Peru begins receiving second batch of Mi-171Sh helos

[ابوقحط]

When deliveries are complete, the Peruvian armed forces will field 38 Mi-171Sh-variant helicopters. Source: Russian Helicopters
Peru has begun receiving the second batch of Mil Mi-17 'Hip' transport and assault helicopters that it ordered in late 2013, Russian Helicopters announced on 3 December.

The first four of 24 Mi-171Sh-variant helicopters arrived in the South American country a month ahead of schedule aboard an Antonov An-124 'Condor' strategic transport aircraft. They will have completed their acceptance tests and be operational by 9 December.

A further four helicopters will be delivered to the Armed Forces' Army Aviation brigade before the end of the year, with the remaining 16 arriving in 2015. In addition to delivering the helicopters, Russian Helicopters is setting up a maintenance facility in Peru to be ready by 2016.

The Mi-171Sh deal signed in December 2013 was part of a wider procurement process to enable the Peruvian military to build-up its rotary-winged capabilities to better combat the Shining Path insurgency.

In July 2010 the Peruvian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced that it was buying six Mi-171Sh and two Mi-35P 'Hind' attack helicopters to augment the seven Mi-25 'Hind' and eight Mi-17 helicopters that had been in service since 1983 and 1984 respectively. Both Mi-35P helicopters were delivered in April 2011, with the Mi-171Shs arriving in two separate batches in May and September of the same year. While the Mi-171Shs have been shared equally between the air force and the army, both Mi-35s joined the air force.

In July 2014 Peru announced it was to buy another eight Mi-171Sh helicopters to be fielded by both the army and the air force. When deliveries are complete (no timeline for the final batch of eight helicopters has been released), the Peruvian armed forces will field 38 Mi-171Sh-variant helicopters.

Designated Mi-8AMTSh by the Russian military, the Mi-171Sh (international designation) is fitted with more powerful engines, additional fuel tanks, ballistic armour, a night-vision goggle compatible cockpit, modern navigation equipment, the option for a nose-mounted thimble radome, and a chin-mounted electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) turret.

It can also accommodate new weapons systems on 'wing' pylons, such as 9M343/9M39 Igla 'Grouse' air-to-air missiles, 9M114/9M114M Shturm-V 'Spiral' air-to-surface missiles, 23 mm gun pods, and B8V20A rocket pods equipped with S-8 80 mm unguided rockets.

In addition to Peru and Russia, the Mi-171Sh is operated by Croatia, the Czech Republic, and Ecuador.
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