IAF gets first batch of 19 Mi17 V-5 transport helicopters from Russia !

[Nova2]

Russia has delivered the first batch of 19 Mi-17 V-5 military transport helicopters to India, as part of the contract to supply 59 helicopters of this type, an official representative of the Russian delegation at Singapore Airshow 2014 told Itar-Tass.

The remaining 40 helicopters will be supplied to the customer by the end of 2015. The contract was signed during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India in December 2012. The contractor is the Kazan Helicopter Plant (KVZ), which is integrated in the Russian Helicopters holding.

In late 2013, KVZ executed the previous large helicopter contract with India signed in 2008, under which it supplied 80 MK-17B-5.

The new Russian MI-17 V-5 helicopter is an upgraded version of MI-8/17 which Russia supplied to India before. It is powered by new VK-2500 engines, has a larger payload capacity, modern avionics, an airborne weather radar, and a night vision goggles compatible cockpit which allows for using these helicopters in operations by special task forces.

In May 1999, during Operation Safed Sagar, the Mi-17 was used in the first air phase of the Kargil War by the IAF. The helicopters will most likely be used to transport India’s VVIPs during the election season. Sources tell RIR that the Special Protection Group (SPG), the elite force which handles the Indian Prime Minister’s security, has cleared the helicopters to transport the head of the government. The Mi-17s assume special importance since they will be used in place of AW101 choppers. The Indian government cancelled an order for 12 AgustaWestland AW101 choppers, over corruption allegations between Italian businessmen and their Indian intermediaries.

Russian Helicopters is now actively marketing the MI-38 model in countries of the Asian-Pacific region. The Russian producer plans to sell helicopters in the region with Russian-made engines.
(from IAF's fb page).

 

[kaykay]

First 80 Mi-17V5 order completed? It means all Mi-8s are replaced from Indian services. Good news.

 

[Nova2]

First 80 Mi-17V5 order completed? It means all Mi-8s are replaced from Indian services. Good news.

Well as per this report oders have been place for 59 Mi 17 V-5 helis ,which is said to be delivered by 2015 end.the contract signed in 2008 for 80 helis was for MK 17 B5 isn't it?or am i missing something?

 

[kaykay]

Well as per this report oders have been place for 59 Mi 17 V-5 helis ,which is said to be delivered by 2015 end.the contract signed in 2008 for 80 helis was for MK 17 B5 isn't it?or am i missing something?

Its probably a typo. India got same helis earlier too. And recently we ordered 71 follow on order(59 for Iaf and 12 for mha). So total in service now would be 99 V-5s.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Well as per this report oders have been place for 59 Mi 17 V-5 helis ,which is said to be delivered by 2015 end.the contract signed in 2008 for 80 helis was for MK 17 B5 isn't it?or am i missing something?

151 V5s have been order- initial 80 order, follow on order was for 71 (59 for the IAF and 12 for the MHA). ALL 151 will be Mi-17-V5s and if these 19 are from the follow-on 71 order then right now there are 98 V5s in service (one crashed during the Utrrakhand rescue ops).

 

[VeeraBahadur]

151 V5s have been order- initial 80 order, follow on order was for 71 (59 for the IAF and 12 for the MHA). ALL 151 will be Mi-17-V5s and if these 19 are from the follow-on 71 order then right now there are 98 V5s in service (one crashed during the Utrrakhand rescue ops).

151 helis and no TOT ??

By the way in 2013 we imported arms worth 4 Billion $$ from Russia, more than 2012.