The total flight time of Mi-8AMTSh-VA helicopters produced by the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant of the Russian Helicopters holding company (part of the Rostec State Corporation) have exceeded 2,500 hours. They have worked under the Arctic Forces of the Russian Ministry of Defense to provide troop transport, monitoring and search & rescue operations in the Far North.
“The Ministry of Defense has several Mi-8AMTSh-VA arctic helicopters on combat duty. The helicopters have been repeatedly used to carry out operations in the regions of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, and Kamchatka. They have proven themselves as reliable and effective aircraft, capable for up to 30 days of autonomous basing at extremely low temperatures,” said the Aviation Cluster Industrial Director of Rostec Anatoly Serdyukov.
Mi-8AMTSh-VA helicopters fly over long distances between bases, over a vast water surface, poorly oriented terrain, in polar night conditions, and with the constant risk for loss of satellite signals and unstable radio communications.
Mi-8AMTSh-VA was created specifically for operation in the northern regions of Russia to support the growing need of the state to ensure its interests in the Arctic and Far North. Among the main design features of Mi-8AMTSh-VA is the presence of a unique heating system for the oil system and transmission units, allowing the helicopter engines to startup even at temperatures as low as -60 ° C.
Serial production of Mi-8AMTSh-VA started at the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant in 2015. The operating experience and various improvements with Mi-8AMTSh-VA have been used to create a first civilian Mi-8AMT helicopter with a similar set of optional equipment for use in the Arctic.
The Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant is one of the manufacturing facilities owned by the Russian Helicopters Holding Company. The plant’s current industrial and technological potential is instrumental in swiftly arranging production of new aircraft models and combining prototype construction with mass production. Over the course of 80 years of operation, more than 8,500 aircraft have been built at the plant. Currently, the plant specializes in the production of Mi-8AMT (Mi-171E), Mi-171, Мi-171А2, Mi-8AMTSh (Mi-171Sh) and Mi-8AMTSh-VA helicopters.
JSC “Russian Helicopters”, a part of Rostec State Corporation, is a leading player in the global helicopter industry, the sole Russian designer and manufacturer of helicopters. The Holding Company was established in 2007 and is headquartered in Moscow. We operate five helicopter assembly plants, two design bureaus, component production and maintenance enterprises, aircraft repair plants and one helicopter service company providing after-sales support in Russia and abroad. The customers of the Holding Company are the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Home Affairs, EMERCOM of Russia, and other state customers, Gazpromavia, UTair Aviation company, large Russian and foreign companies.
Rosteс State Corporation is one of the largest industrial companies in Russia. It unites more than 800 scientific and industrial organizations in 60 regions of the country. Its key areas of activity are aircraft engineering, radioelectronics, medical technologies, innovative materials, etc. The corporation’s portfolio includes such well-known brands as AvtoVAZ, KAMAZ, UAC, Russian Helicopters, UEC, Uralvagonzavod, Shvabe, Kalashnikov, etc. Rostec is active in the implementation of all 12 national projects. The company is a key provider of Smart City technology, it is engaged in the digitalization of public administration, industry and social sectors, and it is developing plans for the development of 5G wireless technologies, an Industrial Internet of Things, big data and blockchain systems. Rostec partners with leading world manufacturers such as Boeing, Airbus, Daimler, Pirelli and Renault. The corporation’s products are delivered to more than 100 countries worldwide. Almost a third of the company’s revenue comes from the export of high-tech products.
