Defense-Technology News: Mi-17 Helicopters

Showing posts with label Mi-17 Helicopters. Show all posts

Friday, June 21, 2013

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. DoD Awarded Contract To Rosoboronexport, Russia For $572 Million Relating To 30 Mi-17 Helicopters For Afghanistan

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. DoD Awarded Contract To Rosoboronexport, Russia For $572 Million Relating To 30 Mi-17 Helicopters For Afghanistan

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources DTN News & U.S. DoD issued No. 440-13 June 17, 2013
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - June 21, 2013: Rosoboronexport, Russia was awarded a $572,180,894 firm-fixed-price contract modification for 30 Mi-17 helicopters, spare parts, test equipment and engineering support services.

The Mi-17 military helicopters will be used by the Afghan National Security Forces Special Mission Wing, an aviation unit that supports counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics and special operations missions.

Work will be performed in Russia and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2014.
This contract involves foreign military sales. FY12 funds in the amount of $572,180,894 are being obligated at time of award.

Army contracting command Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Ala. is the contracting activity (W58RGZ11-C-0072/P0006).

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources DTN News & U.S. DoD issued No. 440-13 June 17, 2013
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News
*Photograph: IPF (International Pool of Friends) + DTN News / otherwise source stated
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com
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DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: India To Buy $3 Billion Worth of Russian Warplanes, Helicopters

DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: India To Buy $3 Billion Worth of Russian Warplanes, Helicopters

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Ria Novosti
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - December 27, 2012: Russia is to sell India dozens of combat helicopters and warplanes under two $2.9 billion contracts signed on Monday.

Under one contract, India will buy 71 Mi-17B-5 Hip helicopters worth $1.3 billion, while the other provides for the delivery of assembly kits for 42 Su-30MKI Flanker fighters, worth $1.6 billion.

The two countries also signed a number of cooperation agreements in the defense and technology sector, notably between Russian Helicopters and Elcom Systems Pvt Ltd.

A memorandum of understanding between Russia’s FarmEco and India’s Elder Pharmaceuticals Ltd and a strategic partnership agreement between Russia’s OAO NIS and India’s TATA Consultancy Services were also signed.

Multimedia

Su-30 Multirole Fighter

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Ria Novosti
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com
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DTN News - UGANDA DEFENSE NEWS: Uganda In Talks For More Su-30 Fighter Jets

DTN News - UGANDA DEFENSE NEWS: Uganda In Talks For More Su-30 Fighter Jets

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Ria Novosti

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - September 23, 2012: Uganda is in talks with Russian state arms export company Rosoboronexport over an option purchase of six more Sukhoi Su-30 multirole fighter jets, the company's Deputy Director Alexander Mikheyev said on Friday at an arms exhibition in South Africa.

Uganda signed its first contract to buy six Su-30MK2 fighters this year, he said. "Now, we are talking about an option, the Ugandans expressed interest in buying another six aircraft of this type," he said.

Rosoboronexport has also signed a contract to sell six Mi-17 helicopters to Ghana, he said.

"We have signed a contract this year to sell six Mi-17s to Ghana," he said. The first two aircraft will be delivered to Ghana in a year, he said, adding talks are also underway about setting up a helicopter service center in the region.

Related News from Srategy Page

(Link for this story by Srategy Page)

Ugandan Su-30 fighter pilots are leaving the air force. Two of the eight recently trained Su-30 pilots have already resigned and the other six are threatening to do the same. It's all about money, or the lack of it. Ugandan Air Force fighter pilots are paid $500 a month, while foreign pilots brought in to do the same work receive $8,000 a month. Ugandan pilots working for air lines receive the same pay as foreign pilots and Ugandan pilots are demanding the same deal. The government promised its Ugandan Su-30 pilots a raise last year but the money never came through.

In the last year Uganda has received six Russian Su-30 jet fighters. Uganda paid $124 million each for their Su-30s, this included the cost of setting a maintenance operation and for training. There was much local opposition to this deal, not least because it consumed a third of Uganda's foreign reserves. The high price also indicated some payoffs were involved.

