Why is the US buying Russian helicopters for Afghan troops?

Post by **irishrob** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 7:37 am

http://news.yahoo.com/u-says-buy-russia ... VM-;_ylv=3

Post by **WLJ** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 8:42 am

This has come up before and it boils down to the fact that they've been already using them for over 25 years so they're familiar with them, easy to maintain, cheaper and their infrastructure, or lack of, can better handle them

Post by **ChopperDoc** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 9:05 am

There is really no such thing as a rotary wing aircraft that is 'easy to maintain', but obviously the older stuff (US or otherwise) will require less special tools and precision avionics trained maintainers.

All other points are valid.

I do not believe WE should be buying them. They have plenty of drug money to spend.

Post by **WLJ** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 9:06 am

ChopperDoc wrote:There is really no such thing as a rotary wing aircraft that is 'easy to maintain', but obviously the older stuff (US or otherwise) will require less special tools and precision avionics trained maintainers.

All other points are valid.

I do not believe WE should be buying them. They have plenty of drug money to spend.

Easy is relative, easier then.

LCPL_NBREW · Post by **LCPL_NBREW** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 12:20 pm

WLJ wrote:This has come up before and it boils down to the fact that they've been already using them for over 25 years so they're familiar with them, easy to maintain, cheaper and their infrastructure, or lack of, can better handle them

The Afghan National Army isn't using Russian weapon though we are supplying them with everything, The local police still use AKs and PKMs.
But the Brits and the U.S. (SAS, Green Beret, SEALs and MARSOC) have been working with some afghan and they call them self's the Tiger Teams and there pretty good at there jobs so if there getting some better equipment that's helping the transition from US forces to Afghan I'm cool with it.
Im not to sound like an Afghan lover cause Im NOT but I worked with some really good ANA and I worked with some really crappy ones as well should they be paying for more of there military equipment YES, Is Afghanistan fully ready to be ran by afghan and not be back to the way it was NO and that's why We are still there in an advisor roll

This picture was taken while on patrol notice both afghans have American made M249 and M16A2s One ANA even had a Remington 700

LCPL_NBREW · Post by **LCPL_NBREW** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 12:21 pm

sorry I went on a bit of a rant

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