Albania's Defense Ministry says the United States has provided three Black Hawk helicopters to bolster its military capacities. A statement Saturday said Defense Minister Olta Xhacka, who is visiting the United States, signed the deal at the New Jersey National Guard. Helicopters are part of a U.S. support package for Albania, which joined NATO in 2009 and has been replacing outdated weaponry with new material in line with the alliance's standards. The U.S. has provided Albania with a number of Humvee and Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected (MRAP) vehicles. Albania has regularly provided small army units in international peacekeeping missions or NATO operations.

Source: ABC News April 20, 2019 08:37 UTC