The Department of National Defense (DND) is in no rush to acquire Russian Mi-17 helicopters, although it sees the need for the Armed Forces of the Philippines to build up its capability by acquiring land, sea and air assets.
This, in a jest, was what Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told the BusinessMirror following reports that the military is acquiring 16 units of the Russian-made medium-lift helicopters as part of its air lift and transport requirement.
The choppers, offered at the price of $14.7 million apiece and with a total worth of P12.5 billion, were reportedly dangled with one free additional helicopter through Rosoboronexport, Russia’s official arms exporter.
Lorenzana said it was the Philippine Air Force (PAF) as the end user that has expressed preference for the Russian helicopters.
“The PAF wants to acquire the Mi-17. There is no contract yet nor a contract will be signed in Russia during this trip,” Lorenzana said.
President Duterte begins today an official visit to Russia, his second in office, where he is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Lorenzana said that while the Air Force wanted the Mi-17, it has to go through a proper evaluation.
“Our TWG [technical working group] is still studying it,” the defense secretary said.
If the government acquires the Russian medium-lift helicopter through Rosoboronexport, this would be the first Philippine military procurement from Moscow, but it would run the risk of violating US sanctions.
Rosoboronexport, it was learned, was among the Russian firms sanctioned by the US government over Russia’s alleged violations that included its annexation of Crimea, and its involvement in the Syrian civil war and in US presidential elections, among others.