DEFENCE
WASSANA NANUAM
The army has decided to buy six new multi-role helicopters from Russia, the first time it has opted not to buy helicopters from the United states.
Army chief Gen Anupong Paojinda said yesterday the army had decided to procure six Mi-17 helicopters from Russia because they met its needs and were cheaper than the American Black Hawk helicopters.
The army has one billion baht in hand to purchase the first three Mi-17s and will divert funds earlier allocated for the repair of its old helicopters to buy the other three, he said.
Army spokesman Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the army had cancelled planned repairs to 16 old HU-1 helicopters.
They had been in use for more than four decades and the contractor could not finish the repairs on schedule because of a lack of spare parts.
A committee headed by army assistant chief Gen Theerawat Boonyapradap, a former cadet classmate of Gen Anupong, had decided that buying the Russian helicopters was the better option. The Mi-17 could carry 36 troops and a light military vehicle at the same time. The smaller Black Hawk could carry only 13 soldiers and was much more expensive.
"We can get three Mi-17 helicopters for the same cost as one Black Hawk helicopter," the army spokesman said.
The first three Mi-17s are priced at 950 million baht, with another 50 million baht for pilot training and ground equipment.
Col Sansern said Mi-17s were used in many countries and could be used for rescue work. The supplies of spare parts available would allow them to stay in service for decades.
The purchase needs approval from Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, who is also the defence minister.
Russia had offered to sell Mi-17s to Thailand at 168 million baht each in 2006, but the price has now risen to more than 300 million baht each. The deal has been arranged by the same brokerage firm that supplied the army with 96 armoured vehicles from Ukraine for four billion baht - a deal criticised as lacking transparency.
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