U.S. military criticized for purchase of Russian copters for Afghan air corps

[cory777]

Source: Washington Post

The U.S. government is snapping up Russian-made helicopters to form the core of Afghanistan's fledgling air force, a strategy that is drawing flak from members of Congress who want to force the Afghans to fly American choppers instead.

In a turnabout from the Cold War, when the CIA gave Stinger missiles to Afghan rebels to shoot down Soviet helicopters, the Pentagon has spent $648 million to buy or refurbish 31 Russian Mi-17 transport helicopters for the Afghan National Army Air Corps. The Defense Department is seeking to buy 10 more of the Mi-17s next year, and had planned to buy dozens more over the next decade.

The spectacle of using U.S. taxpayer dollars to buy Russian military products is proving a difficult sell in Congress. Some legislators say that the Pentagon never considered alternatives to the Mi-17, an aircraft it purchased for use in Iraq and Pakistan, and that a lack of competition has enabled Russian defense contractors to gouge on prices.

"The Mi-17 program either has uncoordinated oversight or simply none at all," said Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.), who along with Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.) has pushed the Pentagon to reconsider its purchase plans. "The results have led to massive waste, cost overruns, schedule delays, safety concerns and major delivery problems."

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/18/AR2010061805630.html?wprss=rss_nation

[msongs]

1. screwing us for the war, now screwing us for the war materials - thanks Congress nt

[Ian David]

2. Obviously we don't trust the Afghan govt with the good, American-made stuff. n/t

[daleo]

3. Bringing the farce full circle. n/t

[Arctic Dave]

4. Everyone needs to get their cut of the action.

This shouldn't suprise anyone.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

5. right... lets see how long the Afghans can keep a Blackhawk airworthy

Could be entertaining, while Russian aircraft are designed with inevitable neglect in mind.

[western mass]

6. Have these peope forgotten why we're fighting this war?

Handouts to *American* military contractors. Geeze Luiz.

[provis99]

7. Jesus H. Christ. $20 million each for broken down Russian helicopters?

You can buy a Mi-17 for $500,000 direct from the Russian factory. There is some massive corruption going on with this money.

[amandabeech]

8. I did a paper about cost overruns in the defense department when I was stupid senior in high school.

The C5-A debacle was the foul-up of that day.

Didn't anybody else in the Obama administration do the same thing? $500 toilet seats? Anyone in the whitehouse remember? College anyone? History majors? Anyone? Anyone bother to read Newsweek?

Come on. They're supposed to be the smart folks in the room.