Lebanese army offers $150 helicopter trips amid economic crisis

"The war we are in is an economic one, and therefore requires unconventional means ... and the idea we had was to do helicopter tours," Colonel Hassan Barakat, an army spokesperson, said.

"The cost of these trips secures the essential maintenance of the planes."

The joyrides on board the army's Robinson R44 Raven helicopters offers passengers aged 3 and above.

Up to three people would be allowed aboard per flight, which costs about $150 and is to be paid in cash.

Lebanon is suffering from what the World Bank has described as one of the deepest depressions in modern history.

The currency has lost more than 90% of its value in less than two years, and more than half the population has sunk into poverty.

Army commander General Joseph Aoun warned last month that the crisis, caused by decades of corruption and waste in government, would lead to the collapse of all state institutions, including the army, noting that the value of a soldier's monthly salary was now $90.

A big recipient of U.S. military support, the army has underpinned Lebanon's stability since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war.

Qatar announced it would provide the army with 70 tons of food per month.

Earlier in June, France hosted a donor conference at which 20 nations agreed to provide emergency aid to Lebanon's military.