US buys Russian helicopters
 

So Obama's government is buying Russian Mils for Iraq ....22 more adding to previous buys.
How does this fit with the "BUY AMERICA " brigade in his administration and threats to freeze out purchases from Europe ?

The Americans have been using Russian gear in Afghanistan since 2002 and have been training on Mi8 series (mtv) in the states for many years, the performance of these types at elevations and temps experienced there and their demonstrated reliability in that theatre (both Iraq and AFG) is the reason. There is no American equivalent. You would need to replace these guys with NH90 to get a similar result at USD18m a shot you can have between four to five used 17's with a proven track record sionce the 60's and no waiting, remember also that the MI8mtv is the most battle proven helicopter in the world today. Its a common sense approach and not the first time the Americans use Russian aircraft, we have been supporting them for years in places like Afghanistan/Iraq/Columbia etc etc etc and continue to do so, it make more sense for them to own the machines than lease them continuously.
Cheers

Please Sir.....Obama's promises and policies all come with time limits.....usually about 0.3 Nanoseconds from the time uttered!:=

At least he is buying foreign goods as a sign of good faith....right?:rolleyes:

I know this may be semi off the beaten track, but we here in the UK have done the buy from the East to be supplied to another country. , as the MOD supplied MI-17 from Kazan Helicopters to Nepalese armed forces 5-6 years back :)

Mil - helicopter also available in red white and blue ........

I wouldn't worry about the loss of business for our industry. Baghdad's current shopping list (funded by us) includes:

36 F-16s
36 AT-6B Texan IIs
20 T-6As
50 407s (up from the original 24)
140 M1 Abrams (rumored to be doubling to 280)
400 Strykers
565 120mm mortars
665 81mm mortars
$150M worth of M4/M16/M203s
Plus some LockMart (sorry, KAI) T-50s...

:hmm:

Still, on the bright side those 22 Mi-17s are being purchased at a unit cost of only $3.6M. So if we bought 28 for the POTUS, we'd save $12.9 Bn of the $13 Bn that the VH-71 Presidential Helicopter program is costing us... :E

I/C

maybe he's following the lead of alot of police agencies and EMS providers
in the usa buying local machines :rolleyes:

the russian stuff is built like a brick s*ithouse thou

If you need machine to do a serious business Mi-8mtv1 is The One!
it is not comfortable or high tech, it has only basic nav equipment, no autopilot, just a sas, but it also doesn't have torqmeter ( I can remember the face of USN pilot after takeoff and climb with 5000ft/min) :O

Yeah, minimal in service heavy maintenance (apart from flaky engines) but when its OOH its serious downtime.

Swings & roundabouts...:ok:

More advantages: The recycled Saddam-era pilots already know how to fly it. The recycled mechanics know how to maintain it.

Have any of you guys worked in Afghanistan or Iraq? In particular the smart remark from Rufus.T. Firefly makes me wonder............Climb back into whatever makes you happy and stay away from that part of the world that does'nt, we neither want or need you there.:=

I've come across technicians in an aviation museum measuring up a Hind cockpit with lasers to get the exact shape and size. The idea is they then go away and build an American cockpit into a Russian airframe, with all the advantages that brings.

Denel, South African esteem defense supplier done that already, 2 flying demonstrators, only if you like to "reinvent the fire"

Well if we could make a decent helicopter here maybe the local Law Enforcement guys would buy one. More focus on the customer and less on Lynn Tiltons getting a tattoo on her ass might make all the difference.
Theres nothing wrong with russian gear its just a different approach to design. Cant say its wrong. Although i would say Russian gear needs to be flown and fixed by russians, they speak the right "language"

MI-8MTV-1, the most reliable helicopters in Timor when I was there. When the Hueys and BHs were grounded the Ruskies would be there to pick up the pieces. Lots of fun too:ok:
I belive they are still there, 10 years later!

This whole deal is now looking a tad murky. According to the two links below, the March 27th announcement that ARINC was awarded "...a $80,600,000 firm fixed price contract for the procurement and delivery of (22) Mi-17CT helicopters in support of the Iraqi Government" now in actual fact appears to be the final payment of a $322M deal for these aircraft. The Army's Threat Systems Management Office (TSMO) reportedly awarded ARINC the contract on a sole-source Urgent Requirement basis (back in 2006), and then itself arranged for Mil to declare that ARINC was its only authorized supplier for the type (presumably based on ARINC's support activities at Nellis).

How to Get a No-Bid Contract for Russian Choppers

Helo Fiasco: U.S. Pays $322 Million, Still No Choppers

I/C

Interesting facts Ian, for BIG $322M have no info at all except that some of Iraq designated new built Mi8MTV was finally sold to Macedonia (4 units, guess)
but for 22 units $80M deal can tell that it is real bargain to get Mi8 MTV on M3,6$ price level after MOH, means full 1500 h resource, that is good deal which I am ready to sign today.

I agree mate.
spent 3 years with PAE there flying most days, now in afghanistan doing the same thnig and no other chopper can deal with nthr height & weight ,etc
like the, MTV forget about mi8t models though exept and sea level :ok:ops

Actually Obama bought the helicopters for the Talaban. He wants to be fair. He is currently working on free health care and college tuition for captured terrorists.:mad:

Just like Bush Sr gave Sadam his Bells back to commit atrocities against the Kurds.... if you're going spout off, at least pretend you know something about the topic. It's ignorant **** like that which makes this site so irrelevant sometimes.

When was the last time YOU were in Afghanistan?

RH