Against the background of tense Russian-American relations and a complete embargo on the supply of military equipment from Russia, an unusual event was recorded in Arizona (USA) — the appearance of a Russian Mi-17 helicopter, painted in a discreet gray coloring and associated with the American Special Operations Forces (SOF).
The incident occurred during recent exercises in an urban environment conducted by the US military. The participation of helicopters of this type in them has aroused the interest of analysts and experts, as it indicates the continued use of Russian-made equipment in secret Pentagon programs even after the complete severance of military-technical cooperation with Moscow.
One of the participants in the exercises, namely the Mi—17, was spotted at the Tucson air base, where US Air Force units supporting special forces operations are based. This particular instance, according to open data, was previously listed as part of a limited number of helicopters acquired by the United States before the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine and modified for the needs of special operations.
Despite the fact that the United States is actively developing its own programs for the creation and modernization of helicopters for special forces (for example, the Sikorsky MH-60 or the new Boeing SB-1 Defiant), the Mi-17 remains in demand in certain scenarios.:
- High reliability and ease of maintenance, especially in remote theaters of military operations;
- Large carrying capacity, allowing to transport special forces groups or equipment in difficult conditions;
- A unique flight technical base that can be used to train counteraction to similar machines used by potential opponents.;
- Secrecy and non-obviousness: in some regions of the world, the use of a "Russian" helicopter can help in misinformation or conceal the true identity of the operation.
According to sources, some of these vehicles are on the balance sheet of the 6th Special Operations Detachment (6th SOS), which is traditionally associated with conducting secret missions that often overlap with the activities of the CIA and other intelligence agencies.
It is noted that this Mi-17 also participated in the preparation for operations in the Middle East, including work in mountainous and desert conditions, where high engine efficiency and maneuverability are important. Such vehicles can be used both for the delivery of special groups, as well as for the evacuation of citizens or the elimination of high-ranking targets.
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