Thread: Washington selects for the Mi-17 Afghanistan

'Brave "new world"! According to information recently into prominence, the "backbone" of the "new" Afghanistan's Air Force (FAA) will be a fleet of 70 helicopters multifunctional Mil Mi-17 Russian-made!
The model, in older versions, was present in the country so remarkable during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan (1979-1989), when then U.S. equip the Afghan guerrilla (Mujahideen) to fight them. There is ironic, therefore, that the same America now decide on the purchase of Mi-17, paid by the government in Washington!, Enough for the Afghan government ally, to compose the new country's air force. According to the American plan, the FAA should be fully equipped and operational by 2016 and will be instrumental in the military context of the country, thus allowing the withdrawal of U.S. forces and their 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, the perfect aircraft for the mission , surpassing even the obvious rival of U.S. manufacture, the Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk. A first contract, worth an estimated $ 380 million, is expected to be signed soon, including an initial batch of 21 aircraft.
In fact, since the "September 11", purchases of military equipment from Russia by the U.S. to supply its allies, has grown steadily. Only in helicopters, the Pentagon has spent more than a billion dollars since 2001, acquiring Russian models - it is estimated that more than 50 were purchased and delivered to Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, so far. And we know that the very agency U.S. intelligence, the CIA now operates a substantial fleet of helicopters Mi-17, through "ghost companies" with those already having operated extensively in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the case of new aircraft to be delivered to the Air Force in Afghanistan, are eloquent words of Col. Creig Rice, deputy commander of the 438 th Air Wing Expeditionary the U.S. Army and the Command Instruction Air NATO (Afghanistan) - " this is (the Mi-17) the only helicopter in Afghanistan? No. But this is today the best helicopter in Afghanistan? Yes.'

This missing some KA-52 or Mi-28 to complete the package!

link: Revista Asas - Cultura e História da Aviação