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By Anthony Davis, Tian Li and
James Hardy
4/29/2013
Myanmar's insurgent United Wa State Army (UWSA) has for the first time acquired an armed
rotary-wing aviation capability with assistance from China: the latest move in a programme of rapid rearmament.
China delivered several Mil Mi-17 'Hip' medium-transport
helicopters armed with TY-90 air- to-air missiles to the Wa in late February and early March, according to both Myanmar ethnic minority and Myanmar government sources. The UWSA controls a wide wedge of territory along the Chinese border in northeastern Shan State and is currently in a fragile ceasefire agreement with the Myanmar military, or 'Tatmadaw'. The Mi-17s reached the Wa-
administered area by flying
across the Mekong River from Lao rather than direct from China, according to one ethnic minority military source, who added that five helicopters had been delivered. A Myanmar
government source confirmed that helicopters had reached the UWSA but said only two aircraft had been delivered. According to the ethnic minority source, the Mi-17s are armed with what appear to be Chinese TY-90 short-range air-to-air missiles. If this report is accurate, the TY-90 would provide a serious deterrent to Tatmadaw Mi-24P 'Hind'
gunships recently acquired from Russia and already deployed in counter-insurgency operations against the Kachin Independence Army (KIA).
China 'sends armed helicopters to Myanmar separatists'
James Hardy
4/29/2013
Myanmar's insurgent United Wa State Army (UWSA) has for the first time acquired an armed
rotary-wing aviation capability with assistance from China: the latest move in a programme of rapid rearmament.
China delivered several Mil Mi-17 'Hip' medium-transport
helicopters armed with TY-90 air- to-air missiles to the Wa in late February and early March, according to both Myanmar ethnic minority and Myanmar government sources. The UWSA controls a wide wedge of territory along the Chinese border in northeastern Shan State and is currently in a fragile ceasefire agreement with the Myanmar military, or 'Tatmadaw'. The Mi-17s reached the Wa-
administered area by flying
across the Mekong River from Lao rather than direct from China, according to one ethnic minority military source, who added that five helicopters had been delivered. A Myanmar
government source confirmed that helicopters had reached the UWSA but said only two aircraft had been delivered. According to the ethnic minority source, the Mi-17s are armed with what appear to be Chinese TY-90 short-range air-to-air missiles. If this report is accurate, the TY-90 would provide a serious deterrent to Tatmadaw Mi-24P 'Hind'
gunships recently acquired from Russia and already deployed in counter-insurgency operations against the Kachin Independence Army (KIA).
China 'sends armed helicopters to Myanmar separatists'