Video: Russia, joint military exercises with Pakistan in the Caucasus

Joint military exercises between Russian and Pakistani special forces in the North Caucasus republic of Karachai-Cherkessia began today. The maneuvers will last two weeks. 200 military personnel from both countries will take part. “Druzhba 2017” (friendship) will simulate counter-terrorism operations, operations for the recovery of hostages and for the search of a portion of the territory. The first week of October, the Pakistani Chief of Staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, will travel to Russia. Russia and Pakistan signed a defense cooperation agreement in 2014. Their first joint exercises, under that agreement, took place in September last year, in the mountains near the Pakistani village of Cherat, between Peshawar and Rawalpindi. .

Deepening

Russia and Pakistan signed 20 November 2014 an agreement on military co-operation during the first visit to the history of a Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (pictured below) in Islamabad. Shoigu met his counterpart Khawaja Asif. In a joint statement the two ministers stressed that the visit comes at a very critical moment in which NATO forces are about to leave Afghanistan. Russia has lifted the embargo on arms supplies to Pakistan this year. "In addition to promoting bilateral relations in the field of defense - the joint note notes - the visit will enable the two countries to work together to achieve peace and stability in the region."

Moscow has recently approved the sale of 20 Mil Mi-35M Hind attack helicopters to Pakistan; The news, published by the IHS Jane's specialized magazine website, was launched 12 November 2014 by the Russian Ambassador to Islamabad, Alexey Dedov. The diplomat, interviewed by Radio Pakistan's state broadcaster, did not reveal the details of the deal, but according to IHS Jane's the deal could concern a number of helicopters not less than 20.

Since June 2014, the Pakistani army has partly relied on its Mi-17s (of Russian origin) in military operations against the Taliban in the northern region of Waziristan, along the border with Afghanistan; the Mi-35s would constitute in this sense a much higher offensive capacity than the Mi-17s. It is based on the Mi-17s, currently in service in the Pakistani Armed Forces in 52 specimens (divided between the Army and Air Force) and their ease of use and versatility praised by Pakistani pilots, that the choice for an attack helicopter is relapse on the Mi-35.

Hameed Farooq Khan, a former senior Pakistani army officer stated that - "Our helicopter pilots have always found Russian helicopters comfortable and at the same time effective and it is for this reason that we chose the Mi-35, precisely because of the our previous experience with Russian helicopters which has always been positive. " Mi-35 helicopters currently serve in Russia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Indonesia, Cyprus, Burkina Faso, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan. For the record, it is worth reiterating that in recent years Pakistani officials have become increasingly confident about the future prospects for purchasing military hardware from Russia. For example, the JF-17 'Thunder'co-produced by China's Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex is currently powered by Russian Klimov RD-93 engines.

Russia, at the forefront of the fight against extremist Islamic terrorism, wanted to give support to the Pakistani cause but it is all too evident how the recent Indian purchase campaigns aimed at US armaments and bilateral and multilateral ties in defense with the United States, Australia and Japan have provided an extra gear in the process of selling arms to Pakistan that will probably not be limited to Mi-24 attack helicopters alone.
In addition to the Mil Mi-17 Hip, aircraft purchased between 1994 and 2010 Pakiostan received between 2007 and 2014 from the United States 34 AH-1F / S Cobra (8 of which former Jordanians) and a multi fleet Bell fleet 205 / UH-1 Huey-2 (former US Army) and Bell 412.

The Mil Mi-35M is a helicopter designed as a combat aircraft capable of accommodating a crew of two and a squad of 8 elements of light infantry. Driven by a five-blade rotor and 2 Klimov / Isotov TV-3-117VMA or VK-2500 turbines of 2.225 shp (1.600 kW) each, it reaches a maximum speed of 335 km / h and a service altitude of 5.400 meters; the take-off weight in transport configuration is 12.000 kg, the maximum payload is 2.400 kg (5.291 lb), the range is 1.120 kilometers, the operational range is 450 kilometers. The armament includes a GSh-23V twin-barreled cannon 23 mm caliber, 8 mm S80-KOM rockets and 9M114 and 9M120 / F anti-tank missiles; the pointing system is assisted by an OPS-24N apparatus, while the countermeasures include a radar warning receiver, a chaff & flare dispenser, an infrared jamming system, an apparatus for suppressing the temperature of the exhaust gases.