Russia tries to sell military aircraft to Canada

Ottawa, June 1: The Canadian Armed Forces could ensure the success of its mission in Afghanistan by buying or leasing Russian helicopters and transport planes, an optimistic team of arms salesmen from Moscow said today.

The team, the first of its kind to visit Canada, came both with a draft treaty on military-industrial co-operation and the knowledge that it would be hard to persuade a close U.S. ally and neighbour to buy Russian.

''We don't have any illusions here... Wise people say that rather than depend on one person you should be friends with two,'' said Alexander Skobeltsyn of the Russian federal agency on military-technical co-operation.

In a 90-minute presentation to reporters, the five-man team sang the praises of the Ilyushin Il-76 MD-90 four-engine transport plane and the Mil Mi-17 military helicopter.

Both are designed to operate in hot, dry and mountainous conditions -- the kinds of landscape and climate confronting Canada's 2,300-strong mission to the Afghan city of Kandahar.

''It's up to the owner to decide how to use the equipment.

But you've quite correctly noted the theme of our presentation.

We reckoned that the most important question facing the Canadian army was probably the participation in Afghanistan,'' said Skobeltsyn.

US officials admit some Russian helicopters can carry more weight in mountains than their American counterparts.

Former Defence Minister Bill Graham told reporters he thought it was unlikely Ottawa would buy Russian aircraft.

''People will talk about these things but it doesn't make sense to me. It's national security, it's a question of security of supply ... and of parts in the event of a conflict,'' said Graham, who now leads the opposition Liberals.

The Russian team, which has still not managed to meet Defense Department officials, said it wanted to build on existing bilateral military ties.

''Your cannons are firing Russian ammunition in Afghanistan and your special forces are using small arms procured in Russia. But these were just one-time deals and we're not interested in one-night stands,'' Russian Ambassador Georgy Mamedov said at the start of the presentation.

Questioned later about Mamedov's remarks, an obviously uncomfortable Skobeltsyn declined to comment.

The delegation met an official from Canada's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday to discuss the possible sale of heavy lift aircraft, said a ministry spokeswoman.

Canada -- which has in the past used rented Russian transport planes to carry military equipment and humanitarian aid -- plans to spend up to 7.3 billion dollars on transport aircraft to replace its aging Hercules fleet.

Ottawa will most likely choose between the Airbus A400M -- which is still on the design board -- and Lockheed Martin's revamped C130J Hercules. An Ilyushin salesman produced figures that he said showed the Il-76 MD-90 could carry far more cargo than either of its rivals.

Reuters