Rostec's Russian Helicopters’ first flying prototype of the upgraded Mi-171Sh helicopter, designated as the Mi-171Sh-VN, is being displayed for the first time at the Army 2020 defence exhibition in Kubinka near Moscow on 23-29 August.
Russian Helicopters is debuting the first flying prototype of the Mi-171Sh-VN transport helicopter at Army 2020. (Russian Helicopters)
The company said in a press release on 23 August that the upgraded Mi-171Sh 'Storm' transport helicopter, built at the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant (U-UAZ, a subsidiary of Russian Helicopters), features improved protection and special strike capabilities, the IBKV-17VP glass cockpit avionics suite, and OPS-24N-1L observation and target sighting system.
The upgraded helicopter's titanium and kevlar armour provides improved protection for the crew and soldiers, according to Russian Helicopters director general Andrey Boginsky. The press release said the armour protects most parts of the helicopter, as well as the troop compartment.
The Mi-171Sh-VN ‘Storm’ is equipped with upgraded engines, a new rotor system with an improved-profile composite main rotor and X-shaped tail rotor, and the latest version of the President-S self-defence system.
The helicopter is more heavily armed than previously-developed M-8/17s, with an armament suite consisting of door-mounted and forward-firing Kord 12.7 mm machine guns, rockets, bombs, and Ataka anti-tank guided missiles. The Mi-171Sh-VN’s OPS-24N-1L observation and target sighting system allow it to engage both ground and aerial targets, according to Russian Helicopters.
Stressing the tactical flexibility of the ‘Storm’, U-UAZ’s executive director for marketing, sales, and after sales support, Mikhail Karpushkin , told Janes on 26 August, Military customers now have new requirements; they need a multipurpose platform for a wide range of tasks. Such a platform should land troops and, if necessary, be ready to switch to tank killing within a few minutes.
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