El Líbano ha firmado un contrato con Euro Tech de Francia, para la puesta al día 13 helicópteros Gazelle de la fuerza aérea libanesa.
Wl acuerdo implica la puesta al día, y entrenamiento en los Puma libaneses de fabricación francesa que se recibirán entre este año y 2011, con un total previsto de 10. Algunas voces han comentado que los misiles que dotarán a los Gazelle, podrían terminar en manos de Hizbullah. Francia suministró misiles para los Gazelle por un pedido directo del primer ministro que anunció que habían usado todos los cohetes disponibles para luchar contra las milicias de Fatah al-Islam en 2007.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
French Company to Revamp Lebanon's Gazelle Helicopters, Equip Pumas
Lebanon has signed an agreement with the French company Euro Tech --specialized in revamping and equipping planes -- to revamp 13 Gazelle-type helicopters owned by Lebanon and equip the Puma helicopters granted by the UAE to Lebanon, according to the Central News Agency.
The agreement implies revamping the helicopters and training Lebanese pilots on flying the French-manufactured Puma helicopters. The Puma helicopters are expected to start arriving within the first half of 2010 in two batches, the first includes four helicopters and the second includes six. Earlier media reports said that France was worried that providing the Lebanese army with weapons, including missiles for the Gazelle helicopters, could end up in Hizbullah hands. France's stance was conveyed during a visit by Prime Minister Saad Hariri to Paris. It came in response to Hariri's request to provide Lebanon with Gazelle missiles since the Lebanese Air Force used up all the rockets against Fatah al-Islam militants during the battle of Nahr el-Bared in 2007. The ten Puma helicopters that were part of UAE grant to Lebanon were also to be used for light transport and liaison roles and not for combat.
No comments:
Post a Comment