At the moment it is not known if the aircraft and weapons, of Russian origin, are the product of a donation, cooperation or purchase
Nicaragua receives 5 Mi 17, 3 AN 26 and 18 modernized Zushka anti-aircraft artillery devices
The aircraft and weapons were delivered to the headquarters of the Nicaraguan Air Force, at the Augusto César Sandino International Airport, in the Nicaraguan capital, Managua.
At least since 1979, after the Sandinista revolution, the Nicaraguan Armed Forces have not relied on jet bombers, much less fighters, and their trend is once again confirmed with the acquisition from the Russian Federation of five Mi-17 helicopters, three Antonov AN-26 transport aircraft and 18 modernized pieces of ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft artillery. Known as Zushka (they are mounted on trucks for mobility).
Both types of aircraft have been part of the standard of the Nicaraguan Air Force fleet for the last 45 years since its creation. While the Zushka is a towed double anti-aircraft automatic gun. ZU is the acronym for Zenitnaya Ustanovka or anti-aircraft mount mount in Russian. The weapon was developed in the late 1950s and was designed to be used against low-flying aircraft, with a range of 2.5 kilometers, as well as against armored vehicles located at a distance of two kilometers and to defend troops and strategic positions from air attacks carried out by helicopters and ground attack aircraft.
However, it has not been clear whether the aircraft and weapons, of Russian origin, are donations, cooperation or purchase, although this year’s budget of the Nicaraguan Army does not contemplate acquisitions and is so low that it would not be enough to cover an investment as relevant as this.