CASR
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In Detail |
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Canada in Afghanistan – NATO –
Medium-Lift Helicopter Assets – March 2008 Afghan Medium-Lift – Searching for Available NATO Mil Helicopters Assessing Mi-8/'-17s in Romanian, Bulgarian, and Turkish Service Stephen Priestley, Researcher, Canadian American Strategic Review (CASR) Newest of the New NATO – Mils and Other Medium-Lift Helicopters in Romanian Service
The Romanians have never been big users of medium-lift Mils. Aérospatiale’s SA 330 Puma was built under licence in Romania by IAR Brasov. The IAR 330 has been the main Romanian military helicopter (recently also entering service as a shipboard helicopter). Small numbers of Mi-8T/Mi-8PS types do serve the Romanian military and government beside a few Mi-17s. [1] 
The Mi-8PS now operates in the VIP role but Mi-8Ts still fly as transports (left) but only half a dozen
or so remain in Air Force ( the Forţele Aeriene Române) service. These Mi-8s serve in a
combined unit of different helicopter types (including Mi-17s), the Unitatea Specialâ de
Aviaţie based at Bucuresti-Baneasa. Romanian troops have served alongside Canadians in southern
Afghanistan – while other Romanian troops served in Kabul – but, so far, no Romanian air
assets have been sent to Afghan- istan other than a single C-130 Hercules flying a supply shuttle.As mentioned, Mils serve with other branches of the Romanian government, such as an Mi-8 used by the Ministry of Administration and Interior and a Police Mi-17. But these aircraft are also part of the Unitatea Speciala de Aviatie. It seems highly unlikely that Romania would deploy any of its small fleet of Mils to further aid the Canadian efforts in Kandahar province. Newest of the New NATO – Mils and Other Medium-Lift Helicopters in Bulgarian Service
Bulgarian troops have been part of ISAF since 2002 (the Bulgarians in Kabul fall under Italian command). More interesting, from a Canadian perspective, was the quadrupling of Bulgarian ISAF troops in mid-2007, including taking over security for the Kandahar Air Field from the departing Romanians. This is an important mission but remains a ‘behind-the-wire’ operation. 
Bulgaria clearly wants to prove itself in Afghanistan – but would that extend as far as deploying helicopters ?
The Bulgarian Air Force (Bulgarsky Voennovazdushni Sili or BVVS) has 16 Mi-17s in service (there had
been 18 but one went to a government flight, another to the navy). [2] Having so recently increased
troop strength in Afghanistan and its ISAF commitment, Bulgaria may already feel overstretched. However, Bulgaria
might be able to provide the medium-lift if Canada was prepared to foot the cost of airlifting their Mi-17s to
KAF and to fund their in-theatre flight operations.Update: Umit Enginsoy and BE Bekdil reported in Defense News on 09 Mar 2009 that Turkey may be willing to donate 20 Mi-17s to Afghanstan (along with other equipment, training, etc). Turkish Gendarme Helicopters – Already Deployed in Afghanistan but Where’s the Mils? Turkey’s Gendarmerie (Jandarma Genel Komutanlığı) is a branch of the armed forces that is largely responsible for internal security. The ISAF deployment (Kabul and Faizabad) was the first use of the Jandarma outside Turkey. A handful of the Turkish Army’s Black Hawks [3] have deployed to Kabul in support of ISAF. But it is the Jandarma that operates the Mi-17s.
The Jandarma has 18 Mi-17 V-1s serving with 2.Helicopter Filo at Ankara-Güvercinlik where they operate alongside S-70A Black Hawks and AB205 Hueys. No other Turkish military unit flies the medium-lift Mil helicopters. Four Mi-17 variants were delivered to the Jandarma: the basic utility transport, a gunship (with weapons pylons), a VIP transport, and an ambulance. 
The Jandarma makes no secret of the Black Hawk being its prefered helicopter. With a lower value placed
on the Mi-17 and the Jandarma already in Afghanistan, it would seem a simple matter to convince the Turks
to send its Mi-17s. However, Turkey has no interest in sending troops into southern Afghanistan (emphasizing
training for the ANA instead). It is equally unlikely that Turkey would be willing to deploy helicopters to
assist Canadian troops in Kandahar. Allowing a transit point for shipments at Incirlik Air Base is probably
Turkey’s greatest contribution to NATO in Afghanistan. Turkish combat operations in Afghanistan were never
highly probable. Sending helicopters to KAF seems equally unlikely.[1] The Mi-8T are transport/cargo helicopters. The Mi-8PS acted as an aerial command post. [2] The BVVS received 21 Mi-17 V-1s in the mid-’80s. Four electronic warfare Mi-17PP models were delivered at the same time. The latter have since been converted and leased for civil use. [3] The Turkish Army (Türk Kara Kuvvetleri or TKK) is the major Black Hawk user. The AF (Türk Hava Kuvvetler) also operates S-70A Black Hawks (along with Bell UH-1Hs and other types) while the Turkish Navy (Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri) flies S-70B Sea Hawks and Agustas. |
