DTN News: Helicopter Crash In Afghanistan Kills 16

DTN News: Helicopter Crash In Afghanistan Kills 16 *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - July 19, 2009: The NATO alliance in Afghanistan says a civilian helicopter crash in the country's south has killed 16 people. NATO officials say a Russian-built Mi-8 helicopter crashed Sunday while taking off from Kandahar's main air base. Reports from the area say 17 people were on board the helicopter. Kandahar Air Field is NATO's largest base in southern Afghanistan. Meanwhile, a U.S. military helicopter in the northeast made an emergency landing in Kunar province. U.S. military spokeswoman Lt. Commander Christine Sidenstricker said no enemy fire was reported near either helicopter accident. The two incidents follow last week's downing of a helicopter that killed all six civilian contractors on board and a child on the ground. Afghan officials said the aircraft may have been shot down by insurgents. NATO commanders say the cause of the crash is not clear and under investigation.

DTN News: In Afghan War, UK Borrows Russian Helicopters

DTN News: In Afghan War, UK Borrows Russian Helicopters

*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.

Kazan Helicopters Mi-38 Has Potential Market Of Estimated At 300-350 Choppers

Kazan Helicopters Mi-38 Has Potential Market Of Estimated At 300-350 Choppers

(NSI News Source Info) March 19, 2009: Russia has had a hard time finding customers for its new helicopter designs. This is largely because Russia has been so successful in selling the old (updated 1960s design), but reliable, Mi-171. But now they have found a way to fund the new Mi-38 (basically the successor of the Mi-8/17/171 line).

The Mi-38 will have to be certified after the preliminary stage of the tests is over. The general director of the helicopter-making plant in the city of Kazan, Alexander Lavrentyev, is quite careful in his forecasts. According to him, the certification of the new model will be over in 2007, and the series production will probably be launched in 2008. It is supposed that the helicopter-making factory in Kazan will produce three or four other prototypes to test the machine. Each of those helicopters will cost 335 million rubles. Alexander Lavrentyev stated that the project of the new modern helicopter will be estimated at $700-800 million. A half of the sum has been already spent. The Kazan-based factory invested about $125 in the project – the costs are expected to be compensated after 80-90 of new choppers are sold. The helicopter-making factory plans to produce 10-12 machines a year. Therefore, the company will have its money back only after the year 2015. According to market researches, the potential market of the Mi-38 helicopter is estimated at 300-350 choppers. Russian buyers will acquire 200 machines, and every third chopper will be exported. The general director of the company believes that the Mi-38 will be a lot cheaper than its foreign analogues – Italian-British EH-101 (it costs $25-27 million), and the US's Sikorsky S-92 ($20-22 million). The end price of the new Russian aircraft has not been exposed yet.

There is a demand inside Russia for a large, rugged, helicopter to support the growing number of oil and gas development projects in Russia's vast eastern forests. The Mi-38 was developed in the last decade for military use, but seems ideal for the oil industry needs.

The Mi-38 is a 15 ton helicopter that can carry up to six tons and can stay in the air for up to six hours per sortie (cruising at 200 kilometers an hour). Russia can make money selling these for less than $10 million each. The popular Mi-171 is based on the 1975 era Mi-17, which is the export version of original 1960s Mi-8. Weighing about 12 tons, and carrying a four ton load, the Mi-171 has a range of 590 kilometers at a cruising speed of 250 kilometers per hour.

There is a crew of three, and as many passengers as can be squeezed in (about 40 people, but usually just 20 or so.) A sling underneath can also carry up to four tons. Several hundred Mi-171s have been exported. The helicopter is rugged, inexpensive ($4-5 million each) and better suited for less affluent nations. Development of the Mi-38 was completed in 1998 and Russia has been pushing sales hard. There are apparently enough Mi-38 orders to get production started by the end of the year. The Mi-38 is much easier to sell if it is in production, and has some satisfied users.

Russia Completing Rotation Of Sudan Helicopter Unit - Air Force

Russia Completing Rotation Of Sudan Helicopter Unit - Air Force

(NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW -March 3, 2009: The second and final group of service personnel from Russia's aviation group will head for Sudan on Monday as part of a UN operation in the region, an Air Force spokesman said. "The military transport Il-76 aircraft will deliver over 40 personnel to Africa," Lt.-Col. Vladimir Drik said. Rotations are held twice a year. The previous rotation took place in August. The Russian peacekeeping contingent in Sudan comprises 120 personnel and four Mi-8 helicopters equipped to UN and international standards. The contingent provides transport services for UN military observers in Sudan, including accompanying freight, and also carries out rescue operations. The first unit of Russian peacekeepers arrived in Sudan in April 2006. They are expected to stay - with regular rotations - for five or six years. The UN Mission in Sudan was established in 2005 to monitor the peace agreement between the government in Khartoum and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement in southern Sudan, which ended the longest-running civil war in Africa. The UN presence in Sudan has since been expanded to include peacekeeping operations in Darfur. Since 2003, Chad and Sudan have accused each other of inciting conflict on their common border, which is along the west Sudanese region of Darfur. According to international estimates, more than 300,000 people have been killed and around 2.7 million displaced in the ongoing conflict in Darfur.