Russian Helicopters Pips Eurocopter in $406 Million Peruvian Contract: Reports

Buenos Aires , March 31: The Peruvian defence ministry is likely to buy 24 Russian Mil Mi-171 (Hip) helicopters worth $406.8 million to use them in the fight against drug trafficking and terrorists, reports from Buenos Aires said. 

La Republica newspaper  reported that the country’s Defense Ministry has submitted to the Economics Ministry a draft resolution based on a comparative study of Russian helicopters Mil Mi-171 and Eurocopter AS332 Super Pumas and AS532 Cougars in which the Russian chopper is supposed to have emerged the overall better option in terms of cost and performance.

The Russian side offered buying its products during talks between a Russian government delegation and Peruvian Defense Ministry representatives in the Peruvian capital Lima in early March.

Each chopper is expected to cost over $16.9 million. According to the plan of deliveries, 21 helicopters will be supplied to Peru in 2014, and three more in 2015.

The newspaper said the Peruvian Defense Ministry is also interested in supplies of additional on-board armaments and equipment for Russian-made helicopters. Russia also proposed conducting training courses for pilots both in Russia and in Peru.

If the decisions are made, the contract’s sum would rise to $486 million. If the deal is successful, it would be the first in 30 years for the Peruvian government to buy aircraft directly from the manufacturer.