MOSCOW- The Russian officials said that the delivery of 30 helicopter gunships to Afghanistan would be completed by the end of October this year.
Director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Alexander Fomin has said the helicopter gunships Mi-17B-5 will be delivered under a contract with the United States. Fomin further added that 12 choppers had already been delivered under the agreement and the remaining choppers will be delivered before October 31, 2014. The agreement for the purchase of helicopters for the Afghan security forces was concluded between US and Russian officials in 2013.
Rosoboronexport and the U.S. government signed the main contract on the delivery of 21 helicopters on May 26, 2011, and set the political course of the two countries towards the settlement of the common international problem related to the situation in Afghanistan. The contract was fulfilled by the middle of 2012, the Khaama Press reported. Afghanistan has so far received 45 helicopters from Russia under separate contracts. Russian-made helicopters have a long history in Afghanistan and is preferred better than the helicopters due to their low prices, durability and simplicity.