WASHINGTON, December 4 (Sputnik) – The United States may seek Russia's assistance in Afghan helicopter maintenance, despite recent US policy to stop any military cooperation with Russia, the US National Defense Authorization Act for 2015 says.
The bill, approved Wednesday, authorizes funding for the US Department of Defense and "imposes a ban on contracting with Russian state corporation, Rosoboronexport, with a limited waiver for the maintenance of Afghan helicopters".
According to the 2015 US Defense Authorization Act, military-to-military cooperation between the United States and Russia is prohibited "except for critical US security needs".
The deal between Russia and the United States on the delivery of Russian Mi-17 helicopters to Afghanistan was concluded on October 29.
Russia has delivered 63 Mi-17 helicopters to Afghanistan since 2001 when Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport and the US Department of Defense signed the relevant contract.
When the Unite States announced that it was going to impose sanctions against Rosoboronexport, over Russia's alleged involvement in the situation in Ukraine, Pentagon officials asked US congressmen not to apply restrictions so as not to affect Mi-17 deliveries.
The delivery of Russian-made helicopters is part of joint efforts of Russia and the United States in the war against international terrorism.
Apart from helicopter deliveries, Russia also ships spare parts for helicopters to the Afghan army and trains experts on helicopter maintenance at a training center based at the Novosibirsk Aircraft Repair Plant.
