Strnad Sr. is set to modernise decommissioned Black Hawk helicopters. To this end, he has bought a company employing American soldiers

Entrepreneur Jaroslav Strnad Sr is embarking on a helicopter modernisation project, banking on the fact that decommissioned Russian aircraft will no longer be a viable option for many countries due to geopolitical factors, whilst new Western aircraft from Sikorsky or Bell will be unavailable or too expensive. Around 3,000 Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters are in service worldwide, with older versions being phased out of the US military.

Strnad has assembled a group of six companies from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the US under the banner of Helicopter Alliance, which aims to become a major global player in the field of helicopter modernisation. The holding structure gives Strnad a 91% stake, with three key project managers holding minority shares. The joint venture is targeting turnover of CZK 1.5–2 billion in 2024.

Ace Aeronautics, an Alabama-based company founded in 2015 by former US Army soldiers, forms the core of the business. Its 80 employees are predominantly veterans and former pilots, including co-founder Rich Enderle, a reserve colonel with 29 years of service.

Ace’s main project is the modernisation of nine Austrian Army Black Hawks with its own digital cockpit, certified by the FAA in collaboration with avionics supplier Garmin. The company’s management estimates the market for this cockpit at over 1,000 units.

Two Black Hawks are currently in service with the Ukrainian secret service through Helicopter Alliance. The company is also looking at markets in South-East Asia, particularly Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.