Russian Defense Ministry to Receive First Arctic Helicopter Late November

Russia’s first helicopter developed for Arctic deployment will be delivered to the Russian Defense Ministry by the end of November, the Russian Helicopters manufacturer said Thursday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Mi-8AMTSh-VA, a modified version of the Mi-8 medium twin-turbine transport helicopter, is based on an upgraded Mi-8AMTSh-V with improved turboshaft engines and avionics upgrades.

"The first ‘Arctic’ unit will be handed over to the customer in late November. The next Mi-8AMTSh-VAs will be delivered as part of the state defense order starting in 2016," Russian Helicopters said.

The Russian Defense Ministry signed a five-year delivery contract in February, the company said. It added that flight tests have been conducted at its factory in the south-central Russian city of Ulan-Ude in the Republic of Buryatia, where the helicopters were manufactured.

The new Arctic helicopter can fly up to 1,000 miles without refueling. It has high-altitude navigation, as well as day and night flight in adverse meteorological condition capability, according to Russian Helicopters deputy CEO Andrei Shibitov. Russian Helicopters is part of Rostec state technologies corporation.

Russia unveiled a strategy to boost its presence in the Arctic, believed to hold vast oil and natural gas reserves, two years ago.