Mexico's president-elect says he'll stop US copter purchase

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


Updated 4:18 pm CDT, Wednesday, July 11, 2018

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador says he will cancel the pending purchase by Mexico's navy of eight armed Lockheed Martin MH-60R helicopters from the United States government.

Lopez Obrador mentioned nixing the planned $1.2 billion deal Wednesday as an example of extensive cost-cutting measures his government will undertake.

In April, the U.S. State Department approved the sale of the helicopters, saying it would improve the security of a strategic regional partner. In its statement then, it said the helicopters would help Mexico fight criminal organizations.

The State Department's Bureau of Political Military Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the status of the proposed sale.

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/world/article/Mexico-s-president-elect-says-he-ll-stop-US-13067448.php

[Roy Rolling]

1. Cost-Cutting

Tell Trump he needs to save money for a wall. When he saves $30 billion "we'll see". Maybe a live TV announcement Mexico will never pay one cent for Trump's wall?

[heaven05]

2. more jobs

gone down the trump drain. Oh yeah, MAGA at work

[left-of-center2012]

3. ...

Lopez Obrador said team was also reaching out to Boeing about Mexico selling the presidential jet,
a Boeing 787 that arrived in 2016.

"I'm not going to get on that plane," he said.

[turbinetree]

4. So how much money did Lockheed give to the trump campaign.............and now ....

https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=d000000104&cycle=2016


Hey Lockheed your $43,000 just got you screwed ......................



https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=d000000104&cycle=2018

[roamer65]

5. Just wait until President Obrador starts buying Russian or Chinese military items.

All the flying monkey right will start screaming “Red Dawn”.

[McCamy Taylor]

6. Trump is so good for the economy..of other countries.

[Owl]

7. $150 million each? WOW!

[markses66]

8. My thought, too

They need $150 million helicopters to fight criminal syndicates? Come on. This was pure corruption of the prior regime. They're right to cancel the order, and should look into similar boondoggles to eliminate.

[Massacure]

12. This per unit cost is listed at $43 million per Wikipedia

I'm guessing that Mexico also ordered a maintenance contract of some sort.

[hack89]

14. The price includes spare parts, maintenance and training.

It is not like buying a car.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

9. Good for Mexico!

A nation showing common sense for a change and deescalating the world's arms race. The U.S. should follow her lead, but tRump and the Repug congress will have no part of it - too much pocket money from our military-industrial complex.

They (and we) have plenty of domestic needs that can use this money - for poverty, infrastructure and fighting crime and corruption.

.....

[GulfCoast66]

10. Doesn't Germany make some kick ass copters?

[Massacure]

11. Indirectly through Airbus Helicopters.

The closest equivalent to the MH-60R would probably be the NHIndustries NH90, which is built by a consortium which includes Airbus Helicopter. Airbus Helicopter used to be Eurocopter, which was a French and German company.

[hack89]

13. No. They have had a lot of issues with their NH90 helos

the the beauty of the US helos is that they are combat tested and all the bugs have been worked out.

[EX500rider]

15. No, they do not...

"Complaints about the NH90 are not new. Two years ago the German Army Air Mobility and Air Transport School conducted an evaluation. They had a lot of complaints. Their conclusion was that, for combat missions, another model helicopter should be used whenever possible until some serious flaws with the NH90 were fixed. A particular problem was the lack of ground clearance. The NH90 couldn't land on a piece of ground with any obstacles higher than 16 cm (6.4 inches). That made many battlefield landing zones problematic. That assumed you can even get on a NH90 and find a seat. The passenger seats could not hold more than 110 kg (242 pounds). Combat equipment for German troops weighs 25 kg (55 pounds), meaning any soldier weighing more than 85 kg (187) has to take stuff off, put it on the floor, than quickly put it back on before exiting. Then there's the floor, it's not very sturdy and combat troops using the helicopter for a short while caused damage that took the helicopter out of action for repairs. Worse, there was the rear ramp. It could not support troops carrying all their equipment, making it useless for rapid exits by combat troops. There was not enough room in the passenger compartment for door gunners. There were no strap downs for larger weapons, like portable rocket launchers or anti-aircraft missiles. The passenger compartment also did not allow for carrying cargo and passengers at the same time. The winch was not sturdy enough for commandoes to perform fast roping operations. And so on."

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htairmo/20120910.aspx

[Whiskeytide]

16. Are they going to purchase Kamarov KA-27s instead? n/t

[D_Master81]

17. Trump tweet storm in 3...2...1.....