Aircraft Acquired Through Military Surplus Program Required Extensive Refurbishment

When the Newark, NJ police department took possession of a 42-year-old OH-58A Kiowa helicopter, it seemed like a pretty good deal. The helicopter was donated through a military surplus program at no cost to the department.

At least, no cost originally. Refurbishment and maintenance of the Vietnam-era helo has set the department back some $2 million, according to a report from Fox News and NJ.com.

The Newark City Council has so far approved $1.13 million just in maintenance contracts over the past five years. Since being acquired by the department, the city has purchased new main rotor blades, installed a night vision system, and the aircraft has been stripped and then coated with corrosion protection.

The bills for maintenance and operation are raising questions in a city where 167 officers were let go in 2010. The aircraft's logbooks show that it remains mostly on the ground, flying four-hour patrols on Friday and Saturday nights.

Newark requested the aircraft from the DoD in 2002 in an effort to combat a rising number of stolen vehicles and carjackings.

The Defense Department's Defense Logistics Agency said that the 1033 surplus program has provided 577 helicopters to police and other agencies since 1996, many of them similar to the Kiowa acquired by Newark.

(OH-58A pictured in file photo)

FMI: www.dispositionservices.dla.mil/leso/pages/1033programfaqs.aspx