Posted on 02/22/2006 6:50:01 PM PST by Thunder90
Venezuela has received the first three of at least 10 military helicopters purchased from Russia.
Military officials say the three MI-17 helicopters arrived Tuesday in Caracas.
Venezuela bought the helicopters as part of a $120 million deal signed last March. Caracas also agreed last year to buy 100,000 Russian-made Kalashnikov assault rifles.
U.S. officials have criticized the deals, saying they could trigger an arms race, destabilizing the region.
MI-17s can be used in an assault role or as a transport craft. Venezuelan military officials say the helicopters will be used to patrol the border with neighboring Colombia.
The remaining helicopters bought from Russia are transport helicopters.
The Russians are also building a weapons factory for the Venezuelans, so Venezuela can build 1.9 million more Kalashnikov rifles and RPG launchers by the end of 2007.
Russia/Venezuela PING
where are the putinistas now?
I can't BELIEVE these people!
Big deal. Let him think he's got the upper hand. I'm guessing that at some point, his proletariat supporters will wonder why he's spending their money on helicopters.
This one is quite laughable. They will be lucky to just keep the things in the air. If I was Russia and I could pawn off 25 year old helicopters onto suckers, I would do it also.
Here's an idea... as part of the shakedown of the new Lockheed Martin F-35, we can scoot on down and dust their Hind-E's (get it?... haha). ;-)
They aren't MI-25 Hinds, they're MI-17s that come in a version with missles mounted on stub wings. They are not gun ships.
One little thing the Little Dictator forgets. His people can use those guns against him when they get tired of his crap or when it's economy go to pot.
In the 60s it was Cuba, now it is Venezuela
C'mon. They're better than towed targets.
What was the name of the last communist dictatorship that tried to stare us down with Russian weaponry?
The Russians sold Venezuela Hinds as well. It was not part of this deal.
On the next shipment (being negoiatated now), there will be Mig-39's, Su-30mkk's, SU-27's, and more Hinds. There will also be Tor-M1 missile lauchers, and equipment to build millions of Kalashnikov rifles and rocket launchers, among other things
First and foremost what exactly is Venezuela at this point; When this crack head Chavez was elected President(courtesy of the "motta" heads in Venezuela)used to be a semi-reasonable country to deal with.
Now Chavez has elevated himself to the likes of Noriega, another words, a nuisance, like a mosquito.
This tinfoil hat Dictator hasn't learn anything from the past events.
Do you have a reference? I am a big fan of the MI-24.
I built a model of it three months after the first copy was delivered to Egypt by a defector in 1988.
Foward deployment of assests.
PING
Recalled to the Kremlin for additional orders...
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