Mali has taken delivery of two Mi-35Ms from Russia.
In a press release on October 3, 2017, Rostec confirmed that its subsidiary Rosoboronexport had delivered two Mi-35M attack and transport helicopters to Mali’s Air Force.
Alexander Mikheev, the director general of Rosoboronexport, was quoted as saying,
We have shipped two Mi-35 helicopters to Mali as was requested by our Malian partners. The Malian Side has been very grateful to us for meeting its request and has also expressed satisfaction with the quality of equipment. I am confident that the helicopters will help the nation protect its sovereignty and successfully fight the main challenge of the 21st century, namely, terrorism.
The statement did not detail when the helicopters were delivered, though it is believed they were transferred in September. The helicopters were spotted in Mali in images on social media.
— Derek Bisaccio (@DerekBisaccio) October 4, 2017
Mali was revealed as a customer for the Mi-35M in April 2017, when an image emerged of an Mi-35M in flight near Rostov-on-Don.
The size of Mali’s order is unclear. At the Africa Aerospace & Defense Expo in South Africa last year, Rosoboronexport’s delegation head, Yuri Demchenko, indicated that Russia would be delivering new helicopters to Mali, among other countries.
Demchenko did not specify the size of the order or the type that Mali would receive. He discussed both the Mi-8/17 and Mi-24/35, saying, “In 2016-2017, we plan to continue exporting these helicopters to Angola, Mali, Sudan, Nigeria.
Military markets analyst, covering Eurasia, Middle East, and Africa.
