South Sudan army admits the 10 helicopters deal
January 28, 2011 (JUBA) – South Sudan army confirmed today that it purchased 10 military transport helicopters to enhance the mobility of its troops.
“This is the first attempt to equip an air force and make it functional … we need a strong army when we are an independent nation,” SPLA spokesperson, Philip Aguer, told Reuters on Friday.
Aguer further said these transport helicopters can also be used as gunships to secure the border of Southern Sudan, which is on the verge of independence, from rebel groups particularly the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).
However he did not say from where they bought the planes.
Last September, Southern Sudan denied reports disclosing the deal of 10 MI-17 manufactured by the Russian Kazan Helicopters.
Bloomberg on 7 September 2010 reported that the first four helicopters had been transported from Kazan airport to Entebbe in Uganda on Aug. 12 aboard an Antonov AN-124 aircraft, according to correspondence between the parties.
Also in August of the last year, the SMC, which is close to the Sudanese intelligence service, reported that the SPLA bought 11 planes from Kazan Aircraft Production Association (KAPA). But the SPLA dismissed the report and denied that the pilots were trained in Uganda.
The SPLA spokesperson Aguer highlighted that the establishment of the SPLA air force should not irritate the Sudan Armed Forces which has superior air force.
“They have hundreds of jet fighters, how could they be antagonised by 10 transport helicopters?”, Aguer said, adding “We want to help them and work together to make Sudan secure in the future.”
Two days ago the SPLA launched officially, its air force in a ceremony attended by the South Sudan government president Salva Kiir Mayadrit who is also the SPLA’s commander-in-chief.
In June 2008, the Southern Sudan parliament endorsed a SPLA White Paper on Defence stating that the armed forces should consist of “grounds force supported by air and riverine units.”
(ST)
Anyang
South Sudan army admits the 10 helicopters deal
It’s a right to builds,equips and above all transform our army.
Tribe
South Sudan army admits the 10 helicopters deal
Mr.Aguer
Before you get hype up or carried away with those 10 rotary-wing aircrafts,let make sure we put right expertises behind them. It would not be more stupid to hear those mediocre pilots and maintainances throw those millions down the drain.
saban John
South Sudan army admits the 10 helicopters deal
those planes is a good plan by our government but the question is who is the pilot inside? we have to hire ethiopian or kenyan, this people have light skin, they have intelligent gene. they will get thing faster and pilot us safely. our government don’t really understand. sometimes i could not sleep when i think of the unwise decisions our government is taking.
may allah open the eyes of south sudan parliament to see light and eyes to hear.
Gatwech
South Sudan army admits the 10 helicopters deal
Spokesman Aguer,
I am a concern. Those kids trained as pilots should not be the ones to rely one if (God forbids) they are called to duty to handle the helicopters as gunships.
Being trained to pick up a helicopter for fun in the air is different from how you used it in dangerous zones.
I saw the faces of the so-called pilots. They are kids who can easily panick during real fighting and may crash all those helicopters.
You know, it psychologically affects inexperienced pilots when they see the red-light indicator of the enemy’s anti-aircraft weapon pointing at their paricular helicopters. They panick and crash technically unless they are mature and experienced pilots who can courageously maneuver.
We better hire better experienced and mature pilots from our neighboring countries if it comes to real action. Other wise, you will lose those helicopters in a day.
I had an experience that when people graduated from Bongo, some military officers used to give heavy weapons to their relatives, but that turned out to be disasterous because they abandoned them in real action.
Well, it is a good attempt even though we did not have our national anthem to sing and new flag to raise for the new nation during the inauguration our air force. The real air force will come someday, insh’allah.
Peter Elia Kuzee
South Sudan army admits the 10 helicopters deal
TO BOL DENG.
Thank you for what you wrote,this brothers of ours use to write bad things, and this web is for shering ideas not to insults and abusing there leaders.
Let them stop such things.
actiongatkuoth
South Sudan army admits the 10 helicopters deal
it,S good for SPLA to be srong and equips as independence country ,
in order such lra /rebel will have no room in south.
i wish SPLA to be strong and work hard for their own country.
SPLA OYEEEEEEEEEEEEEE????????????////
Janafil
South Sudan army admits the 10 helicopters deal
I propose a regular practice of our pilots and they also need to be kept busy not to involve in bars where they may involve in excessive drinking, I know South Sudanses are very intelegent and they can apply those intelegency and braveness in drinking and later foreget thier vital duties.
Southern_Stocker
South Sudan army admits the 10 helicopters deal
I wonder how many clinics have been build n South Sudan of High standard? Every thing army , army Army is important but above al the Armies health is most important…
Southern_Stocker
South Sudan army admits the 10 helicopters deal
Who is going to fly the helicopters? Inexperience Pilots..or baby pilots… as some already mentioned … they will crash them all in one month because the money are all robed by the boss…..and when they get sick those pilots will die all or they will be sent to South africa to be treated very expensive in order to drain more money from the state.
Some times I dont know how our leaders think… They are running a Nation not a army … where are schools, hospitals and other public utilities? I wish I could hear one day a heading “GOSS BEING ACUSED OF PURCHASING THE MOST EXPENSIVE MEDICAL AND EDICATIONAL EQUIPMENTS”
God be with us and another War between north and south.
Joseph Makuer
South Sudan army admits the 10 helicopters deal
An independence nation must have atlease some of its power to defense the nation. We need a toltal of at least 131 helicopters on the ground for any future threat.
the Voices of a losts
South Sudan army admits the 10 helicopters deal
well here SPLA do have fewer captains but more engineers ground and on air, we do need more and more.
God bless us all love.