Russia sells 14 heavy helicopters to Algeria before the end of 2017

“Interfax” Russian Military News Agency quoted a source in the Russian Defense Ministry as saying that “Moscow and Algeria signed two agreements through which Russia sells to Algeria 14 Helicopters of type Mil Mi-26T2, which are characterized by being large and used to transport soldiers, as technical change was applied on their system.

Russian Military News Agency quoted a source in the military industrial company “Rostvertol”, that the company signed two contracts with the Algerian government to supply it with heavy and advanced model helicopters of the type Mi-26T2.

According to the source, the “first contract includes the supply of six Mi-26T2 helicopters, while the second includes supplying it with eight helicopters of the same type.”

“Algeria was supplied with two helicopters in the spring of this year, as part of the implementation of the first contract’s term, and the second contracts’ terms will be applied before the end of the current year. The contract does not include only two exporting helicopters, but the training of Algerian pilots and technicians. Completion of the execution of the contract will be before the end of 2017.”

Algeria is among the largest buyers of weapons, in light of the increasing security challenges on the border with the neighboring countries, and is also considered one of the main customers of Russian weapons.

Algeria’s imports from the Russian Military Industry reached, during the last four years, the equivalent of 8% of Russia’s imports of arms.