Bolivian Army Buys 6 Chinese Helicopters

LA PAZ - Bolivia signed a deal Dec. 22 to buy six Chinese H425 helicopters for its army, at a ceremony attended by Bolivian ministers and Beijing's ambassador, local media reported.

Foreign minister Carlos Romero and planning minister Viviana Caro signed the accord with China's diplomatic representative in La Paz, Shen Zhiliang, in the presence of army chiefs.

"We believe these helicopters are crucial for the diverse needs of our military," said army chief Antonio Cueto.

The 12-seater aircraft will be delivered in 2012 and will also be used for civil defense, officials said.

Bolivia ordered six K-8 fighter aircraft from China in January to help its fight against drug traffickers as part of cooperation accord between the two countries.

Bolivia Set To Receive 6 Karakorum Combat Jets From China

LA PAZ, Bolivia - Bolivia is set to receive six Chinese-made combat aircraft to be used to fight drug trafficking, the head of the Bolivian Air Force said Jan. 18.
Air Force Commander Gen. Tito Gandarilla told local journalists that the K-8 Karakorum jets are scheduled to be delivered in April, at a cost of $58 million.

The aircraft, bought through a loan from China, will be the first of their kind for Bolivia, which currently has only training and freight aircraft.
Gandarilla explained that the jets "have a lifespan of 15 to 20 years" and have the ability to intercept illegal crafts that "in Bolivian airspace without authorization."
The aircraft will be used mainly around Cochabamba in central Bolivia, where there is heavy production of coca plants used to make cocaine.
The Bolivian government also plans to buy 10 Russian-built cargo helicopters for use by the police.
In 2008, President Evo Morales ordered the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to leave after accusing it of having had a hand in political unrest and drug-trafficking in Bolivia.
The U.S. State Department has identified Bolivia as a major drug-transit or drug-producing country.