Defense Ministry sending transport helicopters to Afghanistan

The Czech Defense Ministry is sending three Mi-171 transport helicopters to Afghanistan where they will be serving under NATO command in ISAF, the International Security Assistance Force. The helicopters have been fully upgraded for better ballistic protection, navigation and communication and the pilots manning them have undergone combat training in the United States. The helicopters carry machine guns and are equipped with a radar system capable of detecting ground-to-air missiles and sending out decoys to steer them off course. They will be serving at the Sharan air-base in the south-east of the country.