NICOSIA [MENL] -- Iran has completed preparations for the production of an
indigenous military helicopter.Iranian officials said the Defense Ministry plans to produce what they
termed the indigenous Shabaviz medium-transport helicopter. The helicopter
is meant to transport troops and cargo.The ministry plans to produce the Shabaviz 2-75 and the Shabaviz 2061
helicopters. Officials said Iran hopes to produce up to four such
helicopters per year.Western industry sources said the Shabaviz is a version of the AB-205
and the AB-212 helicopters manufactured in the United States in the 1960s.
Iran has 250 such helicopters procured in the early 1970s, but most of them
are no longer in service.
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