U.S. Government Purchase of Russian Helicopters for Afghan Air Force-Truth!
Summary of eRumor:
This is a forwarded email that alleges that the U.S. Government is planning to purchase Russian helicopters for the Afghan Air Force at a cost of $700 million.
The Truth:
Members of Congress have criticized the U.S. Government for planning to purchase 10 Russian Mi-17 helicopters “for the Afghan National Army Air Corps, after the Pentagon already spent $648 million to buy or refurbish 31 of the aircraft.” This according to a June 19, 2010 article by Fox News.
The article said the reason for the decision by the U.S. Government not to equip the Afghan Air Force with U.S. made helicopters is because the Afghan pilots “were not trained to fly American-built helicopters.” The chief of Afghanistan’s air corps, General Mohammed Dawran, said that the learning curve would be too great as “most of the pilots were in their 40s and set in their ways.”
Posted 06/22/13