Now we are borrowing Russian helicopters to fight the Taliban-(GBUSSR)

dailymail ^ | 18th July 2009 | By Christopher Leake

[Flavius]

British frontline troops in Afghanistan are so short of helicopters and transport planes that they are being bailed out by the Russians.

The Mail on Sunday has established that the Ministry of Defence is using civilian Russian-built Mi-8 and Mi-26 transport helicopters to ferry supplies and soldiers in Afghanistan. The pilots are freelance Russians and Ukrainians.

Britain is also hiring massive commercial Russian Antonov aircraft to fly vehicles and heavy equipment from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire to Afghanistan.

[Flavius]

So the USSR won, cheap somewhat scary

vs really cool but pricey (and unavailable)

when it really matters cheap and dirty is nice. those blokes flying must have been scared to death

[Three if by government]

Wait till we borrow several thousands of their troops to help secure our country

[GeronL]

The UK military has been defunded

[Flavius]

yes but social programs are flourishing

the dead appreciate that

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

I would. They are flying death traps.

[mwilli20]

Good thinking morons! Remind the Afgan population (which you are trying to win over) of the godless POS communists that were attempting to conquer their country 20-some years ago and were mowing down their civilians from these helicopters!

[A.A. Cunningham]

When it comes to a heavy lift rotary winged platform the Mi-26 is the HMFIC. The Brits aren't the only ones to rely on foreign equipment to supplement lift needs. An Mi-26 has been used to recover a US Army Chinook in Afghanistan.

040429-N-7949W-001 Naval Air Station North Island, Calif. (Apr. 29, 2004) - The Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle Mystic (DSRV 1) is carefully loaded onto a Russian-built An-124 Condor (Antonov) by Sailors assigned to the U.S. Navy's Deep Submergence Unit (DSU) and the aircraft's crew. The An-124 is owned and operated by the Volga-Dnepr Group based in Russia. The Mystic and 13 members of her crew are being flown to the Republic of Korea to participate in Exercise Pacific Reach. The exercise improves submarine rescue capabilities and also fosters a familiarization between different nations with submarine rescue techniques. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Daniel N. Woods. (RELEASED)

080513-N-1752H-018 CORONADO, Calif. (May. 13, 2008) Support personnel load equipment onto a Russian Antonov aircraft in preparation for Exercise Bold Monarch 2008. The Deep Submergence Unit from Naval Air Station North Island, along personnel from several other countries, will participate in a live submarine escape and rescue exercise, working through complex rescue and medical problems in a variety of demanding scenarios. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Patrick D. House (Released)

090712-N-5215E-027 CORAL SEA (July 12, 2009) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (handling) 3rd Class Marc Trietch observes his under-instruction signalman, Aviation Boatswain's Mate (handling) Airman Daniel Tesauro direct a AS322 Super Puma in dropping off cargo during a vertical replenishment aboard the forward deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2). The Essex Amphibious Ready Group is participating in force integrated training in preparation for Exercise Talisman Saber 2009, a biennial, combined training activity designed to train Australian and U.S. forces in planning and conducting combined operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd ClassMatthew A. Ebarb/Released)

090501-N-2475A-119 PACIFIC OCEAN (May 1, 2009) An SA-330 Puma helicopter assigned to the combat stores ship USNS Concord (T-AFS 5), lifts pallets of supplies from the flight deck during a vertical replenishment with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis is on a scheduled six-month deployment to the western Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kenneth Abbate/Released)