List of Bulgarian Air Force Bases - 24th Helicopter Air Base (Krumovo)

24th Helicopter Air Base (Krumovo)

Krumovo Air Base (military area of Plovdiv Airport) used to house the 44th Helicopter Air Regiment (flying Mil Mi-17s, Mil Mi-8s and Mil Mi-2s) of the 10th Combined Air Corps. According to the major restructuring plans it became an air base and when 23rd AHAB disbanded one of its squadrons became 2nd Attack Helicopter Squadron of the 24th HAB. The 1st Helicopter Squadron flies the Mi-17s and the 2nd Helicopter Squadron flies the 12 Eurocopter AS 532AL Cougars delivered from 2006 to 2009. The Bell 206B-3s that were acquired at the end of the 1990s form an Independent Helicopter Training Flight. 24th Helicopter Air Base is also the unit of the armed forces in constant readiness to react upon natural or industrial disasters, providing evacuation and/ or providing emergency response units with air mobility. CSAR activities are also being developed. For that reason a specialised unit is based at Krumovo, composed of PARA-SAR/CSAR operators, who are exclusively former servicemen of the 68th Special Forces Brigade, based nearby. Emphasys in their training is put on parachute jumps, alpine skills and MEDEVAC knowledge. A major boost in that kind of operations will occur when the last 4 AS.532AL arrive. Those will be dedicated CSAR machines, equipped with top-notch sensors and gear.