Uganda justified the need for these high-performance jets because regional neighbors like Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Sudan operate MiG-29s. But other neighbors may now feel obliged to upgrade their air forces as well. Oil was discovered in Uganda five years ago, so now there is something to defend and a way to pay for it. Su-30s cost several million dollars a year to maintain (assuming they will be flown often enough to sustain pilot skills). In the past fifty years most African nations that have obtained high-performance jets did not maintain them well, and these jet fighters eventually became useless and permanently grounded.

The 37 ton Su-30 is roughly equivalent to the 25 ton U.S. F-15. Of course, the F-15 comes in many versions, as does the Su-27 (which the Su-30 is a variant of). India bought SU-30MKIs, which are more similar to the two seat F-15E fighter-bomber. The Indian aircraft was equipped with French and Israeli electronics. Even so, the Su-30MKIs cost less than half what Uganda is paying. The Su-30 can carry more than eight tons of bombs and hit targets over 1,500 kilometers away.

Multimedia

OPERATORS (WIKIPEDIA)

Operators of the Su-30 as of 2010

Algeria

Algerian Air Force has 28 Su-30MKs in service as of January 2012. 16 were ordered in 2010 instead of 36 MiG-29SMT/UBT aircraft.

People's Republic of China

People's Liberation Army Air Force operates the Su-30MKK variant. The People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force operates the Su-30MK2 variant.

India

Indian Air Force operates the Su-30MKI variant. The IAF has over 140 Su-30MKIs in service.

Indonesia

Indonesian Air Force ordered three Su-30MK2s; it received two on 26 December 2008 and the third in 2009. Another 6 fighters were ordered in 2010. It has 2 Su-30MK and 3 Su-30MK2s in operational use as of January 2012.

Malaysia

Royal Malaysian Air Force after a close visit to see India's Su-30MKI, ordered 18 Su-30MKMs in May 2003. The first 2 Su-30MKMs were formally handed over in Irkutsk on 23 May 2007, later arrived in Gong Kedak airbase on 21 June. As part of the contract, Russia sent the first Malaysian cosmonaut to the International Space Station in October 2007. Malaysia had 12 Su-30MKMs in service with 6 on order in November 2008. Due to past issues with aircraft support, Malaysia was to purchase spare parts from China.

Russia

Russian Air Force received 5 Su-30s in 1994–1996. It operates 9 Su-30s, including 4 Su-30M2s delivered in 2011. The Russian Air force is to receive 10 more Su-30M2s in 2012. Another 30 Su-30SMs were ordered in 2012 with options for 12 more; deliveries are to be completed by 2015.

Venezuelan Air Force Su-30MK2

Uganda

Ugandan Air Force has ordered 6 Su-30MK2s, and received two on 8 July 2011. The aircraft order cost is estimated at $740 million (Shs1.8 trillion). It has 4 Su-30MK2s in use as of January 2012.

Venezuela

Venezuelan Air Force and the government of Venezuela announced on 14 June 2006 the purchase of 24 units of the Su-30MK2. The first two Su-30MK2s arrived in early December 2006 while another 8 were commissioned during 2007; 14 more units arrived in 2008. A second batch of 12 Su-30MKV is also being considered. It has 24 Su-30MK2s as of January 2012.

Vietnam

Vietnam People's Air Force operates 4 Su-30MK and 18 Su-30MK2s as of January 2012. Vietnam reportedly signed a contract for 12 more Su-30MK2s in 2009, but the contract was reduced to 8 fighters. On 20 July 2010, it was announced at Farnborough International Airshowthat Vietnam signed a contract for 20 Su-30MK2s.

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Ria Novosti
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com
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DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: Indian Air Force To Acquire 71 Additional Mi-17 V5 Helicopters

DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: Indian Air Force To Acquire 71 Additional Mi-17 V5 Helicopters

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 23, 2012:The Indian Air Force (IAF) is planning on replacing its old Mi-8 and Mi-17IV choppers with 71 Mi-17 V5 helicopters from Russia, including 12 for the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Business Standard daily reported on Monday.

The latest requirement will be in addition to the 80 already ordered from Russia. From the 71 helicopters to be ordered, 59 will be provided to the Air Force and six would go to the Border Security Force.

