Russia Selling Gunships, Not Fighters, To Lebanon
 

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php...=TOP&i=4518051

Russia Selling Gunships, Not Fighters, To Lebanon

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Published: 27 Feb 2010
BEIRUT, Lebanon - Russia has agreed to supply Lebanon with Mi-24 helicopter gunships instead of the MIG-29 fighter jets originally agreed, the office of Lebanese President Michel Sleiman said Feb. 27.

"The Russian authorities agreed to replace the MIG-29 fighters, initially foreseen in their military aid, with Mi-24 helicopters as the Lebanese army urgently needs this type of aircraft equipped with rockets and sophisticated means of defense," a statement said.

Sleiman held talks Feb. 25 with his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, in Moscow, the first visit by a Lebanese head of state to Russia.

Lebanon's defense minister, Elias Murr, told reporters 10 Mi-24s would be delivered instead of 10 MIG-29s.

The statement from Sleiman's office said that while in Moscow the president also signed a "military cooperation agreement providing for the supply of equipment to the Lebanese army and the training of its officers and men."

Does anyone know the complexity/cost of the logistics chain to support the MIG-29 vs the Mi-24. That may have something to do with Russia offering up the gunship instead of the fighter. Logistics such as training pipeline, spare parts manufacturing/availability, etc. The MIG-29 may be old news in the Lebanon AOA. This may be more of a step sideways for the Russians; perhaps to send a message to Iran re: their next military buy. Just wondering.

Not much of a call for BAI in Lebanon - however, CAS might be another story and the Mi-24 would surely add some oomph to the list of potential threats to the IDF.

Richard's $.02 :munchin

I would think that you could get a lot more Mi-24s for your money than MiG-29s.

IMHO, someone got screwed.

TR