Pakistan’s Interest in Russian Arms (Part 3): Helicopters Plus

Though it was not mentioned by the Pakistani Minister of Defence, Khurram Dastgir Khan, in his comments to the Russian News Agency RIA Novosti, helicopters are an issue of mutual interest between Russia and Pakistan. The Pakistan Army Aviation Corps (PAA) and the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) already operate Mil Mi-17/171 transport helicopters, while the PAA is receiving four Mi-35M attack helicopters from Russian Helicopters. Granted, the subject matter does not attract as much attention as the talk surrounding main battle tanks (MBT), Su-35 fighters or air defence systems, but it is an area that fulfils the underlying points discussed in part-one and part-two of this series, specifically: (1) cost feasibility vis-à-vis Pakistan’s fiscal realities, (2) active requirements (with Mi-171s already in place) fueling interest, (3) Russia’s willingness.

Pakistan ordered four Mi-35Ms from Russian Helicopters in 2015 for $153 million US.[1] Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence Production (MoDP) stated that the contract also included ground support equipment (GSE).[2] When Pakistan signed the contract, IHS Jane’s had reported that the PAA could procure up to 20 Mi-35s through the long-term, conditional on Pakistan’s fiscal situation. This initial Mi-35M batch was bought via cash the Pakistan Army already had on-hand.[3] Today, the Mi-35M is the only active Russian defence sale to Pakistan, one the Kremlin has coloured as its support for Pakistan’s counterinsurgency (COIN) efforts.

Helicopters: Potential for Growth?

In contrast to other big-ticket defence items, helicopters – be it transport, scout/utility and/or attack helicopters – could conceivably generate growth in Russian defence sales to Pakistan.

Firstly, the area has traction in place through not only the Mi-35M, but the longstanding supply of Mil Mi-17/171 medium-lift transport helicopters to the PAA and the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). The Mi-17-series is a mainstay transport in the PAA (as a medium-to-heavy-lift platform), while the PAF operates the Mi-171 as a ‘heavyweight’ in its composite (i.e. mixed-fleet) search-and-rescue helicopter units. Thus, not only do Russian helicopters have traction in terms of sales, but the PAA and PAF prefer them as workhorses.

Secondly, the Russians are willing to sell. One can evidently count upon the Mi-35M and Mi-171 as being available to Pakistan, but grounded reports of the Mi-28-series being offered had emerged as well. Jane’s reported in 2016 that Russia had offered four Mi-28NE to Pakistan as a supportive gesture for the latter’s COIN efforts.[4] If correct, it was certainly not a ‘toothless’ offer. Fundamentally, the Mi-28NE is meant to be an analogue of the Boeing AH-64D Longbow Apache – i.e. an anti-armour/conventional warfare asset. In terms of targeting Pakistan’s lightweight helicopter needs, Kazan Helicopters (a subsidiary or branch of Russian Helicopters Group) demonstrated its Ansat platform to Pakistan in November 2017.[5] However, it is a tough push seeing that Airbus Helicopters’ H125M is the PAA’s mainstay scout/lightweight helicopter.