BUFF 8 Posted February 20, 2008 By Michal Zdobinsky 19 February 2008 The Czech Republic has provided the Afghan National Army (ANA) with the first three of six modernised Mil Mi-17 helicopters as plans were revealed for the long-term build-up of the Afghan National Army Air Corps (ANAAC). The Czech government approved a donation, equivalent to CZK610 million (USD35 million), of six Mi-17 transport helicopters and six Mil Mi-24 combat/attack helicopters from the Czech Air Force in April 2007 following a NATO and Afghan government appeal for assistance in building the ANA's capability. The remaining three Mi-17 helicopters should be handed over by May 2008. All of the helicopters have undergone an overhaul programme at the Letecké Opravny Malesice (LOM) aircraft repair works in Prague, Czech Republic, with the USD33 million upgrade costs borne by NATO. The Mi-17s were the first to be modified due to the ANA's critical lack of transport helicopters. Each has received the more powerful TV3-117VM engine and add-on cockpit armour, while the cargo hold/troop compartment is protected by a matting of ballistic fabric. Each window in the hold has a firing port for personal weapons. Lateral outriggers with racks for the attachment of six 57 mm unguided rocket launchers have also been fitted, and the helicopters are also equipped with a NATO-standard identification friend-or-foe (IFF) transponder in addition to new intercoms and radios. Following assembly and testing the three Mi-17s were taken over by ANA representatives on 17 December 2007 and the formal handover with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) commanders took place in January. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
