Скачать или смотреть INDIA TO INDUCT 48 MORE RUSSIAN MI-17 HELICOPTERS: TOP 5 FACTS

INTRODUCTION:
Russia will sign an agreement in 2017 on deliveries to India of 48 M I 17 V5 helicopters, as per Director for International Cooperation and Regional Policy Department of Russia's Rostec State Corporation Victor Kladov.
"I am sure that this year the deal on delivery of 48 MI17 V5 helicopters to India will be signed," Kladov told journalist.
India already has about 150 units of the MI17 V5 helicopters, acquired in 2 batches.
The M I 17 is a Russian medium twin-turbine transport helicopter. There are also armed gunship versions.

The deal is estimated to be worth $1.1 billion.
Let us now go into the details.

NEED

The M I-17 helicopter is proving to be the favorite ride of India’s Special Forces. These Russian made helicopters were used in November 2008 in the commando assault on Mumbai’s Chabad House, where Pakistani terrorists had taken the Jewish residents hostage.
On September 28, four M I 17 helicopters were used to ferry around 60 Special Forces personnel during the unprecedented strikes on terrorist camps on the Pakistani side of the Line of Control (LoC).

Apart from Special Forces, different units of the Indian military services are using these for varied logistical requirements.


FEATURES:

Here are some important features of the machine:

1. It has a top speed of 250 km per hour, which is good for transport helicopter of this class.
2. Depending on the variant, the M I 17’s maximum takeoff weight is 13,000 kg, this allows it to carry up to 36 heavily armed troops or 4,000 kg of cargo inside the cabin, with an additional 4500 kg payload attached on an external sling.
3. Its two TV3-117BM turboshaft engines are rated at 1900 hp each, giving it improved performance in “hot and high” conditions. These characteristics are especially important on India’s mountainous northern and northeastern borders.
4. The avionics set includes radio and flight navigation equipment used to fly the helicopter under day, night and adverse weather conditions. It also has de-icing equipment. The latest version of India’s M I-17 is the V-5, which is equipped with night vision technology, weather radar and a new P K V-8 autopilot system.
5. It has operational range of 580 km, which can be extended to 1065 km when equipped with two auxiliary fuel tanks. The endurance and range of the M I 17 give India considerable leeway to carry out different operations.
6. The helicopter’s operational ceiling of 20,000 ft, means it is well beyond the range of small arms fire, most likely to be encountered in special operations.

STRONG BUILD & ARMAMENT:

Typical of Russian helicopters, the M I-17 is thick-skinned, being strongly armor protected.

A Syrian Air Force M I-17 was hit by an air-to-air missile fired by a Turkish Air Force fighter aircraft in 2013, but the helicopter survived long enough for both Syrian pilots to bail out in their own airspace and avoid capture.

Compare that to the destruction of a Turkish Cobra, after it was hit by a Russian made Strela shoulder fired missile. The U S made chopper went out of control, caught fire and came apart in midair, giving the 2 pilots no time to bail out.



Furthermore, the M I 17 can be armed with various machine guns, missiles and rockets. Some of the M I 17s, which form the backbone of the Indian Air Force transport helicopter fleet, have been weaponised with 57 mm rocket pods.

CONCLUSION:

Russian helicopters have acquired a well-deserved reputation for being effective weapons of war. It was the experience gained during the decade-long Afghan operations that helped Russian designers to make them more survivable and combat effective.
India is a large country with borders being in hilly regions, to being in marshy areas where land vehicles are not so effective.
Helicopters are alternatives for these scenarios. M I 17s are found to be very efficient by Indian troops and has proven their worth, resulting in more orders.