India receives first Mi-17V-5 helicopters
India has received its first batch of Mi-17V-5 helicopters manufactured by Kazan Helicopters, a subsidiary of the Russian Helicopters holding company. The order is part of a contract signed by Rosoboronexport, JSC in December 2008 during the visit to India of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
The new arrivals join a growing number of aircraft developed and delivered under Russian-Indian strategic partnerships. As of 2011 the Indian Air Force operates over 200 Mi-8/17 type medium rotorcraft of Russian make.
According to a Russian Helicopters statement released on 8 November, the Mi-17V-5 is the most up-to-date modification of the Mi-17. The helicopters being delivered are manufactured to the customer’s specification and are unique in their configuration, with each helicopter being equipped with a KNEI-8 avionics suite to replace a number of systems indicators, resulting in ‘a very clear and intuitive cockpit with four large multi-functional displays that are easy to read and help reduce pilot fatigue’.
Russian Helicopters claims that this avionics suite also helps cut down pre-flight inspection time, displaying all systems data and alerting crew when necessary.
Over 11,000 rotorcraft of the Mi-8/17 family have been delivered to 110 countries worldwide to date.
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