Afghanistan to shift to US-built helicopters
The Afghan Air Force (AAF), under guidance and funding from the US Department of Defense (DoD), will shift from Russian-built helicopters to ones manufactured in the US.
Specifically, the AAF is expected to begin inducting ex-US Army UH-60A Black Hawks.
The primary impetus for this policy change came via US Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy and Representative Rosa DeLauro. Earlier this year DeLauro introduced the Rosoboronexport Embargo Act to prohibit the US government from entering into new contracts.
Since all three politicians are from Connecticut, where Sikorsky is headquartered, their insistence on transferring to the Black Hawk is understandable.
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