Soviet helicopters will last for another quarter of a century
Against the background of continuing difficulties in the field of restructuring a number of defense industries of the Russian industry and in general, the rather sluggish development of the domestic civil aviation industry has shown the phenomenon of rapid growth in the Russian helicopter industry, which remains almost unnoticed by the general public.
2010 was a record year for helicopter production in Russia in more than a decade and a half. The enterprises formed in 2006 under the auspices of the corporation OAO Oboronprom of the holding company “Helicopters of Russia” produced and transferred to customers 214 machines of all types. Thus, from 2003, the production volume of helicopters increased threefold, and from 2006 (when Russian Helicopters were created) - by 2,5. We can confidently say that this figure will be significantly exceeded in the 2011 year - according to the forecast, the release of up to 260 helicopters is expected. The revenue of Russian Helicopters from 2006 to 2010 increased 2,1 times, reaching 2,2 billion dollars. At the same time, the profitability of production is very high for engineering 10 — 12 percent.
The basis of this growth was the long-awaited deployment of mass production of military helicopters of new types under the state defense order, as well as a significant strengthening of the position of domestic helicopters in the world market and the growth of export orders.
In 2010, the export of helicopters from Russia continued to exceed domestic sales - although in 2011, as expected, due to the continued increase in state defense orders, this situation will finally change in favor of domestic supplies. At the same time, Russian helicopter exports have also been rapidly progressing in recent years. Only in 2010, the number of helicopters supplied for export increased by 30 percent. This is primarily due to the successful sales of the Mi-8 / Mi-17 series helicopters, which have become a true bestseller of the Russian helicopter industry.
Medium Specialization
A feature of the development of helicopter technology in the USSR was the dominance in the production of machines of the middle and heavy classes and the weak development of light helicopters.
Since 60-s, both in the national economy and in the armed forces mainly medium-sized transport helicopters of the Mi-8 family, produced by the most mass series, have been used. On the basis of the Mi-8 was created and the main Soviet combat helicopter Mi-24. In the same class were helicopters of Kamov design with coaxial propellers - sea Ka-25, Ka-27, Ka-29, Ka-31 and civilian Ka-32. The production of heavy transport helicopters (Mi-6 and Mi-10, then Mi-26) was also actively pursued.
The use of light helicopters, in comparison with Western countries, was relatively limited in the USSR - private and business aviation was absent in the Soviet Union, and light helicopters were practically not used in the Soviet military. After the piston Mi-4 was decommissioned in the USSR, the class of intermediate-load helicopters between Mi-2 and Mi-8 was completely absent.
The development of light and middle-class helicopters, launched since the end of the 80-s, had only limited results due to economic shocks. The release of the Mi-34 remained of limited production, and the helicopter itself now requires redesign. In recent years, only Ka-226 and Ansat light helicopters were brought to not-too-large-scale production; development of the Ka-60 / 62 continues.
Thus, the Russian helicopter with a line of medium and heavy helicopters occupies a unique niche place in the global market. In this class, competition in the market is rather limited, and Russia has here well-established well-known products with favorable price characteristics. These are the medium transport helicopters of the Mi-8 / 17 family, the heavy transport helicopters of the Mi-26, the combat helicopters of the Mi-24 family, the coaxial medium-size helicopters Ka-27 / 28 / 32. All of these machines were basically created in the sixties and seventies, repeatedly modernized. Recently, combat helicopters of the new generation Mi-28 H and Ka-52 went into mass production.
Flying "Kalashnikov Avtomat" - MI-8
The medium transport helicopter Mi-8 has been produced for more than 40 years and is the “workhorse” of the national armed forces and the national economy and the hallmark of domestic aviation exports. The production of various versions of the Mi-8 MTV modification (export designation Mi-17) with the TV3 — 117 series engines continues at the Kazan Helicopter and Ulan-Ude Aviation Plants. The machine is constantly being improved (including in parallel with the forces of both enterprises), as a result of which a large number of options have been created, including transport and combat, such as, for example, Mi-171Sh. Since 90-ies each year, both plants produced a total of from 70 to 100 machines of the family, the vast majority of which (about 90 percent) were exported for military or civilian customers. In recent years, the volume of shipments has grown, and the total output in 2009 — 2010 has exceeded 150 helicopters per year, and with the prospect of growth.
Powerful, heavy-duty, unpretentious, and relatively inexpensive Mi-8 / Mi-17 helicopters remain widely sought after by military and civilian customers in many regions of the world. In the western press, Mi-8 / 17 helicopters are sometimes compared in popularity, prevalence and simplicity with another “landmark” product of the Russian defense industry - the Kalashnikov assault rifle. There is a reason for this.