The IAF on Thursday put into service the first batch of 80 Mi-17V-5 tactical transport helicopters under a $1.3 billion deal

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*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith - DTN News
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*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com
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DTN News - AFGHANISTAN DEFENSE NEWS: Russia, U.S. Prepare New Military Cooperation Deals

DTN News - AFGHANISTAN DEFENSE NEWS: Russia, U.S. Prepare New Military Cooperation Deals

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Ria Novosti

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada / MOSCOW, Russia - August 5, 2011:

Russia and the United States plan to sign more military cooperation deals, the deputy chief of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation said on Thursday.

This May, the United States signed a $367.5 million contract with Russia to buy 21 Mi-17V5 military transport helicopters for the Afghan army.

"We plan to sign more deals with the United States very soon, and plan to extend [cooperation] beyond helicopter deals," Vyacheslav Dzirkaln said, adding that the two countries are in search of other mutually beneficial areas of military cooperation.

He also denied media reports that Russia had problems with implementing the helicopter contract and said that the first batch of aircraft would be sent to Afghanistan later this year.

The Mi-17 is an export version of the Mi-8 Hip helicopter. Currently in production at two factories in the Russian Volga area city of Kazan and the East Siberian city of Ulan-Ude, it features powerful turboshaft engines and can transport up to 35 troops.

The Mi-17V5 version is equipped with a loading ramp instead of the clam-shell doors, an additional door and a new "dolphin nose".

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*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Ria Novosti

*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News

*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News
Contact: dtnnews@ymail.com

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Military Helicopters - DTN News: Alabama Firm May Protest Russian Helicopter Deal

Military Helicopters - DTN News: Alabama Firm May Protest Russian Helicopter Deal

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Reuters

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 9, 2011: A small Alabama-based firm is gearing up to protest the Army's plan to hand an exclusive helicopter contract to a Russian government agency, saying it can do the job quicker and cheaper if it is allowed to compete.

The U.S. government has already spent nearly $1 billion to buy helicopters for Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan from its former Cold War rival since 2001, an initiative that has angered U.S. lawmakers who want the Pentagon to buy U.S.-made helicopters instead and prompted an unsuccessful protest by Sikorsky Aircraft, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (UTX.N)

Now, another U.S. broker for Russian equipment is challenging the U.S. plan to skip a competition and hand a Russian government agency a contract worth up to $400 million.

Former Pentagon chief arms buyer John Young told Reuters the Obama administration should stick to its goal of holding competitions whenever possible. Anything else, he says, "is bad for the taxpayer and the warfighter."

Defense Technology Inc (DTI), a privately held company with annual sales of around $70 million, plans to file a formal protest with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) or a lawsuit in federal claims court, if the Army proceeds with a sole-source deal, company president Mark Young told Reuters.

The DTI president is not related to John Young.

DTI supplied four of the Russian-built helicopters to the U.S. Navy for $43 million in late 2009 under a separate competition and last year bid to sell the Navy 21 more.

But the Navy abruptly canceled that competition last year, handing the reins to the U.S. Army, which announced in January that it did not plan a competition, but planned a sole-source deal with Russia's arms export agency Rosoboronexport.

The Army said it has explained to Congress why an exclusive deal with the Russian firm is justified, but it did not provide details to Reuters.

DTI says it has already bought four helicopters sitting in a hangar in Russia, ready to ship.

Mark Young said DTI could deliver the helicopters to Afghanistan in about two weeks for around $56 million, while Rosoboronexport's contract was likely to cost millions more and with deliveries likely to slip into 2012.

Young said the Russian helicopter manufacturer had notified DTI in writing that it would not be able to deliver any additional helicopters in 2011 beyond those already on order from DTI and other existing customers.

He said DTI could offer a lower price than Rosoboronexport since his company had far smaller profit margins.

Young also rejected the Army's argument that it was required to work through Rosoboronexport since this was a military sale, noting that earlier U.S. purchases of the Mi-17 helicopters were classified as civil.

"The Army says it wants to cut out the middle man and work directly with the Russian manufacturers, but Rosoboronexport is a sales company just like we are," Young said. "All the Army did was pick a bigger, Russian middle man."

Some observers have also questioned Washington's decision to work with Rosoboronexport, which was subject to State Department sanctions from 2006 through 2010 for selling equipment to Iran and Syria.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal-Esass, editing by Matthew Lewis)