MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th August, 2020) Russia will provide maintenance services for the Mi-171E helicopters acquired by Argentina and the respective agreement has already been reached, Argentine Ambassador to Russia Ricardo Lagorio told Sputnik in an interview.
"We are interested, but it is not on our plan because we do not have the budget. What we have just agreed on is that we are going to do the maintenance of these helicopters, there is already an agreement to make the maintenance of those helicopters with Russia," Lagorio said when asked whether Buenos Aires plans to purchase more helicopters from Russia.
It is still unclear whether Russia will set up a maintenance center in Argentina, or will just send specialists or components to its Latin American partner, the ambassador added.
In 2011, Argentina purchased two Russian Mi-171E helicopters to use them in air operations in Antarctica. The helicopters have received positive feedback from pilots and the Argentinian Defense Ministry regarding their technical characteristics and reliability.
