KUWAIT: Kuwait National Guard (KNG) received a number of French-made Caracal helicopters, which entered service as the core of the guard's air fleet. Top KNG officials attended the reception ceremony including Lieutenant-General Hashim Abdul Al-Rifai, Assistant for Operations and Training Major General Faleh Shuja Faleh, Assistant Commander of the Air Force in the Kuwaiti Army Brigadier General Bandar Salem Al-Muzain, and Commander of Ali Al-Salem Air Force Base Brigadier General Mubarak Abdullah Al-Qahtan.

"On behalf of His Highness Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah, President of the Kuwait National Guard, and retired Lieutenant-General Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Vice President of the National Guard, we celebrate today the arrival of the Caracal helicopters from the friendly Republic of France, which join the National Guard air force to allow it to carry out its duties in supporting state departments through troop transportation, search and rescue, and medical evacuation," Lt Gen Rifai said during the ceremony.

He added that KNG had enrolled its personnel "in the most prestigious academies to study and gain practical experience so that they are qualified to carry out this task" of operating the new helicopters.

Meanwhile, Maj Gen Faleh said that the helicopter division is one of the vital ones in the KNG, which was included in the second strategic plan of the National Guard (2020). "The idea of the helicopter project coincided with the expansion project of His Highness Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah camp, and the establishment of the air base that we were honored to name after His Highness Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah," he said. The air base was named after Sheikh Meshal, the former Vice President of Kuwait National Guard, "in recognition of his contributions and achievements towards the march of the National Guard."