*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media
(NSI News Source Info) LONDON, U.K. - July 19, 2009: With Britain's prime minister under attack for under-equipping the armed forces, a report adds fuel to the fire, revealing that a shortage of helicopters has forced British forces in Afghanistan to use Russian choppers to fight the Taliban. 
A borrowed Mi-8 helicopter in Afghanistan by British forces. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter ~ 12,000, and is used by over 50 countries. There are numerous variants, including the Mi-8T which is armed with rockets and anti-tank guided missiles, in addition to carrying twenty-four soldiers. The Mil Mi-17 export version is employed by around 20 countries; its equivalent in Russian service in the Mi-8M series. The naval Mil Mi-14 and attack Mil Mi-24 are also derived from the Mi-8.
A report by The Mail on Sunday claimed that the Ministry of Defense is using civilian Russian-built Mi-8 and Mi-26 transport helicopters with freelance Russian and Ukrainian pilots to transport supplies and soldiers in Afghanistan.
The conservative opposition in Britain has accused Prime Minister Gordon Brown of denying vital resources to British troops in Afghanistan.
The shortage of military hardware and equipment and in particular helicopters has been cited as one of the main reasons behind rising UK casualties in the Afghan war. Critics argue that the shortage of helicopters has forced troops to travel by road and left them vulnerable to Taliban roadside bombs.
The Prime Minister, however, has defended himself by saying that "British armed forces are better equipped today than at any time... in the past 40 years."
"In the last two years we have increased helicopter numbers by 60 percent and... capacity by 84 percent," Brown told the House of Commons.
While the US reportedly has 120 helicopters in Afghanistan, Britain's armed forces have less than 30.
The Mail also added that the Army has borrowed commercial Russian Antonov aircraft to transfer vehicles and heavy equipment to Afghanistan.
China will thus have two such helicopters that boast the world’s largest payload capacity “The China Flying Dragon Special Aviation Company introduced the first Mi-26 helicopter in China in 2007 through a leasing arrangement. The company has now purchased it outright.
The handover of the property rights was finalized at today’s ceremony,” said an official of China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation. “The second Mi-26 helicopter in the purchase agreement will be primarily used for forest fire protection in Northeast China,” he was quoted as saying.
The maximum take-off weight of the Mi-26 helicopter is 56 tons and its maximum load capacity is 20 tons, making it the world’s largest payload capacity helicopter. After Wenchuan in Sichuan Province was hit by a devastating earthquake this May, two Mi-26 helicopters (one offered by Russia) flew to the disaster-stricken area and they played an important role in relief efforts.