The main reason for the popularity of Mi-8 MTV / Mi-17 helicopters in the world market (especially in developing countries) is their low price. They cost less than 10 million dollars for a car, depending on the configuration, which is two to three to four times cheaper than Western analogues (Sikorsky S-70 Blackhawk and S-92, Eurocopter EC225 Super Puma and EC725 Cougar), which Mi-17 to same superior load capacity. In connection with the recent purchase of three Mi-17 Thailand (for 29 million dollars), a Thai military cited the following comparison: “We bought three Mi-17 for the price of one Blackhawk. At the same time, one Mi-17 can carry more than 30 soldiers, while the Blackhawk can only carry 13. ”
At the conceptual level, the successful continuation and expansion of sales of the Mi-8 / 17 is due to the fact that it remains one of the few machines remaining in production that are opposed to current trends in the rapid growth of the cost of helicopters. Instead of simple and relatively cheap helicopters, the symbols of which, in addition to the Mi-8, were the American UH-1H and the French Alouette II and III, more and more expensive vehicles of special design are being put into production and equipment in the West. They are made with a wide use of composite materials, equipped with powerful engines, round-the-clock and navigation systems, digital avionics, developed self-defense complexes, various additional equipment and weapons. The cost of such machines is close to the cost of the squadron UH-1H or Mi-8 MTV. As a result, the armies of many even developed countries cannot afford to purchase a sufficient number of new-generation helicopters, and the helicopters themselves lose the important role of a cheap battlefield vehicle - a kind of “consumable” of war.
As a result, the armed forces of many countries (not excluding a country that is not the last in this world, such as the United Kingdom) are experiencing a “helicopter crisis”, especially aggravated by their participation in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Not surprisingly, it was the military campaigns of the United States and its allies in Iraq and Afghanistan that gave impetus to the renaissance of sales of the Mi-8 / 17 series cars. In operations in these countries, the “flying Kalashnikovs” have proven themselves from the best side, with the result that the helicopter fleet of the very numerous Iraqi and Afghan air forces being restored is formed through the procurement of new Mi-17 helicopters.
Initially, the Americans shamefully covered up the mass purchases of Russian Mi-17 for military aviation in Iraq and Afghanistan by using all sorts of intermediary firms from Ukraine, from Poland or the United Arab Emirates. Recently, however, the masks were dropped, and for Afghanistan, the Pentagon began to directly purchase these machines in Russia at its own expense, signing a contract at the beginning of 2011 for the purchase of an X-NUMX Mi-21 helicopter. The latter caused resentment in the US Congress, but Americans simply have nothing to choose from - their Blackhawk is many times more expensive.
Mi-17 helicopters began to actively take on other participants in the Afghan campaign - from NATO member Canada to the recently turned up their noses from the "Soviet" technology of Poland and other countries of the former Warsaw Pact.
Thus, sales of the Mi-17 are now experiencing a significant rise. At the same time, the traditional customers of China, India and Pakistan remain the stable major customers of the machines of this series (the latter, as well as partially to China, Russian cars are delicately supplied under the “civil” sign). In particular, we should point to India, which signed a contract in 2008 for the purchase of new Mi-80 helicopters 17, deliveries of which were launched from Kazan this year. Negotiations are underway to order another 59 machines. Procurement of new Mi-17 series by the republics of the CIS - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan. Finally, Mi-17 helicopters make their way to all new countries - it suffices to mention the recent contracts with Argentina, Bolivia, Indonesia, Kenya, and Thailand.
It is expected that subject to continuous improvement, the machines of the Mi-8 / 17 series will be sold until about the 2035 year. Work is also underway to create a radically updated version of this machine, referred to as the Mi-171 M, which is expected to be launched in the 2015 series.
Unique Flying Giant - MI-26
The world's heaviest transport helicopter Mi-26 with take-off weight up to 56 tons and carrying capacity up to 20 tons is produced by Rostvertol plant in Rostov-on-Don and has no analogues abroad. Due to its uniqueness, the Mi-26 still finds a fairly steady demand: deliveries are made in piece quantities for both civilian and military foreign customers. Among the latter, the largest was Venezuela, which received three Mi-2006 Ts in 26 year, and Chinese companies regularly buy it in the civil line. A number of countries, including France and Brazil, are showing interest in acquisitions.
The main hopes for further advancement of the Mi-26 to the external market and an increase in its commercial attractiveness are associated with the Mi-26 Т2 modification that is being developed with the new complex of on-board radio-electronic equipment. The tests of the Mi-26 T2 started in the 2011 year. This modification is participating in the Indian tender for 15 transport helicopters. A further development of the machine should be the radically upgraded heavy transport helicopter MI-26 M, which is planned to be launched into the series in 2015 year.
