The Kyrgyz Air Force Receives A New Mi-17V-5 Helicopter From Russia
The Kyrgyz Air Force received the Mi-17V-5 helicopter purchased under a contract signed between the Ministry of Defense of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian Rosoboronexport Aerospace and defense company at a ceremony held at the Frunze-1 airport in the north of the capital Bishkek. The event was attended by the Minister of Defense of the Kyrgyz Republic, Lieutenant General Baktybek Bekbolotov, representatives of Rosoboronexport JSC and Kazan Helicopter Factory, and the command and staff of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic.
Baktybek Bekbolotov, Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Defense, stated at the ceremony that “the Mi-17 multipurpose helicopter will significantly increase the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic to solve the assigned tasks.” The Lieutenant General also stated that the funds for the purchase of the aforementioned equipment came from the republic’s budget.
Kyrgyzstan, which has had a weak air force since its independence from the Soviet Union, currently has Antonov An-26 military transport aircraft, Mil Mi-8 utility helicopters, Mil Mi-24 attack helicopters, and Aero L-39 Albatros light attack aircraft in its inventory. As a result, Kyrgyzstan has spent $1 billion USD since 2021 to improve the country’s military equipment. With this budget, the country purchased Bayraktar TB2, Bayraktar Akıncı, TAI Aksungur, and TAI Anka drones from Turkey, as well as Orlan-10 drones from Russia. During this time, Kyrgyzstan also received the “Pechora-2BM” air defense missile system, communications equipment, various weapons, anti-tank and helicopter ammunition, engineering equipment, sniper rifles, pistols, grenades, and rockets from Belarus.
According to Kyrgyzstan’s President, Sadyr Japarov, the country plans on purchasing more Russian-made Mi-17 military helicopters in the near future, with the exception of the Mi-17V-5 helicopter, which will be delivered under a contract signed in October 2021. Japarov describes this acquisition plan as a measure to strengthen the country’s national security in light of global developments.