Russia, Kazakhstan helicopter repair deal

Russia and Kazakhstan signed an agreement on Saturday to provide after-sale services and repair of Russian helicopters in the Central Asian country. The deal was signed between Russian Helicopters, which designs and manufactures civil and military rotorcraft, and Kazakhstan Engineering, the country's core defense company, at the Kadex-2012 arms exhibition. "We consider it is necessary to establish an efficient system of Russian helicopters' operation in Kazakhstan. We hope this cooperation ... will help us to strengthen [our] positions in Kazakhstan and at the Central Asian market as a whole," Russian Helicopters Deputy General Director Igor Pshenichniy said. Kazakhstan also wants to build Russian helicopters on its territory, the country’s Emergency Services Minister Vladimir Bozhko said on Friday at an acceptance ceremony for two new Ka-32A11BC helicopters. Kazakhstan’s Emergency Ministry is reequipping its entire fleet of helicopters. The co-axial rotor Ka-32 will be used in the firefighting, rescue and medevac roles.