Peruvian Armed Forces To Buy MI-171 Helicopters

The Peruvian Armed Forces has signed an agreement with Russia to buy 24 MI-171 helicopters, including the delivery of a flight simulator and related training equipment.

It is anticipated that the first helicopters will arrive in Peru during the second half of 2014, and the balance in 2015.

Additionally, the Russian Federation will establish in Peru a Regional Maintenance and Repair Center for helicopters, with the required equipment, as was proposed by the Russian Minister of Defense, Serguéi Shoigú, during his recent visit to our country.

The Regional Maintenance Center will be inaugurated during the first quarter of 2016, and in 2018 its capabilities will be extended to include major maintenance.

With this center, Peru will be able to provide all required maintenance for all countries in Latin America which operate Russian-manufactured helicopters.

Furthermore, the agreement with Russia will allow the co-production of some components of the MI-171 helicopter, as required by the policies pursued by the government of President Ollanta Humala.

The MI-171 sh-P helicopters are in a special configuration developed for operations at high altitudes and rough terrain, and are particularly intended to pursue counter-narcotics and anti-terrorism operations in the Valley of the Rivers Apurimac, Ene and Mantaro (VRAEM).

This government-to-government agreement also guarantees the transfer of technology and the training of personnel to ensure operation of the Regional Maintenance Center.