The purchasing department of the Pakistani Defense Ministry will announce the results of a tender for the delivery of ten Mi-17 transport helicopters this month. The ministry wants only that model of helicopter, and insists that the provider have certification an original producer. Only OAO OPK Oboronprom in Ulan-Ude fits that bill. That company provided Pakistan with three of the same helicopters last year. A Pakistani delegation will visit that enterprise in the coming weeks, and see the Kazan Helicopter Plant and the Klimov Plant in St. Petersburg.
Since India is a long-time Russian strategic military-technical partner, Russia has limited its sales to Pakistan to multipurpose equipment. In post-Soviet times, Russia has supplied about 50 Mi-8 helicopters and its modernized version the Mi-17. Now Pakistan is suggesting 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. Islamabad will soon sign a contract with Beijing on the purchase of 36 J-10 fighter jets (otherwise known as FC-20) for delivery by the end of next year. Experts say the deal will cost Pakistan around $1.5 billion. The planes will be equipped 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-technical partner, Russia has limited its sales to Pakistan to multipurpose equipment. In post-Soviet times, Russia has supplied about 50 Mi-8 helicopters and its modernized version the Mi-17. Now Pakistan is suggesting 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. Islamabad will soon sign a contract with Beijing on the purchase of 36 J-10 fighter jets (otherwise known as FC-20) for delivery by the end of next year. Experts say the deal will cost Pakistan around $1.5 billion. The planes will be equipped 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.