# (Why) Are U.S. forces using Russian helicopters? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 29, 2003, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043 "2003-03-29T16:58:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043/1 "2003-03-29T16:58:36Z")
In some shots of northern Iraq I’ve seen a Russian Mi-24 helicopter in the background while the reporter is talking about U.S. troops. A few minutes ago co-woeker e-mailed a photo of an Mi-24 painted up like a golden eagle: > [@](#): > > The story is: this very special Mi-24 helicopter is presently flying in Afghanistan, where it is no doubt causing quite a stir. Are the U.S. forces using Russian helicopters in Afghanistan and northern Iraq? If so, then why? If not, then what’s it doing there and why is it painted like a golden eagle? ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043/2 "2003-03-29T17:48:23Z")
What do you mean by painted like a golden eagle? Could it be a white eagle? We know that Polish special forces are in Iraq. Poland uses the Mi-24. There are also a small number of Bulgarians in Iraq. Not sure what their role is, but Bulgaria uses the Mi-24 as well. Is there a photo online that we can reference? ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043/3 "2003-03-29T17:48:37Z")
I saw the shot in northern Iraq, and assumed it was left there when the airfield was “abandoned” (it was still lightly defended, but not used for aircraft anymore). [here](http://www.bayshorepatriots.com/Images/Heli/FrameSet.htm) is the “eagle” helo in question. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043/4 "2003-03-29T17:54:43Z")
> [@](#): > > What do you mean by painted like a golden eagle? I’m not familiar with the white eagle. Since it didn’t look like a bald eagle, I assumed it was a golden eagle. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043/5 "2003-03-29T18:25:44Z")
The white eagle is the emblem of Poland. It’s white and looks like a crazed chicken on steroids. 🙂 You can see it here: [http://www.poland.pl/info/information\_about\_poland.htm](http://www.poland.pl/info/information_about_poland.htm) (click the emblem to enlarge) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043/6 "2003-03-29T18:32:29Z")
Right. I knew that the white eagle was the symbol of Poland. When I read your post I, having seen the entire helicopter painted like a bird, was picturing the whole aircraft painted like a white eagle. It didn’t occur to me until after I posted that you may have thought I meant that the aircraft just had a white eagle emblem on it. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043/7 "2003-03-29T20:17:05Z")
The only emblems on the “golden eagle” are the number 117 and a set of “arrowheads” or side-facing chevrons. Those are not U.S. tail codes, but appear (on my badly-in-need-of-replacement monitor) to be Hungarian markings. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043/8 "2003-03-29T20:20:50Z")
Are the Hungarians in it, then? (I have to whack my monitor occasionall when it blacks out on me.) ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043/9 "2003-03-29T20:38:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by UncleBill \* > \*\*I saw the shot in northern Iraq, and assumed it was left there when the airfield was “abandoned” (it was still lightly defended, but not used for aircraft anymore). > > [here](http://www.bayshorepatriots.com/Images/Heli/FrameSet.htm) is the “eagle” helo in question. \*\* I first saw that pic at least six months to a year ago. It was e-mailed to me by my brother, no idea where he got it. Certainly isn’t recent. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043/10 "2003-03-29T20:38:31Z")
I’ve seen this set of photos several times over the last couple of years. At first it was said to be of Russians in Afghanistan, then Russians in Chechnya, then Americans in Afghanistan. Since there is no military reason to paint a helicopter like that, my best guess is that it is a helicopter used in airshows rather than combat. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043/11 "2003-03-29T22:56:55Z")
Whatever it is, it’s one butt-ugly sucker. IMO, anyway. Eagles, the real birds, are beautiful, btw. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043/12 "2003-03-29T23:12:34Z")
Could be a privately owned aircraft. Military hardware (particularly Russian) is not so hard to come by now days. ---
**Author:** ![censored](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/35a633/32.png) [@censored](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/censored)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043/13 "2003-03-30T02:16:31Z")
The painted helicopter is not in Afghanistan, but rather in Eastern Europe somewhere and merely attributed to Afghanistan. Possible reasons for US forces using Russian helicopters is that a Russian helicopter would stand out less in the Afghan landscape than an American helicopter would, as Afghan forces themselves used Russian helicopters - good for covert operations. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043/14 "2003-03-30T02:25:42Z")
> [@](#): > > The painted helicopter is not in Afghanistan, but rather in Eastern Europe somewhere and merely attributed to Afghanistan. While I had not seen that particular helicopter before, I’m sure I saw an Mi-24 in the background on CNN broadcasts from northern Iraq. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Goo_Fee)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043/15 "2003-03-30T02:32:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by censored \* > \*\*Possible reasons for US forces using Russian helicopters is that a Russian helicopter would stand out less in the Afghan landscape than an American helicopter would, as Afghan forces themselves used Russian helicopters - good for covert operations. \*\* Good for covert? Painted like THAT? ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043/16 "2003-03-30T02:41:52Z")
I can offer one possible explanation. There is a Canadian company based out of Toronto that rents aircraft to various people and organizations. Both fixed wing and flutter wing. Usually these a/c are painted white , when operated by the UN , and some other schemes when operated by oil companies and the like. I am gonna guess that the US is leasing almost all hardware lying around , from trucks to helo’s. I can see some applications that would allow leased helo’s to take up the slack that may tie down a blackhawk for too long. The paint scheme may just be for the same reason that nations have to paint Big Flags , simply to identify that its a non-combatant in a war zone , and non iraqi , since thats one of the birds that the Iraqis would fly. Declan ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043/17 "2003-03-30T03:02:50Z")
**Declan** : That makes sense. Maybe the heli in the b.g. is being used by a relief organization? ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043/18 "2003-03-30T03:32:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Johnny L.A. \* > \*\ ***Declan** : That makes sense. Maybe the heli in the b.g. is being used by a relief organization? \*\* A relief organization of sorts probably. During the Vietnam war , the CIA either operated Air America and Flying Tiger air cargo. If that helo in question was a MI-28 , then it was designed for an air assault role of company strength. Hauling kurdish (maybe its a kurdish airforce helo) forces , along with CIA operators and the special forces types would be among that aircrafts mission brief. Or its the russian peace corp. Declan ---
**Author:** ![censored](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/35a633/32.png) [@censored](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/censored)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043/19 "2003-03-30T03:49:52Z")
Erm, sorry, I thought I said that the painted helicopter was not in Afghanistan. By ‘painted helicopter’ I meant that exact one in particular, not all Russian helicopters :o. That particular painted helicopter is one-of-a-kind as far as I know, and the ‘covert’ ones would not be painted with such an, erm, loud paint scheme - I hope, anyway 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043/20 "2003-03-30T04:04:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by censored \* > \*\*Erm, sorry, I thought I said that the painted helicopter was not in Afghanistan. By ‘painted helicopter’ I meant that exact one in particular, not all Russian helicopters :o. > > That particular painted helicopter is one-of-a-kind as far as I know, and the ‘covert’ ones would not be painted with such an, erm, loud paint scheme - I hope, anyway 😃 \*\* Okay , i think I know the one you are talking about , it was an MI-25 hind export model , for either the hungarian or bulgarian airforce and aviation week did a cover shot of it. It almost looks like a screaming eagle . Declan [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-u-s-forces-using-russian-helicopters/165043.md?page=2)