Russia will deliver 8 Mi-171Sh multi-purpose helicopters to Peru's air force in December, and not in November, as was previously reported, Russia's arms export agency (Rosoboronexport) said Friday.
Peru, a major buyer of Russian military hardware, bought 24 helicopters from Russia for $406 million in December last year for use in combating drug trafficking and to replace eight Mi-17 military transport helicopters purchased from the Soviet Union in 1984.
According to Sergey Goreslavsky, the deputy director of Rosoboronexport, Russia would deliver the new helicopters by December 9, in time for military celebrations in Peru that month. The Peruvian Defense Ministry said in May the helicopters would be delivered in November.
Russian and Soviet aircraft form a large part of Peru's air force — about half of Peru's warplanes are Russian-made, and most of its helicopters. In recent years, Moscow has been trying to reenergize its economic and political ties to South America.
As part of a separate deal, Peru is also spending $11 million to repair and refit three Mi-171 helicopters bought from Russia in 2010, and $2.8 million to overhaul an Mi-17-1B helicopter used to transport the Peruvian president.
Goreslavsky also reaffirmed Rosoboronexport's participation in the creation of a maintenance and repair center in Peru for Russian helicopters and Su-25 fighter jets used by South American countries, according to
the Moscow Times.
(END) INT/DLG
Published: 9/19/2014