About 250 serving and former aircrew and technicians attended, and a minute of silence was held for those killed in Mi-24 accidents. The type is being replaced by twelve AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom helicopters, several of them supplied by the United States in recognition of Czech military aid to Ukraine. A handful of Hinds flew on until the end of the year pending the American deliveries.