More turbulence for Russian copter plan

WASHINGTON — Corruption allegations have now joined the host of problems swirling around the U.S. Army’s controversial purchases of Russian Mi-17 helicopters for use by the Afghan military.

This is the same Pentagon program that congressional critics have hammered because it uses the Russian craft instead of U.S.-made helicopters.

It’s the same program that the Pentagon’s inspector general has criticized for cost over- runs, mismanagement, waste and questionable payments to the St. Petersburg-based company that the Army hired to overhaul the Mi-17s. At one point, the inspector general recommended that the Army should consider barring the company from further contracts.

And it’s the same program that forces the United States to deal with Russia’s monopoly arms dealer, Rosoboronexport, which also has supplied weapons to the Assad regime in Syria.

Now, the Pentagon’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service is conducting an investigation in the wake of a scathing audit report accusing the Army unit that operates the Mi-17 program of costly mismanagement of a contract for overhauling the helicopters. Barred inspectors

Even after the Army hired AviaBaltika Aviation Ltd/Saint Petersburg Aircraft Repair Co. to perform the Mi-17 overhauls, the company barred Pentagon quality assurance inspectors from visiting its repair facilities to check up on the work.

As a result, the inspector general said, the project took 12 to 20 months longer than planned and cost U.S. taxpayers $16.4 million in unnecessary expenses.

The inspector general also criticized the Army for approving the purchase of replacement parts that cost 29 percent more than the same parts from an American supplier.

The inspector general concluded that the Army should consider “debarment” of AviaBaltika from further Department of Defense business. The Army has responded by asking for evidence justifying debarment. Criminal investigators

Maureen Schumann, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said the Army “is currently reviewing the findings and recommendations in the inspector general’s report and will take appropriate action upon completion of this review.”

According to a Reuters report, criminal investigators are looking into the relationship between AviaBaltika and retired Army Col. Norbert Vergez, the former commander of the Army program, based at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., which oversees the Mi-17 program. They also are checking into potential overpayments to AviaBaltika.

Separate from the Mi17 contract is the frustration felt by Congress over the Pentagon’s program to purchase more of the Russian-built choppers for use by the Afghans.

The Defense Department has spent more than $1 billion on Mi-17s.