yeah... but HIPs or Hinds???
Posted on 10/29/2009 3:06:14 PM PDT by kronos77
BRUSSELS, October 28 (RIA Novosti) - Russia could supply helicopters for NATO-led operations in Afghanistan, an executive at the state hi-tech corporation Russian Technology said on Wednesday.
"We are prepared on commercial terms to provide the NATO coalition forces with helicopters of different types," the company's deputy general director, Dmitry Shugayev, told reporters.
Shugayev said the coalition forces were experiencing helicopter shortages in Afghanistan. He also said Russia could train crews for the helicopters.
In June, Russia and NATO agreed to restart cooperation on security issues, frozen after Russia fought a brief war with ex-Soviet Georgia in August 2008.
Russia's envoy to NATO said last week the first formal Russia-NATO Council ministerial meeting since the Georgia conflict may be held in early December.
Shugayev also said that taking into account "political difficulties" in relations with the military bloc, it would be simpler for Russia to cooperate with individual NATO countries on a bilateral basis than with the alliance as a whole.
"Bilateral cooperation could demonstrate that cooperation [between Russia and NATO] is possible in principle and could be beneficial," he said.
But who will provide the Stingers?
Russian helos in A-stan??? Please tell me someone is making this up as a joke!!!!
This is NOT a good idea, with the Russians arming the Taliban and all...
American contractors to our military and other government agencies have been using Russian helecopters and crews from the get-go. They can't get enough American built helicopters and the Russians are eager to fill the need. Just Google it.
Helicopter crash in Afghanistan kills 16 civilian contractors
DEA is already using Mi-17 Hips all over the ‘Stan.
Yeah, I’d be waiting for some Muj to have a flashback... Kill Hind! Kill Hind! Jihad!
yeah... but HIPs or Hinds???
I was aboard both of them.
Mi-8 Hip is transport, but MF carries as much as payload as a light attack jet. Even 250 kilo unguided bombs.
Mi-24 Hind is... best gunship ever. Little cramped for transport detachment, but it is mixture of UH-1 and AH-64... just perfect! Sri Lankans used Mi-24 to destroy tamil Tigers some months ago.
Mujs call Mi-24 “Shaitan Arba” or “Devils Charriots”
;)
yup... i never understood why it wasn't a requirement of a troopship that it had to be able to fight it's own way in and out if necessary while giving cover for the others as they touch and go. i guess the HIPs just always look like they're a few hours overdue for maint to me
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