Free Republic

A Chinese space force in Argentina, Russian control of Venezuelan gas and South American armies equipped with the latest Chinese and Russian hardware. Until recently, it might have sounded like the plot of a geopolitical thriller in a region once considered America’s backyard. But this is what Defense Secretary James N. Mattis faced on his visit this week to several South American nations, where economic and military posturing by Beijing and Moscow has been on the rise for the past decade. Analysts say Chinese loans in recent years have allowed authoritarian leaders to consolidate power in Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua,...

ISLAMABAD/MOSCOW – The Pakistan Army Aviation Corps (PAAC) took delivery of four Russian-made Mi-35M attack helicopters, Pakistan’s Defense Export Promotion Organization (DEPO) has confirmed. “The contract was signed, we received all four cars [Mi-35Ms] and now we get new equipment,” DEPOs Brigadier General Waheed Mumtaz told reporters in Moscow at International Military-Technical Forum (Army 2017), which took place August 22-27 in Moscow. Russia officially lifted an arms embargo against Pakistan, in place since the Soviet-Afghan War, in June 2014. Pakistan and Russia agreed to the $153 million helicopter deal, which included training, spare parts and ground support equipment, during then-Chief...

During large-scale exercises in Russia's southern military district, some of the country's most advanced versions of the iconic Hind attack helicopter showed off their true multi-role capabilities—which includes going from close air support platform to troop transport seamlessly. The video below shows a Mi-35M, which is upgraded in almost every way compared to earlier Hind variants, including a modern "glass" cockpit with night vision goggle compatibility. This, along with upgraded sensors, makes the Mi-35M especially well suited for nighttime operations. Upgraded engines, rotors and transmissions also give the helicopter increased performance in nearly every category and especially in "hot and...

Russian President Vladimir Putin met Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia, on August 12, 2014. It was his first official visit to the Russian Federation as President. And Vladimir Putin was the first leader to invite him for a visit outside the Arab world since his swearing-in as head of state. The agenda included introduction to a selection of Russian military hardware for sale. (1) The two leaders agreed to expand cooperation in the field of arms exports to Egypt in addition to studying the establishment of a logistics center Masri on the Black...

MOSCOW, March 26. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia will allocate $4.1 million to the Russia-NATO Council Helicopter Maintenance Trust Fund in 2014. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed the relevant decree, according to a statement placed on the government’s website on Wednesday. This measure is targeted “at training ground support personnel for technical maintenance and repair of Mi-17 and Mi-35 helicopters of Afghanistan’s army and delivery of spare parts to them,” the statement reads. These funds are envisaged by the Russian Finance Ministry in the federal budget for 2014 for international relations and international cooperation.

Mi-24, Legendary Russian Attack Helicopter, Turns 40 This Year (Source: Russian Helicopters JSC; issued March 20, 2013) MOSCOW --- This year marks the 40th anniversary of production of the Mi-24, the first purpose-built Russian combat helicopter, at Rostov Helicopter Plant, today called Rosvertol, a Russian Helicopters company. The design of the Mi-24, a strike and transport helicopter was, was so successful that versions are still in use today: some 1,500 Mi-24s serve with the armed forces of 60 countries worldwide. In 1978, helicopter test pilot and Hero of the Soviet Union Gurgen Karapetyan set a world helicopter flight speed record...

LAAD 2011: Brazilian Mi-35s take on the drug runners April 15, 2011 The Brazilian Air Force's (FAB's) Mi-35M attack helicopters are proving themselves on anti-narcotic operations and the service is still hopeful additional numbers of the type will be procured. At the LAAD 2011 exhibition in Rio de Janeiro from 12 to 15 April, the air force displayed one of the six Mi-35Ms currently in service, which support counter-narcotics operations across the Amazon region. Service representatives said while there were some limitations to the aircraft’s performance due to the heat and humidity of the region, the Mi-35M had had a...

Kabul, Afghanistan, May 15, 2010--U.S. Air Force Major Caleb Nimmo is the first American Mi-35 HIND attack helicopter pilot to fly in combat. He is deployed to Afghanistan advising the Afghan National Army Air Corps’ rotary wing squadron as part of the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, Combined Air Power Transition Force. The 377th Rotary Wing Squadron of the Kabul Air Wing is advised by CAPTF’s coalition partners from the Czech Republic, Hungary and the U.S. The squadron flies the Russian made Mi-35 attack helicopter and the Mi-17 transport helicopter. Maj. Nimmo received his Mi-35 training from a civilian contractor in...

The Brazilian Air Force has received the first three Mi-35M transport and combat helicopters. The handing-over ceremony and a military parade in this connection took place at the Brazilian air base of Porto Velho in the southwestern Amazon region on Saturday. A Russian delegation headed by Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev participated in the ceremony. Rosoboronexport’s director-general Anatoly Isaikin and the Rostvertol Rostov-based helicopter plant’s director-general Boris Slyusar also arrived at the base. Brazil's representatives were Defence Minister Nelson Jobim and the Air Force commander in chief. Rosoboronexport concluded the contract in 2008 to supply Russian transport and combat...

KABUL, Afghanistan, June 29, 2009 – After an absence of nearly a decade, the Afghan Mi-35 is again flying the skies of Afghanistan, thanks to pilots from the Afghan National Army Air Corps and the Czech Republic, military officials here said. Two MI-35 attack helicopters from the Afghan Army Air Corps launch on a gunnery training mission as another ANAAC MI-17 transport lands in the background at Kabul International Airport May 27, 2009. This mission was the first time rockets have been flown by the Afghan Air Corps in more than ten years and will eventually allow the Afghans to...

Russia signs $1bln aircraft contract with Venezuela-Ivanov 18:01 | 21/ 07/ 2006 MOSCOW, July 21 (RIA Novosti) - Russia has signed a contract on supplies of military planes and helicopters to Venezuela worth over $1 billion, the defense minister said Friday. Sergei Ivanov said 30 Su-30 Flanker air-superiority fighters and 30 helicopters would be supplied to Venezuela. The Russian Su-30 Flankers will replace a Venezuelan contingent of U.S. F-16 multi-role fighters after Washington imposed an embargo on arms sales to the country May 15, which it says poses a threat to regional stability. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who has moved...

Washington tries to frustrate Russo-Venezuelan military alliance 12/14/2004 11:03 Caracas is expected to replace old US and European combat aircrafts by 50 new Russian MIG-29SMT Fulcrum During a visit to Moscow in late November, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez announced his country was planning to modernize its Armed Forces by replacing old European / US equipment with sophisticated hi-tech Russian weaponry. "We are modernising and strengthening our armed forces against any form of aggression. We are talking about deliveries of 100,000 Russian machineguns," Chavez told a news conference at that time. However, it became known later that the operation is far...