Dave Majumdar
Have you ever wanted to own your own Mil Mi-24 Hind helicopter gunship or Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot close air support aircraft? How about a small arsenal of anti-tank guided missiles?
Well, I know I have. And this Christmas, you can buy that special someone their very own Mi-24 gunship that they have always wanted. A small Texas-based arms-dealer called the Redfish Trading Company is selling a veritable arsenal to anyone who can furnish a valid end user certificate and a formal request for quotation or letter of interest.
According to both an email sent to me and a company Facebook post, the company has four Soviet-made Mi-24V and two Mi-24D attack helicopters available for export. “After the overhaul in certified plant all helicopter will have life extension: 7 years or 1000 flight hours,” writes Redfish managing director Jesse Clements. “First helicopters, after overhaul, will be delivered in 6 months from US State Dept. approval & license for export, and so forth, delivered monthly.”
But while the helicopters are being offered in standard production configuration, Redfish can extend the life of the machines—which were built between 1985 and 1988—because it is working with a European partner. Clements did not name the partner company he is working with.
“Under special request we can also prepare the offer for battle-ready Mi-24V helicopters after pre-selling refresh, without overhaul, life extension 3 years or 300 flight hours, the price and commercial conditions should be agreed,” Clements writes. “We also have 2 (two) M24D attack helicopters, after overhaul, offered in standard production configuration available for export (YOM 1985).”
The company also has a large inventory of Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot close air support aircraft available for sale. These include 15 overhauled Su-25s and eight new-build single-seat Su-25K or two-seat Su-25UB attack aircraft. “Delivery will be up to 24 months from licensure & approval of export by US State Dept.,” Clements writes. “Standard SU-25 configuration for SU-25K/UB, modernization can be done on special request, with Israel or France avionics.”
But if a Hind gunship or Frogfoot strike aircraft doesn’t strike your fancy, you can also settle for some anti-tank missiles. “We can also offer for export the 9М17P FALANGA ATGM's 500 units available for export,” Clements writes.
I know, I for one, would be delighted to be gifted with a Mi-24... With the traffic the way it is here in D.C., it’s the only way to get around.
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