Colombian Special Forces use Russian Mi-17 helicopter to fight drug traffic 12111153

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Colombian Special Forces use Russian Mi-17 helicopter to fight drug traffic.
Colombian special operations forces fighting the drug trafficking value highly the operational capabilities of Russian Mi-17 multirole helicopters, Brigadier General Emiro Himenez, the Colombian Armed Forces army aviation corps commander, has reported.
     
Colombian special operations forces fighting the drug trafficking value highly the operational capabilities of Russian Mi-17 multirole helicopters, Brigadier General Emiro Himenez, the Colombian Armed Forces army aviation corps commander, has reported. Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters are intensely used by Colombian army in fighting the drug trafficking
     
According to him, the Mi-17V-5 helicopters are intensely used in fighting the drug trafficking. "These rotary-wing aircraft are one of the essential tools in supporting such operations," the general said. He pointed out the remarkable seating capacity of the helicopter. "The Mi-17V-5 can take onboard up to 24 fully equipped and armed soldiers and deliver them very fast to the operations zone," he said. "This is essential for achieving the firing superiority over the foe, one of the key factors in a combat." Also, the general pointed to the helicopter’s high cruising speed and ceiling. "The Mi-17V-5 can develop 250 km/h and rise to an altitude of up to 6 km," Himenez added.

According to the general, the Mi-17 helicopters are used by the Colombian army aviation in a variety of missions. "This type of helicopter is used for military power projection, units’ fire support, and casualty evacuation," Himenez said. "They are fitted with side-mounted machineguns and cannons with missiles."

The positive acclaim of the Colombian military also contributed to employment of Mi-17 helicopters in search and rescue operations in air crashes.

At present, the Colombian army aviation corps operates a total of 23 helicopters of the Mi-17 family, including 10 or 12 new Mi-17V-5, the general informed.

"The Mi-17V-5 is one of the world’s most efficient helicopters. We’re very pleased that our units operate precisely this machine," Himenez summed up.

According to SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute), in 1991-2014, as part of the military technical cooperation Russia has supplied Colombia with 25 helicopters of the Mi-8/Mi-17 family / 10 Mi-17 in 1997, 6 Mi-17-1V in 2002, supposedly 4 Mi-17V-5 in 2007, 5 Mi-17V-5 in 2009/.
     
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