Mali officially takes Mi-171 into service

Although the Mi-171Sh helicopters were already delivered aboard an Antonov An-124 cargo aircraft to the Armée de l'Air du Mali (Mali Air Force) on 30 September 2021, the four helicopters were officially taken into service on 26 November 2021.

The new helicopters, serials TZ-41H to TZ-44H, were handed over at Base Aérienne 101 adjacent to Bamako–Sénou International Airport.

The Mil Mi-171Sh is the export version of the Mi-8AMTSh powered by two Klimov VK-2500 engines. The helicopter's crew and technician training, along with weapons and ammunition, arrived as part of a December 2020 contract, valued at USD 61 million. It is rumoured that some in country Russian instructors may also be involved with their supply although as yet this is unconfirmed.

The Mi-171Sh' baptism of fire had actually taken place on 1 November 2021 when they helped in a mission to secure the release of three Chinese hostages. Three Chinese nationals and two Mauritanians were abducted from a road construction site in southwestern Mali. The assailants had stormed the site 55 km from the town of Kwala on 17 July, destroyed construction equipment and then made off with five pick-up trucks and the hostages.

This helicopter acquisition follows on from four Mi-35 attack helicopters acquired from Russia in the last few years. See the Scramble Magazine news item of 14 January 2021.