Czechs Wins Greater Role in Russian Helo Upgrades

The Protocol, signed during the recent visit of President of the Russian Federation in Prague, will enable LOM Prague company provide repairs and upgrading of not only Russian helicopters kept by the Czech military but also of NATO and other countries. "This is the good news for our LOM Praha company for it can upgrade in future not only helicopters of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic as so far, but also aircraft from equipment of our NATO allies and other countries. For the LOM, it´s a chance to enter new markets," Jiri Sedivy, First Deputy Minister of Defence, said. For repairs and upgrading of helicopters, the Czech LOM Prague company, as an end user, will moreover use only original spare parts delivered by Russian companies ROSOBORONEXPORT and OBORONPROM, according to the Protocol, which has become part of the Czech-Russian agreement on Mi type helicopters as of 27 April 2007. The LOM Prague is capable of repairing and upgrading Russian-made helicopters of Mi-24 (Mi-35), Mi-171S (Mi-8, Mi-17) types.