Aviation Regiment 4040 (3780 Regiment)
Role: Transport/SAR

Aviation Regiment 4040 was founded on 27 December 1967, following the arrival of Chinese built Z-5s. 4040 Regt was formerly known as 3780 Regt, before it was renumbered in the early 1990s It has operated all the helicopters of the Albanian Air Force. The unit comprised three squadrons. By March 1997 it's strength had fallen to only 11 Z-5s. From April 2002 replacement western-built helicopters began to arrive. By May 2005 it may have been redesignated Aviation Regiment 3340.

1 Skuadrilja
VIP transport squadron.
This unit was the first Albanian helicopter squadron. After being transferred from 4050 Regiment it formed the nucleus of the newly established 4040 Regiment. VIP transport, air ambulance and SAR operations are carried out. In 1995, the unit operated two of the air ambulance Alouette IIIs on behalf of the Ministry of Health for a short while. The Z-5s were retired on 27 November 2003, after ex Italian Army AB.206s began to arrive.

Aircraft Used:

Type	Qty	Service	Badge	Example Serials
Mil Mi-4A	7	1967 - ?		?
Z-5 (Mi-4A/Mi-4S)	6	1967 - 27 Nov 2003		6-03,6-10
Alouette III	2	1995 - ?		?
AB.206C-1	7	24 Apr 2002 - Present		601, 535

2 Skuadrilja
Utility transport squadron.
The Z-5s were retired in November 2003 and replaced by ex Italian Army AB.205s in 2005.

Aircraft Used:

Type	Qty	Service	Badge	Example Serials
Harbin Z-5 (Mi-4A)	13	1967 - 27 Nov 2003		?
AB.205A	6	May 2005 - Present		612

3 Skuadrilja
Utility transport squadron.
This unit had disbanded by late 1996.

Aircraft Used:

Type	Qty	Service	Badge	Example Serials
Harbin Z-5 (Mi-4A)	13	1967 - 1996?		?

Air Bases:

Base	Duration
Tiranė-Farke	27 Dec 1967 - Present

Unit Insignia:

Figure 1

References:

• Air Forces Monthly April 2004