PZL Mielec has been formally awarded a contract to provide two latest commercially produced M28 aircraft to Kathmandu, Nepal, for use by the country’s military.
The two M28 aircraft, associated training, spares package, medical equipment, field service representative services, and ferry flight service for the M28 aircraft from Mielec, Poland, to Kathmandu, Nepal, is expected to be complete by 30 April, 2025. Once in service with Nepal, the two M28 aircraft will enhance multi-role transport capabilities for the Nepalese Army.
The STOL aircraft have been configured according to the contract – one in cargo configuration and one in fixed configuration casualty evacuation.
PZL Mielec president and general director Janusz Zakreci said: “We are excited to welcome another U.S. Government contract for delivery of M28 aircraft manufactured by PZL Mielec employees.
The acquired M28 aircraft will fit perfectly into the unpredictable weather of the Nepalese Himalayan mountains.
PZL Mielec president and general director Janusz Zakreci
“The aircraft is perfectly adaptable to harsh climate and diverse weather conditions and can be operated on high altitude, unprepared landing strips at sea level and high-altitude locations where flights are often performed during night-time, low cloud base, rainfall or severe icing,” added Zakreci.
In 2019, Nepal received three M28S in its fixed-wing fleet, with two aircraft provided as a result of the Foreign Military Financing rounds by the US Government
The M28 aircraft is operated by customers worldwide from the South American tropical rain forests, through the Baltic Sea and the Southeast Asian jungle and other regions.
The Polish Air Force widely operates the aircraft. Other operators include the Polish Navy, the United States Air Force, Vietnamese Air Force, Royal Nepalese Army Air Service, Venezuelan Army and Indonesia Air Police.
The aircraft is fitted with a robust tricycle and non-retractable landing gear. The nose wheels allow landing and take-off operations on short and unprepared runways during hot or high-altitude conditions.
