Washington selects Mi-17 to Afghanistan

Brave “new world”! According to information into prominence recently,
“Backbone” of the “new” Afghanistan’s Air Force (FAA) is a
fleet of 70 helicopters Mil Mi-17 multipurpose of
Russian-made!

The model, in older versions, was present in the country so remarkable
during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan (1979-1989), whereupon the
U.S. equip the Afghan guerrilla (Mujahideen) to fight them.
There is ironic, therefore, that now the same for the U.S. to decide
acquisition of the Mi-17, paid by the government in Washington! in large
amount for the Afghan government ally, to compose the new force
country’s air. According to the American plan, the FAA should be
fully equipped and operational by 2016 and will be instrumental in
military context of the country, thus allowing the withdrawal of forces
U.S. military and its allies.

According to the U.S. analysis, although not the most advanced
model of its kind available, the Mi-17 is robust, easy to maintain, and
with an ideal performance conditions for Afghan women – in short,
perfect aircraft for the mission, surpassing even the obvious rival
North American manufacturing, the Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk. A first
contract, worth an estimated $ 380 million, must be signed in
brief, including an initial batch of 21 aircraft.

In fact, since the “September 11”, purchases of military equipment
Russia by the U.S. to supply its allies, has grown
continuously. Only in helicopters, the Pentagon has spent more than a
billion since 2001, acquiring Russian models – it is estimated that
more than 50 were purchased and delivered to Iraq, Afghanistan and
Pakistan so far. And he knows that his own intelligence agency
U.S., CIA, now operates a substantial fleet of helicopters
Mi-17, through “ghost companies” with those having already operated
extensively in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the case of new aircraft
be delivered to the Air Force in Afghanistan, are eloquent words
Colonel Creig Rice, deputy commander of the 438 th Air Expeditionary Wing
U.S. Army Command and Air Education NATO (in
Afghanistan) – “Is this (the Mi-17) the only helicopter in Afghanistan?
No. But this is today the best helicopter in Afghanistan? Yes.

http://gustasou.blogspot.com/2009/07/belas-imagens-do-mig-29.html