Pentagon To Buy Russia Helicopters Despite Congressional Ban

The US Department of Defense on Thursday announced it plans to circumnavigate a Congressional prohibition to purchase 30 helicopters worth $690 million from Rosoboronexport despite allegations that the firm armed the Syrian government in its on-going conflict with rebels.

“The Department of Defense (DOD) has notified Congress of its intent to contract with Rosoboronexport for 30 additional Mi-17 rotary-wing aircraft to support the Afghanistan National Security Forces (ANSF) Special Mission Wing,” Pentagon spokesman James Gregory told RIA Novosti.

The 2013 National Defense Authorization Act, approved by Congress last year, includes an amendment that prohibits financial contracts between the United States and Rosoboronexport, except when the Secretary of Defense determines that such arrangements are in the interest of national security, according to Ria Novosti.

“Given current timelines, the department has determined that Rosoboronexport is the only viable means of meeting ANSF requirements” for the helicopters, Gregory said.

In a letter to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, a bipartisan Congressional group wrote last week objecting to the ongoing business relationship between the Russian arms company and the Pentagon.

“What is the national security justification of continuing business with Rosoboronexport?” they asked in the letter.

“Russia continues to transfer weapons through Rosoboronexport to the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria,” they continued. “Since the Syrian uprising began, Russia has continued to serve as the Assad regime’s chief supplier of weapons, enabling the mass murder of Syrian citizens at the hands of their own government.”

Meanwhile Russia has insisted that the deliveries are legal under international law and that it is not supplying Syria with offensive weapons.