Somalia has decided to purchase T129 ATAK attack helicopters manufactured by Turkish Aerospace Industries as part of the modernization of its armed forces. Once finalized, the deal should become a significant milestone for the Somali military on its path toward re-equipment with modern weapons and overall reinforcement "in response to persistent security threats," as noted by Army Recognition.
As of today, neither party has yet confirmed these plans, and many other details of this potential agreement remain unknown, particularly the contract value, number of helicopters, their equipment, or delivery timelines.
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Besides attack helicopters, Turkiye was also set to supply Somalia with Bayraktar Akıncı, a reconnaissance and strike unmanned aerial vehicle developed by Baykar. According to local media, the transfer was about to commence earlier this month. "However, the acquisition of the T129 ATAK holds particular significance due to its ability to conduct rapid response operations and provide precise fire support to ground forces," the journalists note.
On a note from Defense Express, Somalia's acquisition of Turkish attack helicopters would be a significant reinforcement, not just qualitatively but will also expand their fleet quite a lot. In the Military Balance study, we can find information that the country's ground forces had only two Bell 412 utility helicopters in active service at the beginning of 2024.
Later the same year, Italy donated a batch of additional rotorcraft, bringing the total number to ten units: six Bell 412s (incl. one Bell-412SP) and four Bell 205As.
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