Pakistan — More U.S. Helicopters to Deploy for Pakistan Relief

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27, 2010 — Defense Depart­ment offi­cials announced today the deploy­ment of 18 addi­tion­al heli­copters to Pak­istan as part of the expand­ing U.S. con­tri­bu­tion to flood-relief efforts there.

The air­craft include 10 CH-47 Chi­nook and eight UH-60 Black Hawk heli­copters from the 1st Bat­tal­ion, 52nd Avi­a­tion Reg­i­ment, 16th Com­bat Avi­a­tion Brigade, based at Fort Wain­wright, Alas­ka. The unit will oper­ate along­side the Pak­istani mil­i­tary through­out flood-affect­ed areas. 

These heli­copters are expect­ed to begin flood-relief efforts in Pak­istan in mid-Sep­tem­ber, offi­cials said. 

This is the lat­est in a series of deploy­ments in response to Pakistan’s urgent request for flood-relief assis­tance. About 15 U.S. mil­i­tary heli­copters and three C‑130 Her­cules air­craft already sup­port­ing flood-relief efforts in Pak­istan have trans­port­ed more than 2 mil­lion pounds of human­i­tar­i­an assis­tance sup­plies and res­cued more than 7,000 people. 

Today, heli­copters trans­port­ed more than 750 peo­ple and deliv­ered more than 160,000 pounds of food and sup­plies. C‑130s deliv­ered 6,000 pounds of food and supplies. 

Since the floods began July 29, the Unit­ed States has pro­vid­ed $150 mil­lion to sup­port imme­di­ate relief efforts and has allo­cat­ed an addi­tion­al $50 mil­lion to assist with re-estab­lish­ment of com­mu­ni­ties impact­ed by the floods, accord­ing to Defense Depart­ment reports. 

Source:
U.S. Depart­ment of Defense
Office of the Assis­tant Sec­re­tary of Defense (Pub­lic Affairs) 

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