Now, the secretary of defense has requested the purchase of five (used) Hercules transport planes, while the Navy wants a similar number of planes and also helicopters, in order to move troops around more quickly.
What is really disturbing, given the increasing tasks of the armed forces, is the current abysmal level:
- Out of an original 12, only 2 - two - of SEDENA current Hercules are in a flying condition
- The Navy has a total of six Antonov transport planes, all in constant service, but not enough to cover demand.
- Out of the navy's 23 helicopters, only nine are operational; SEMAR is asking for six more helicopters.
Despite a combined price tag of nearly a billion pesos these demands seem hardly excessive.
Graphic from El Universal:
I'm somewhat surprised that no one is commenting that these requested purchases are U.S. planes, not the French or Russian equipment Mexico normally purchases, like the Sukov figher jets acquired by the Fox Administration.
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