Senator: Pentagon cancels plans to buy Russian helicopters
The Pentagon will no longer buy Russian helicopters for the Afghan Air Force from Rosoboronexport, a state-owned arms exporter that also sells weapons to the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad, a leading Senate opponent of such deals said on Wednesday.
The switch in Pentagon policy appears to end its plans to buy an additional 15 Russian Mi-17 helicopters for $345 million, sources familiar with the matter said. "I applaud the Defense Department's decision to finally cancel its plan to buy additional helicopters from Rosoboronexport," Senator John Cornyn, Texas Republican, said in a statement. (Reuters)
