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Thursday, 22 January 2004
U.S. GIVES HELICOPTERS TO KYRGYZSTAN TO HELP SECURE BORDER
By empty (1/22/2004 issue of the CACI Analyst)
Two Russian-made Mi-8 MTV helicopters were presented to Kyrgyzstan by the United States on 22 January at a ceremony at the Frunze-1 military airfield outside Bishkek. The helicopters are to be used to combat smuggling. The Mi-8s and their accompanying spare-parts packages were described by U.
Two Russian-made Mi-8 MTV helicopters were presented to Kyrgyzstan by the United States on 22 January at a ceremony at the Frunze-1 military airfield outside Bishkek. The helicopters are to be used to combat smuggling. The Mi-8s and their accompanying spare-parts packages were described by U.S. Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Stephen Young and Kyrgyz National Security Council Secretary Misir Ashirkulov as the largest single aid package given to Kyrgyzstan by the United States to date. Young said a decision has been made to buy and refurbish Soviet-type helicopters rather than U.S. machines, because Kyrgyz pilots are familiar with them and will not have to be retrained. In addition, the Mi-8 is well adapted to Kyrgyzstan\'s mountainous conditions. (akipress.org)