{"id":31284,"date":"2018-04-27T16:44:24","date_gmt":"2018-04-27T16:44:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/04\/27\/marines-want-russian-styled-aircraft-to-realistically-practice-challenging-them\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T20:13:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T20:13:01","slug":"marines-want-russian-styled-aircraft-to-realistically-practice-challenging-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/04\/27\/marines-want-russian-styled-aircraft-to-realistically-practice-challenging-them\/","title":{"rendered":"Marines want Russian-styled aircraft to realistically practice challenging them"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Marine Corps wants to get acclimated to fighting peer-level adversaries<\/a> with peer-level air forces, and a new request shows it\u2019s starting with Russian-styled aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Air Ground Task Force<\/a> Training Command filed the solicitation Thursday<\/a>, requesting either a Mi-24 HIND<\/a> attack helicopter or Mi-17 HIP<\/a> transport helicopter capable of using tracking pods compatible with the training range in Yuma, Arizona<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe attack helicopter, due to its size, flight profile, firepower and defensive maneuvering capabilities, constitutes a unique threat creating a realistic, dissimilar and credible opposing force,\u201d the solicitation reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The attack helicopters are intended to be used to interrupt Marines calling in close air support and conducting artillery and air defense missions. Additionally, the solicitation requests an aircraft capable of conducting \u201cintelligence collection on friendly forces\u201d and \u201cair to ground attack of friendly forces.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In training exercises, the helicopters will act as the aggressor force, pitted against Marine fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft<\/a>, as well as forward operating bases, forward refueling points and anti-aircraft artillery units.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Afghan National Air Corps MI-17 helicopters take off in a formation practice for the aerial parade in the upcoming Afghan National Day in Kabul. Air Force mentors assigned to Defense Reform Directorate Air Division under Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan provide guidance to soldiers with the Maintenance Operations Group for the ANAC. (U.S. Air Force photo\/Tech. Sgt. Cecilio M. Ricardo Jr.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe scope of this effort is to provide familiarization of flight characteristics, capabilities and limitations of the foreign adversary rotary-wing and propeller driven aircraft,\u201d according to the solicitation. \u201cThis will be accomplished by having accessibility to two foreign adversary contractor-provided aircraft that shall participate in certain exercise events as part of a realistic opposing force.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The contractors who bid on the solicitation will need to provide no more than 40 flight hours under daylight and visual flight rule restrictions, for a maximum of five possible training exercises annually. The solicitation notes that adversary fixed-wing aircraft are also desired, but remain contract optional at this point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, the contractor will have to provide instructional tours for personnel looking for familiarization with foreign aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both aircraft types are designed by the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and are primarily used by Russian military forces, as well as some adversarial governments like Cuba and North Korea. Many friendly governments, like Ukraine, Iraq and Afghanistan, also purchase the aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\t