The purchasing department of the Pakistani Defense Ministry willannounce the results of a tender for the delivery of ten Mi-17transport helicopters this month. The ministry wants only that model ofhelicopter, and insists that the provider have certification anoriginal producer. Only OAO OPK Oboronprom in Ulan-Ude fits that bill.That company provided Pakistan with three of the same helicopters lastyear. A Pakistani delegation will visit that enterprise in the comingweeks, and see the Kazan Helicopter Plant and the Klimov Plant in St.Petersburg.
Since India is a long-time Russian strategic military-technicalpartner, Russia has limited its sales to Pakistan to multipurposeequipment. In post-Soviet times, Russia has supplied about 50 Mi-8helicopters and its modernized version the Mi-17. Now Pakistan issuggesting direct military technical ties. Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz commented that “Russia is a world power and we look at it as a global player. I suggest that global players should never make their relations with one country dependent on relations with another.”
The Russian government will soon have to decide on the re-export of Russian airplane engines to Pakistan again. Islamabadwill soon sign a contract with Beijing on the purchase of 36 J-10fighter jets (otherwise known as FC-20) for delivery by the end of next year. Expertssay the deal will cost Pakistan around $1.5 billion. The planes will beequipped with AL-31FN engines made by the Russian MMP Salyut. Last month, Beijing reached an agreement with Moscow of 150 RD-93 engines to Pakistan by China. That deal was approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin personally.
Since India is a long-time Russian strategic military-technicalpartner, Russia has limited its sales to Pakistan to multipurposeequipment. In post-Soviet times, Russia has supplied about 50 Mi-8helicopters and its modernized version the Mi-17. Now Pakistan issuggesting direct military technical ties. Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz commented that “Russia is a world power and we look at it as a global player. I suggest that global players should never make their relations with one country dependent on relations with another.”
The Russian government will soon have to decide on the re-export of Russian airplane engines to Pakistan again. Islamabadwill soon sign a contract with Beijing on the purchase of 36 J-10fighter jets (otherwise known as FC-20) for delivery by the end of next year. Expertssay the deal will cost Pakistan around $1.5 billion. The planes will beequipped with AL-31FN engines made by the Russian MMP Salyut. Last month, Beijing reached an agreement with Moscow of 150 RD-93 engines to Pakistan by China. That deal was approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin personally.
