Heersflieger Tiger attack helicopters and NH90 transport helicopters have arrived in Mali, and are flying operational missions with the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali. The first of four NH90s, configured for medical evacuation, was flown to Bamako, Mali, aboard an Antonov An-124-100 on January 27 and deployed to Gao. A day after taking over medical evacuation duties from the Royal Netherlands Air Force, two Heersflieger NH90s evacuated two civilian drivers who were wounded after an improvised explosive device attack on March 2.
Meanwhile, the first two Tigers arrived in Gao on March 25, after flying from Bamako, where they had been delivered four days earlier by an An-124-100. They will be followed by two more Tigers approved for deployment by the German Bundestag. The eight Heersflieger helicopters are replacing Dutch Apaches and Chinooks. Germany also has Heron I unmanned aerial vehicles in Mali, which were declared fully operational at the beginning of February, and has plans to deploy aerostats.
