Russian-Built Helos Are Familiar To Local Forces
The U.S. Army is acquiring and sustaining Russian-built Mi-17
helicopters for Iraqi and Afghan forces so they can further stand
up their respective militaries and enable more U.S. forces to
return home, service officials said. "We're buying those systems
because our (servicemembers) don't get to come home until (Iraqi
and Afghan militaries) take over the mission and are trained to do
it," said Maj. Gen. Tim Crosby, who serves as program executive
officer for aviation. "There's incentive for us right now."
The aircraft purchases are at the request of both the Department
of State and the Department of Defense. The U.S. Army's
Non-Standard Rotary Wing program office plans to acquire 21 new
Mi-17s for Afghanistan. The office has already bought 22 of the
aircraft for Iraq, of which 14 have been delivered, said Col.
Norbert Vergez, who heads up the project. In addition, U.S.-based
Northrop Grumman is performing maintenance and sustainment on 52
existing Mi-17s in Afghanistan, Vergez said.
"The primary consideration was based on a desire by the
customer, in the case of Afghanistan, to have a platform that they
were familiar with and that was simple and easy to operate," Vergez
said. "They wanted something that was immediately available for
them to assimilate into their armed forces."
The Mi-17 was originally designed by the Russians in the 1970s.
The helicopter was used by the then Soviet Army in the war between
the Soviet Union and Afghanistan. It is well suited for operating
in that environment. Since that time, the Afghan military has used
the Mi-17 and become familiar with the aircraft's operation.
Vergez said the high-altitude-capable, troop and supply-carrying
Mi-17 is considered a national asset by the Afghans. "It is an
extension of the sovereign Afghan government beyond Kabul," Vergez
noted. "For example, during a series of recent floods in the
mountains, the Afghan government launched two of its recently
acquired Mi-17's to help the people."
Vergez said that over a five day period, using the Mi-17, the
Afghans were able to rescue over 1,000 people from the floods.
"That builds good will," he said. "Afghanistan is tribal, so when
the central government comes in with that kind of power, it really
goes a long way."
Vergez said delivery of the Mi-17s, which fly at altitude up to
19,860 feet, mean the Afghan military will gain further
independence and that means fewer U.S. military will need to be in
Afghanistan. "There is no air support for Afghanistan other than
the Americans as we establish this capability for Afghanistan,"
Vergez said. "With every one of these deliveries we are able to
bring Americans home."
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