Published 28-08-2012, 03:31
The Pentagon's decision to acquire Russian-made helicopters for its own needs despite strong resistance from the U.S. Congress proves the reliability and high quality of these helicopters, Vyacheslav Dzirkaln, deputy director of the Federal Service for Military-Technological Cooperation, told Interfax-AVN.
"Despite this resistance, American military officials have made it clear that they need our helicopters, which are reliable and meet all of the requirements. This is the best advertisement our helicopters can get," Dzirkaln said.
Russia successfully fulfilled a contract earlier signed with the U.S. on the delivery of 21 Mil Mi-17 helicopters to Afghanistan and recently signed another ten-helicopter deal, he said.
Asked what other Russian military hardware could be delivered to Afghanistan, the official said that Russia had sent small arms to Afghanistan free of charge.
Russia's state arms trader Rosoboronexport and the U.S. Department of Defense signed a $900-million contract on the delivery of 21 Mi-17V5 helicopters to Afghanistan in May 2011.
This contract was successfully fulfilled in June 2012, and an option contract for ten more helicopters was signed in July. U.S. sources put the price of the new deal at $171.4 million.
The helicopters intended for Afghanistan have been adapted to tackle the tasks set by the Afghan Army command and the U.S. Department of Defense as part of the fight against terrorist groups.
Earlier reports referred to plans to build a center in Afghanistan to maintain Russian-made helicopters, including Mi-17, Mi-8 and Mi-35 helicopters.
Interfax-AVN
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