Russia adds another base to Venezuela: it will open a maintenance center for military helicopters

Russia plans to open it in the months to come a maintenance center for military helicopters under construction in VenezuelaThe CEO of Russian Helicopters company Igor Cheshikov said Tuesday.

"Virtually all the necessary equipment has been provided to the country. Our experts are there and the equipment is being badembled and put into service. We hope that the work [de construcción del centro] is finished this year, "he said according to the Russian agency Interfax.

The inauguration of the helicopter maintenance center It was originally scheduled for 2018, but it has been delayed for reasons that are unclear, although everything points to the serious political and economic crisis that is going through this country of South America.

Cheshikov explained that Venezuela remains interested in the project and Russian Helicopters, a company controlled by the Russian state, wants to fulfill its obligations.

"We will finish [los trabajos] and any future cooperation will depend on the wishes of the Venezuelan side"he explained.

The past On March 29, a training center for helicopter pilots was inaugurated in Venezuela, which was built with the participation of Russia, reported the agency EFE.

According to the official agency RIA Nóvosti, In the last ten years, Venezuela has received 50 Russian Mil family helicopters.

In addition, In recent months, the arrival of Russian personnel and equipment in the country has been reported, at a time when geopolitical tensions in the country, where Chavez's president and president, Nicolás Maduro, is supported by Russia and the interim president and leader of the opposition, Juan Guaidó, receive instead the support the United States.

A large fleet of war helicopters

The largest helicopter operator is currently the Venezuelan army., which operates 10 Mi-35 attack helicopters and Mi-17 (21) and Mi-26 (3) freighters. The Air Force and the Navy each have six Mi-17s.

In the case of Mi-35, this is an export variant of the famous Mil Mi-24 attack helicopter, known to NATO under the name of "Hind". This "flying chariot" or "crocodile", as the Russians call it, entered service in 1972 in the Soviet Union and It can carry a vast arsenal of cannons, machine guns, rockets, bombs and missiles.

He can, moreover, carry eight equipped soldiers or four stretchers without losing their offensive ability.

The "Hind" had its baptism of fire in 1977 in Africa, operated by Ethiopia. But he reached his peak fame during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, between 1979 and 1989, where he demonstrated his abilities.

Russian helicopters defines the Mil-35 currently operated by Venezuela as being "a multipurpose military transport helicopter intended for the execution of combat missions by day and by night and in adverse weather conditions".

This is the version Mil Mi-35M2 "Caribe", of which Venezuela would have about 10 units, according to the 2018 World Air Forces Yearbook, consultant Flightglobal.

In the region, Brazil also operates a similar versionwhile Peru, Nicaragua and Cuba keep or maintain versions of Mil Mi-24 in their arsenals.

However, the Russian helicopter with the largest presence in the Venezuelan armed forces is the Mil Mi-17, a military cargo aircraft whose first version, the Mi-8, entered service in 1978.

Although it is designed for transportation of up to 24 serviced soldiers or loads up to four tons, and as such, it's when their abilities are used to the best, He can be armed.

"Helicopter type Mi-8/17 are one of the most successful achievements of the Russian Helicopter School ""Says Russian Helicopters, adding that its manufacture took place in the factories of Ulan-Ude and Kazan and that in 2014, it had reached 12,000 units.

The Venezuelan army operates 21 Mi-17, while the Air Force and the Navy maintain six each, for a total of 33 aircraft, according to Flightglobal.

In addition, the army employs three heavy helicopters Mi-26. It is a giant introduced in 1983 that has the capacity to transport up to 20 tonnes of freight, this is the largest aircraft of this type and type produced in series in the world.

"Helicopters of this type are intended to fulfill various missions: transport, evacuation, firefighting among others," says the manufacturer.