04 May 2004 02:24
DefenceMin to request helicopters as debt repayment next week
PRAGUE, MAy 4 (CTK) - The Defence Ministry will send a request to Russia at the beginning of next week asking for 18
Mi- 171S and 11 Mi-35 combat helicopters as repayment of the Russian debt if the general staff approves of the
acquisition, deputy defence minister Jaroslav Kopriva told reporters today.
The military already acquired seven Mi-35 helicopters in such a way. The Mi-35s are the newest versions of the
well-known Mi-24 combat helicopters.
Originally, the ministry wanted three giant An-70 Antonov transport planes, but Russia offered only smaller and older
Il- 76MF transport planes and thus the ministry opted for more helicopters.
"Now, we are discussing the uses of the machines in the future. We are also negotiating about the ones we
already have," Kopriva said, adding that the ministry would like Czech companies to perform repairs on the
helicopters from now on.
The military currently operates 18 Mi-24s and 18 Mi-17 of various versions. The older helicopters will be
decommissioned between 2005 and 2010. Kopriva said that the new deliveries will allow the machines to be replaced by new
versions which is less expensive than modernisation.
"This will not cost the state budget a single crown," Defence Minister Miroslav Kostelka said.
According to Defence Ministry armaments section head Jiri Martinek, the military will have to invest 1.2 billion
crowns in the projects, because the machines from the factory would not be equipped with some classified NATO
communication and combat identification systems.
The helicopters are equipped with night vision system and other modern systems.
The ministry would like to sell the older helicopters and Kostelka said that it is possible that Russia will
re-purchase them, which is currently being negotiated.
($1=27.239 crowns)
yop/dr/vv
[Czech News Agency] |
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