Russian Helicopters present Mi-35P and Ansat helicopters at Russia-Africa Economic Forum.

Russian Helicopters holding company (part of Rostec State Corporation) takes part in the Russia-Africa Economic Forum held in Sochi on October 23-24, 2019. In the 'Industry' zone the holding company showcases a modernized Mi-35P attack helicopter, a corporate version of the civilian multipurpose Ansat helicopter and a mobile service center for overhaul of Mi-8/17 helicopters.

Over 900 helicopters made by Russian Helicopters' enterprises are registered in African countries (Picture source: Russian Helicopters)

"Over 900 helicopters made by Russian Helicopters' enterprises are registered in African countries. This is almost one in four helicopters on the continent, and the share of our military rotorcraft is almost 40%. This certainly provides for huge potential for cooperation in servicing, modernizing and renovating the fleet. We also offer our partners civilian helicopters, such as Ansat and Mi-171A2 multipurpose rotorcraft, and a military modernized Mi-35P attack helicopter. This is the evolution of the Mi-24/35 family which proved to be very effective in Africa" said Director General of Russian Helicopters holding company Andrey Boginsky.

African countries operate over 250 helicopters of Mi-24/35 type. The holding company offers the modernized version of the Mi-35P helicopter to all African partners who are interested in it. The helicopter has new engines, the new sighting and navigation system, and more weapons. Mi-35P helicopter is made by Rostvertol, an enterprise of Russian Helicopters. It can be used as a military helicopter for destroying tanks and armored vehicles, and as a troop-carrying helicopter transporting eight military men. It also has sanitary and transport modifications. Control of the helicopter has been significantly improved, and its weapons system has been optimized. The Mi-35P helicopter can be used in high mountains, in hot and humid climate, day and night.

More than a half of helicopters in Africa made in the USSR and in Russia are machines of the world-famous Мi-8/17 family in various versions. To ease the maintenance of the fleet, the holding company offers container type mobile service centers. They are designed for overhaul of Mi-8/17 type helicopters and their versions at customers' air bases. They may be deployed at any place even without using electricity: they have diesel generators. Such a mobile service center is also presented at the exposition during the Russia-Africa Economic Forum.

Russian Helicopters's civilian rotorcraft is also presented. Thus, the company presents Ansat multipurpose helicopter in its corporate version with a highly comfortable cabin. In Russia this twin-engine helicopter is actively operated as a "flying ambulance". It has one of the largest cabins in its class and can be used for transporting cargo, passengers and medical supplies, search and rescue operations and patrolling. Ansat helicopter came onto the international market in 2018 at Airshow China, where Russian Helicopters signed a contract for delivering 20 helicopters of this type to the Chinese Emergency and Disaster Relief Association.