US looking to buy Russian helicopters

Article

Saying that Russian-built helicopters are “well-suited for Afghanistan,” US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said the United States is interested in buying Russian Mi-17 helicopters in the ongoing battle against Taliban forces.

“We are obviously interested in buying Mi-17 helicopters. They are well-suited for Afghanistan. Afghans are familiar with them,” Gates said in an interview with Interfax.

Although the number of Russian-built military aircraft the US military wants to buy is said to be “limited”, Gates admitted that he has received flak from US helicopter manufacturers who are asking why America is interested in buying Russian models.

The reason for NATO’s interest in the multi-role Russian-built helicopter is its greater carrying capacity as compared with the US-made Black Hawk.

In 2008, the Royal Thai Army, for example, announced a deal to buy six Mi-17s, marking the first time the Thai military acquired Russian aircraft instead of American.

This is pretty interesting. I wonder how much this will cost.

I can see how US helicopter producers would get mad about this. Maybe the US helicopter producers need to design some new models. Itll be interesting to see how many the US buys, if they do.

its like getting mad at somebody for buying an import car.

eventually things like 15mpg start looking very ugly on them spec sheets, and that 30+ starts looking mighty appealing.

if its a better chopper its a better chopper. if its those big things from red dawn i understand why, they are pretty mean looking.

apache's will always dominate the attack choppers.

reply to post by buni11687


I think he's going to have to change a few laws to do that...
if memory serves they have to buy American made equipment...
they can only outsource that if those Russian Heli-whoppers are made here in the good ole USofA...
or its an American company in Russia making them...
Anyway the issue is moot... I saw on TV where they have a hell of of a time teaching the afghans to drive... if they cant handle a Humvee I doubt they can take on being chopper pilots