TBILISI, September 3 (AVN) - US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld sent a letter to Georgian Defence Minister David Tevzadze informing him that the Georgian-US contract on gratuitous supplies of 10 Iroquois helicopters to Georgia would be implemented in mid-September.
Originally the contract implementation was to start on August 21. Six helicopters were to be handed to the Georgian Air Force while four others were envisaged for use as trainers and component parts. Though the supplies of those helicopters were postponed at the request from the US party, who cited technical reasons as the cause of the delay. The helicopters failed to perform all control flights on a US military base in Germany on time.
The Iroquois helicopter is one of the most popular ones in the US Armed Forces. Apart from crew members the helicopter can carry 11 people. Its maximum speed is 190km/h, practical ceiling is 3,840m, range of flight is 630km and take-off weight is 4,309kg. The helicopters are produced by the Bell company. The Georgian-US contract's volume is some USD15m.
The sum comrpises the cost of the helicopters and the training of 34 Georgian pilots and mechanics in the USA. The US party will cover all expenses as it aims to adjust the Georgian Armed Forces to NATO standards.
The letter from Rumsfeld also says that taking into account security issues in the Caucasus the Georgian-US co-operation will be extended and aimed at reduction and restructuring of the Georgian Armed Forces. Particularly, the US party will continue providing support to modernisation of the 111 motorised rifle brigade, the most combat-ready unit in the Georgian army.