IAF to get Russian helicopters by March

Russian medium-lift helicopters Mi-17v5, which will replace the existing Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters of the Indian Air Force (IAF), are likely to be delivered by March 2011.

Defence minister AK Antony said in parliament on Monday that a contract with Russia’s Rosoboronexport was signed in December 2008 for 80 helicopters, worth more than $1
billion.

The Mi-17v5 helicopters will be utilised for special heliborne operations, air-maintenance, transportation of troops and equipment, search and rescue, casualty evacuation and combat. These medium-lift, advanced version of the Mi-17 helicopters will boost the IAF’s logistics capability.

Meanwhile five contenders have received a request for proposal or tender for upgradation of the existing fleet of the Mi-17 helicopters in service, a contract worth a $100 million, State-of-the-art LCD screens, touch screens and other features will be installed in the cockpit, to divert attention of the pilot from the cockpit.

A Mi-17 is basically developed from the Mi-8 helicopter airframe, and fitted with larger engines, rotors, and transmission system along with improved fuselage to carry heavier loads.

Also in the pipeline are 22 attack helicopters and about 10 heavy-lift helicopters, the trials for which are underway. American Apache is competing for the attack helicopter deal, to replace the existing Mi-26, and in the heavy-lift helicopters deal fray are American Chinook and Russian Mi-28.