"Russian Helicopters plans to provide after-sales service and maintenance for helicopters operated in Latin America and the Caribbean," the subsidiary of Russia’s state technology company Rostec said in a statement.
Russian Helicopters said it will offer additional comprehensive services to expand operational capabilities of the Latin American and Caribbean fleet of some 400 units. These include the 320 Mil Mi-8/Mi-17 (NATO reporting name Hip) transport helicopters made in Russia and 60 Soviet-era helicopters.
"Russian Helicopters is also willing to modernize and repair military helicopters," it added, citing a licensed right to export spare parts, components, and technical documentation for delivered military helicopters.
Among the services under the planned modernization program include integrated digital avionics, new engines, modernized rotor system and gears, as well as electro-optical protection systems against surface-to-air missile systems for military-transport helicopters.
Commercial units are offered new digital avionics systems and additional search and rescue as well as passenger transport equipment.
Russian Helicopters’ aftersales service provision is said to be drawn on the Yuri Gagarin Aircraft Repair Plant in Cuba. The company is in talks with Cuban colleagues on formulating a retooling proposal to expand the plant’s capacities to carry out the new service and maintenance works.
