Mongolia is seeking to obtain six used Bell UH-1 Huey helicopters from the US government. Industry sources say, if the request is approved, Bell will upgrade the aircraft to Huey 2 configuration before delivery to the Mongolian air force. The $15 million upgrade project is part of an aid package the USA is providing Mongolia in exchange for its support of the Iraq war. Mongolia requires new helicopters to bolster its patrol capability along the Chinese and Russian borders but lacks the funds to acquire any aircraft. The Mongolian air force already operates a fleet of 12 Mil Mi-8s, but needs additional helicopters capable of operating from high-altitude border posts. The country is a long-time IAI customer, with UAVs and Harpy attack drones appearing on the shopping list in recent years.
Source: Flight International
