Russia to Use Helicopters to Repay Loans

rock45

Active member
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Russia to Use Helicopters to Repay Loans
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]AUGUST 22, 2007 06:20[/FONT]

It has been confirmed that the Korean government asked the Russian government to repay loans taken out by the former Soviet Union by giving Korea helicopters produced in Russia. This is a part the measures proposed in the “Third Bulgom Project” of the government.
According to sources from the military on August 21, Chief of Naval Operations Song Yeong-moo met high-ranking military officers in Russia during his visit to Russia in the middle of this month and informed that the Korean government is considering writing off a portion of the loans taken out by the Soviet Union in exchange for 30 Russian helicopters and accessories.

The Russian government is reportedly warm to the proposal.

Meanwhile, in late 2006, the Ministry of National Defense had included landing utility helicopters and search and rescue helicopters on its list of items that it wanted to purchase from Russia.

In addition, the Marine Corps wants a force that can carry out landing operations independently, equipped with attack helicopters and assault helicopter squadrons, by 2015.

Experts predict that the helicopters will be Ka-32 or Mi-38 types, which are often used in multiple roles.

Considering the high price of Russian helicopters (priced from 7 billion won to 10 billion won) and other accessories, the loan write-off total is expected to be hundreds of billions of won.

Russia owes 1.33 billion dollars (equivalent to 1.2630 trillion won). Under a treaty signed by two governments in 2003, the Russian government has to repay all of it from 2007 through 2009.

Despite this, the Russian government has consistently asked the Korean government to offset the loan by accepting goods. The Korean government seems to have accepted this request this time.

Given that the government is expanding the portion of the loans being repaid in military goods, the import of Russian military equipment is expected to grow.

http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?bicode=020000&biid=2007082207288
 
South Korea has a huge shortage of rotary wing aircraft. I for one, while in the service only got to see helicopters from a distance. Never got to ride in one.
The South Korean military overall is huge, especially for the size of the country and basically it needs to find a cheaper alternative to American hardware. The Blackhawks and Chinooks may be great but they're just too expensive.
South Korea has been operating some Russian made helicopters such as the Hip (for Police use) and Helix (mostly Navy) for some time now.
I think this is a good idea. South Korea's rough terrain and limited roads favor airmobile tactics but there just isn't enough helicopters to pull it off.

The danger of course, lies in IFF.
 
Price

I agree the Blackhawk's and Chinooks cost a lot more then the Russian birds and South Korea does have some history with Russian gear. The South Korea already uses T-84 tank from Russia and BMP-3. It makes sense like you pointed out they need helicopters and this way there getting something back for the money owed to them.


http://www.metacafe.com/watch/254452/t_80u_main_battle_tank/ - In action

Other Russian tank info links sold to SK
http://www.army-technology.com/projects/t80/

South Korea
BMP-3 IFV
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TjDWusigwo
http://www.army-technology.com/projects/bmp-3/
 
Yes there is a limited number of T-84s and BMP-3s in the South Korean Army's arsenal.
The vast majority of South Korean equipment is still American though.
I don't know the story behind those tanks and APCs but that helicopter shortage needed to be solved somehow.
 
Wait what?!?!?!?!?! South Korea loaned the Soviet Union Money and they use some Soviet Equipment.....

How the hell did this happen?
 
Putin is in Charged and he is damn trying to bring it back.... It's still the Soviet Union in my humble opinion.
 
Russiya Novaya... with Gazprom paying the bills.

I can't track it down yet but I'm pretty sure this debt Luis is the blood money the USSR owes South Korea for shooting down the KAL flight in the 80's.
 
The sad part was the Soviet fighter pilot confirmed that it was indeed a passenger airliner but was ordered to shoot it down because their loiter time was up. Soviet MiGs were never given a full tank of gas in fears of defection.

Actually two KAL airliners were shot down by Soviet aircraft.
KAL Flight 902 and KAL Flight 007. Flight 007 is more famous as all lives aboard were lost compared to Flight 907 where only two passengers were killed.
 
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