Federal Police Administration tenders repair for historic Bell helicopter

The Federal Police Administration (FUP) has issued a tender to repair a Bell 206L-1 Long Ranger helicopter that has been grounded in a hangar for 16 years. The aircraft has a significant historical background, having been originally purchased in the early 1980s for the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina in preparation for the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics.

In May 1992, two similar helicopters were stolen and transferred to Serbia, while a third was disabled. The stolen aircraft were used by the Serbian State Security Service (RDB) and its ‘Red Berets’ unit for transport during wartime operations. These aircraft were reportedly used by high-ranking officials, including Jovica Stanišić and Franjo Simatović.

Following a 2010 agreement, the aircraft were returned to Bosnia and Herzegovina. While one functional helicopter was assigned to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska, this specific Bell 206L-1 Long Ranger was assigned to the Federation of BiH and later made available to the FUP in 2017. If the repair is successful, the FUP will have two operational helicopters, enhancing its capabilities in police and rescue missions.