El Salvador Receives Four Refurbished Bell UH-1N Helicopters from the United States

Two aircraft join the Salvadoran Air Force at Comalapa Air Base, while two support peacekeeping operations in Haiti—marking a strategic upgrade to replace aging UH-1Hs.

Two aircraft join the Salvadoran Air Force at Comalapa Air Base, while two support peacekeeping operations in Haiti—marking a strategic upgrade to replace aging UH-1Hs.

In a significant boost to its rotary-wing capabilities, the Fuerza Aérea Salvadoreña (FAS, Salvadoran Air Force) has received four refurbished Bell UH-1N helicopters donated by the United States government. Two aircraft were delivered to Comalapa Air Base, while the other two were deployed directly to Haiti to support El Salvador’s multinational peacekeeping contingent.

The helicopters previously served with the U.S. State Department’s Air Wing on counter-narcotics missions and were later stationed in Panama. Before transfer, all four underwent a complete overhaul to ensure mission readiness. These UH-1Ns will partially replace El Salvador’s aging fleet of Bell UH-1Hs, which are nearing the end of their operational lifespan.

A photo released by Pucara.org shows two of the UH-1Ns in Haiti alongside a Bell 412 operated by the FAS, highlighting the country’s growing role in regional security operations.

Latest Developments

• The U.S. Embassy in San Salvador confirmed the transfer as part of a broader bilateral cooperation initiative, aimed at enhancing El Salvador’s contributions to international peacekeeping and law enforcement.
• The helicopters delivered to Haiti will support medical evacuation, logistics, and tactical mobility for the Salvadoran contingent participating in the UN-backed security mission.
• Defense Minister Francis Merino Monroy and U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Naomi Fellows formalized the transfer agreement in a ceremony held in late November 2025.
• Local media and defense analysts praised the upgrade, noting that the UH-1Ns offer improved reliability, twin-engine safety, and better performance in tropical environments compared to the older UH-1Hs.
• The FAS is reportedly evaluating additional upgrades, including avionics modernization and integration of night-vision capabilities to extend operational flexibility.

Strategic Context

The delivery underscores El Salvador’s evolving defense posture, with increased emphasis on regional cooperation, counter-narcotics operations, and humanitarian support. The UH-1N’s twin-engine configuration and enhanced lift capacity make it well-suited for both domestic missions and international deployments.

As El Salvador continues to modernize its air fleet, the partnership with the United States remains central to its strategic planning—especially in light of recent regional instability and natural disaster response needs.

Source: San Salvador — ©XAirForces News, 5 January 2026

Photo: The Fuerza Aérea Salvadoreña (FAS, El Salvadora Air Force) received two Bell UH-1Ns at BA Comalapa and another two were directly delivered to a deployed contingent in Haiti. The quartet Hueys is donated by the US government and formerly served the US State Department (Department of State Air Wing, DoAW) on counter-narcotics missions before moving on to Panama. From Panama, they are now transferred to El Salvador, where they will serve the FAS where they partially replace the FAS fleet of ageing UH-1Hs. These are nearing the end of their operational life time. Prior delivery to the FAS, the UH-1Ns received a full overhaul prior. On the enclosed photo two examples delivered to Haiti are seen, along with a Bell 412 of the FAS. (Credits to Santiago Rivas and Rico Angerman. Photo by ©Pucara.org)

Editor: Antonio Gonzalez (Latin American ©XAirForces News Editor from Mexico)

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El Salvador UH-1N helicopter delivery


(5.01.2026)