Czech Mi-171Sh (Afghanistan)

[Marek_Tucan]

Just thought it might be interesting...
Czech AF has three modernised Mi-171Sh helicopters ready for action in Afghanistan. The modernisation (for all 16 Mi-171s) included (apart from NVG-friendly avionics):
FLIR
door mounts for PK GPMG in both side doors (while the nose mount for PK is absent)
Side pylons capable of carrying fuel tanks only

Specific changes for mission in A-stan:
New warning recievers
New countermeasure system
added rear gun mounted on ramp, also PK
Change of right-door mount to take 12.7mm HMG (though not mounted yet, as of now only 3xPK)
Change of side pylons back to ordnance-carrying capabilities

As a point of interest with these helis, the board gunners reappear in our helicopter force, apart from few Mi-4s no flexible-mounted weapons were carried in Czechoslovakian and Czech transport helicopters.

[Wdll]

Czechs gave the Afghanistan goverment 12 helicopters. Six Mi-17 and 6 Mi-24. One of them (I think Mi-17) crashed in January (weather related) with the death of 13 onboard. According to the defense ministry they will give Afghanistan another 3 transport helicopters.

[Marek_Tucan]

Yep, wantd to write about these today - AFAIK the Mi-17 crashed into a mountain in bad weather.

[Marek_Tucan]

Update (Okay, thread necromancy, I know): Czech Mi-171's are already in the Sandbox, now they're facing a quick training on-spot and then hooray to action. Judging from pictures, still only PK machineguns mounted, so no M3 .50 so far.
Will keep you informed.

[DRG]

They are now in the Afghan OOB

Don

[thatguy96]

In case anyone's interested, ISAF has now put up a factsheet on donations to the ANA since 2006: http://www.isaf.nato.int/images/stories/File/Dec_2009-Fact_Sheet_ANA_Equip_Prog.pdf