Coaxial helicopters Kamov from Kumertau
A plant in the Bashkir Kumertau is producing a family of coaxial medium-sized helicopters developed by the Kamov Design Bureau on the basis of the Ka-27 marine helicopter. Since 1993, at least seven Ka-28 anti-submarine helicopters (export version of the Ka-27 Submarine) and three search and rescue Ka-27 PS were delivered to the People's Republic of China, and nine more anti-submarine Ka-2009 helicopters in 2011 — 28. India, together with the aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Gorshkov, ordered eight more Ka-28 (in addition to the 19 received during the Soviet era). It is planned to release an updated version of the Ka-2015 helicopter from 27, including for export. On the basis of the Ka-27, a Ka-31 radar patrol shipboard helicopter was also created. The launch customer for this type of mass-produced machine was India, which received nine Ka-2003 in 2004 — 31, and ordered another nine Ka-31 in the framework of the contract for the aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Gorshkov. China ordered nine Ka-31 for delivery in 2010 — 2011.
Kumertau also produces a civilian version of the Ka-27 helicopter, designated Ka-32, which is in steady (albeit small) demand in the world market, mainly due to the combination of good performance with a very low price for a helicopter of this class (11 — 13 tons) (4 — 6 million dollars). Seven - ten Ka-32 machines are delivered annually abroad. Their largest operator was South Korea, which received by 2011 year, mainly on account of covering Russian debt, up to 60 machines (including seven in the search and rescue version for the Air Force). Work is underway to create modified versions of the Ka-32.
Fighting helicopters: the second life of the Soviet "old men"
In the past decade and a half, Soviet-made Mi-24 combat helicopters have become one of the export hits of the CIS republics, especially in African countries, which they consider as a kind of duty to acquire at least a pair of vehicles of this type. Traditional consumers of the Mi-24 are the states involved in various conflicts. The attractiveness of the Mi-24 is explained by the opportunity to get a full-fledged efficient combat vehicle at a price of just a few million dollars - while modern western combat helicopters of the new generation (such as the Boeing AH-64D Apache and Eurocopter Tiger) have an unbelievable cost of at least an order of magnitude more comparable to cost of a modern fighter.
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus sold more than 400 second-hand Mi-24 series helicopters from the presence of their declining armed forces. However, the customers' interest in the machines of this series turned out to be so great that from 2000, the Rostvertol plant resumed production of these helicopters in the export version of the Mi-35 — the gun Mi-35 P, and then the more advanced, modified round-the-clock Mi-35 M. of time for export 41 helicopter Mi-35 P new construction (Indonesia, Cyprus, Niger, Peru, Czech Republic), 10 Mi-35 M helicopters - Venezuela, and now the contract is being implemented for the supply of Brazil's 12 Mi-35 M. In 2010, a major contract was concluded for the supply of X-NUMX machines MI-24 M to Azerbaijan, and only at the end of the year the management of Rostvertol announced the existence of contracts for the supply of 35 Mi-30 P and 35 Mi-28 M abroad.
In 2008 — 2009, mass production of military helicopters Mi-28 H (on Rostvertol) and Ka-52 (Arsenyev Aviation Company Progress in the Far East) finally began. An export version of the Mi-28 NE has been developed based on the MI-28. The machine is bidding on the delivery of 22 helicopter gunships to India, vying with the US AH-64D. Algeria, Venezuela, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and a number of other countries are showing interest in the purchase of Mi-28 NE. At the beginning of 2011, the first export contract was announced for 12 helicopters Mi-28 N.
New
The management of Russian Helicopters connects the prospects for increasing the export of its products with the expansion of the range of proposed machines, for which work on the creation of new types of helicopters and the modernization of existing ones are being activated. To date, the holding has developed an extensive program of promising work in the helicopter industry for the period up to 2020 — 2025.
Particular attention is paid to launching the new Mi-38 transport helicopter series, which should partially replace the Mi-8 / 17 series on the market. In addition, the launch of a medium-range Ka-2015 helicopter to the 62 series is expected.
A significant reserve for increasing sales is entering the light helicopter market. Here Russia is already promoting the Ansat light vehicles (seven are sold to South Korea, there are orders from Kazakhstan and Laos) and Ka-226 T (participates in the tender of the Indian Ministry of Defense for the purchase of 197 light machines). In the coming years, they should be joined by upgraded versions of the Mi-34 helicopter (Mi-34 С1 and Mi-34 С2). It can be expected that the final refinement of all these machines and the increase in their resource and reliability will allow Russian suppliers to get "their piece" in this market segment.
By 2020, the "Russian Helicopters". It is planned to develop and bring to the series three new types of commercial helicopters - a heavy transport AHL (based on the Mi-46 project), an average helicopter in the 4,5 ton weight class (based on the Mi-54 project) and a light helicopter in the 2,5 ton weight class. In addition, by this time, a fundamentally promising sea helicopter Ka-65 (coaxial scheme), a radically modernized heavy transport helicopter Mi-26 (designation Mi-26 M), transport Mi-383 (military version Mi-38 ), as well as unmanned helicopter complex. Finally, a program has been launched to create a fundamentally promising high-speed helicopter with a scheme with an additional pusher propeller, which is seen as a chance to make a large-scale qualitative leap in helicopter construction.
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