Czech order for Mi-171/Mi-35 Helicopters delayed by Russia

Elite Brain

New Member
Source -(Agence France-Presse)

PRAGUE (AFP) Jan 25, 2005
The Czech military has still not received any combat helicopters from Russia as part payment of Russia's 19-billion-koruna (631-million euros, 818-million dollars) debt to the country, the Czech defence ministry said Tuesday.

The two sides agreed last September that Russia would supply the Czech Republic with 26 combat helicopters as part payment of its outstanding debt to the country.

The 16 Mi-171 transport helicopters and 10 Mi-35 combat helicopters worth a total 184 million dollars (142 million euros) are due to be delivered by the end of 2006.

Czech Defence Ministry official Mira Trebicka said Tuesday that the Russians had still not ratified the relevant contract.

She said the Czech Republic should receive the first three Mi-35s and three Mi-171s in the first half of this year.

Outdated Antonov and Tupolev type planes are still used to transport Czech soldiers and equipment but they will be banned from flying abroad in about two years because they exceed noise limits.

The Czech Republic will have to adapt the modernised helicopters from Russia to NATO standards. They have to be equipped, for example, with a device distinguishing friendly planes from enemy aircraft, and with NATO communication systems.

The additional costs are estimated at 1.2 billion koruna.

Inherited from the days of the Soviet Union, the Russian debt to the Czech Republic is part civil and part military. The former is managed by the finance ministry, the latter by the defence ministry.

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In my veiw the Czechs should have gone for the Kamov Black Shark Attack Helicopters. Some Russkis say they are superior in performance to the King Cobras and neck to neck with the Apaches. Any feed back?
 
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Revenant

New Member
Elite Brain said:
In my veiw the Czechs should have gone for the Kamov Black Shark Attack Helicopters. Some Russkis say they are superior in performance to the King Cobras and neck to neck with the Apaches. Any feed back?
This isn't as simple as it seems. Kamov helicopters have never been used by Czechs (and ex-Czechoslovakian) army so all ground infrastructure, airfields facilities, service & maintenance systems, spare parts, etc. are compatible with Mil choppers only. And that was a decisive factor. Besides Czechs still use Mi-17s and Mi-24D/W choppers.
 

hot222

New Member
While Czech Republic joins NATO, it will be to difficult to buy Russian helicopters, since NATO (US) is not willing to give Russian constructors the "know how" of critical systems i.e. IFF system.
 
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