$36.1m contract secured by Rosoboronexport (133 words)

Published: 8/28/2001

Russian defence export agency, Rosoboronexport, has signed a $36.1m contract with Columbia's Ministry of Defence for the sale of six Mi-17s. The contract follows the sale of ten Mi-17s in 1997, which were bought by the Columbians under a military technical co-operation agreement signed in 1996. However, the orders come after reports that the Columbians experienced problems with some of the original aircraft equipped for night flying, using unspecified western equipment. According to Kazan, the helicopter's producer, the problems were related to cockpit illumination and were discovered shortly after delivery. This resulted in restricted night flying while the installed devices were replaced from Russian sources, with equipment being used by the Russian armed forces on the development of the night capable Mi-8.

Article ID: 2725