Within the framework of the international exhibition of aerospace technology LIMA-2019, held from 26 to 30 March 2019, which is held in Malaysia on the island of Langkawi, the Russian Helicopters holding presented its equipment. In addition to the Mi-171A2 and Ansat helicopters already well-known to foreign customers, the Russian holding brought its new product to Malaysia - the Mi-38 medium multipurpose helicopter. This machine, created by the specialists of the famous Mil Design Bureau, has yet to conquer world markets, including the market of the countries of Southeast Asia.
Currently, Russia is looking for new sales markets for its products of the military-industrial complex, and in this regard, the 15th international exhibition of aerospace and naval equipment LIMA 2019 is a good showcase for the products of the Russian defense industry. Vietnam is the main buyer of Russian weapons in the region, but Malaysia itself, where the exhibition is taking place, has acquired over two billion dollars worth of domestic weapons over the past 15 years.
Multipurpose helicopter Mi-38
There is no doubt that the new Russian Mi-38 helicopter will interest buyers, not only the military, but also civilians. This multipurpose vehicle should occupy a niche between the very popular and widespread throughout the planet, the medium Mi-8 helicopter and the heavy Mi-26. The press service of the Russian Helicopters holding says that negotiations with partners from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Cambodia are planned within the framework of the exhibition. In addition, intensive work is currently underway with Vietnam, with this country the parties are coordinating the supply of civilian helicopters.
The multipurpose transport helicopter Mi-38 presented at the exhibition is a new generation technique, many elements of the rotorcraft were created in Russia from scratch. In particular, the new main rotor, which is made of composite materials or the structural and power scheme of the fuselage. The main structural elements of the Mi-38 helicopter fuselage are made of light aluminum alloys, as well as modern composite materials, individual units and assemblies of the helicopter are made of titanium and high-strength steel. The power plant of the new Mil design bureau consists of two TV7-117V engines, which are produced by UEC-Klimov. The new turboshaft engines boast a maximum take-off power of 2,800 hp. It should be noted that this is a good option for transforming TV-7-117S turboprop engines into helicopter ones. In the aircraft version, the engines are designed to be installed on modern Russian aircraft, in particular the passenger Il-114 and the military transport Il-112V, which first took to the skies on Saturday, March 30, 2019. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation plans to purchase about a hundred such vehicles, which will have to replace the morally and physically obsolete An-24 and An-26 transports in the Russian Aerospace Forces.
The multipurpose Mi-38 helicopter can be used in various versions, both in the passenger version (it will be able to carry up to 30 passengers in the economy class version of the cabin, the helicopter can also be used for VIP transportation), and in the transport version for the transportation of various cargo (up to 5 tons of cargo in the cabin and up to 6 tons of cargo on the external sling). In addition, the helicopter can be used as a search and rescue helicopter to operate in a wide variety of geographic regions and in various climatic conditions. According to the developers, the helicopter can be used in a very wide temperature range from -50 to +50 degrees Celsius. The helicopter has already been tested at the Mirny airfield in Yakutia, where the aircraft flew at temperatures of -45 degrees.
Multipurpose helicopter Mi-38
Before the stage of serial production, the Mi-38 helicopter has come a long way of development. The process of creating the helicopter went on with long pauses, which is associated with the collapse of the USSR at the end of 1991 and the subsequent economic problems that the entire domestic economy faced. The development of a multipurpose helicopter has been carried out in our country since 1981, in 1989 the model was presented at the Le Bourget air show, in 1991 a model of the future helicopter was demonstrated. In the future, the project was repeatedly refined, the first flight of the multipurpose Mi-38 helicopter made already in the 21st century, it happened on December 22, 2003. At the same time, serial production of the new helicopter began at the facilities of the Kazan Helicopter Plant only on January 10, 2018. In the same 2018, the military version of the Mi-38 helicopter, designated Mi-38T, began full-fledged flight tests.
It is expected that the first military transport helicopter Mi-38T will enter service with the Russian army in June 2019. Andrey Boginsky, who is the general director of the Russian Helicopters holding, told reporters about this, he made a statement during the international aviation exhibition Aero India 2019. Unlike the civilian version, the model for the Russian Aerospace Forces received all units and components exclusively of domestic production. The helicopter now has an explosion-proof fuel system, new TV7-117V engines, which are highly efficient, as well as an integrated digital navigation system and communications equipment used by the military. Also, the helicopter is distinguished by the possibility of installing additional fuel tanks, which are designed to increase the range of flights. According to the developers, the maximum flight range of the helicopter with a cargo of 2700 kg and additional fuel tanks installed is 1200 km. In addition, the helicopter can be easily converted into a sanitary version.
The new Russian helicopter surpasses its predecessor, the Mi-8 / Mi-17, primarily in terms of carrying capacity. The machine will ideally suit those customers who lack the size and capabilities of the already living classic of the G8, but for whom the purchase of the heaviest and most cargo-carrying helicopter at the moment, the Mi-26, is unprofitable and impractical. At the same time, the Mi-38 surpasses its predecessors the medium multipurpose Mi-8 / Mi17 helicopters, primarily in terms of carrying capacity. The new Russian helicopter is able to take on board in the transport cabin up to 5000 kg of various cargoes (Mi-8 / Mi-17 up to 4000 kg), while it is able to carry up to 6000 kg of various cargoes on the external sling, for the Mi-8 / Mi -17 this figure is also limited to 4000 kg.
The first flight of the military version of the Mi-38T helicopter
The fact that the Mi-38 helicopter is in many ways outstanding is confirmed by the numerous world records set on it. In 2012, a new world helicopter flight altitude record was set on the Mi-38, when the aircraft exceeded 8600 meters. At the same time, the world record for the rate of climb for helicopters without cargo was set. The aircraft was able to climb three kilometers in six minutes (a record in the category for helicopters with a takeoff weight of 10 to 20 tons). It is worth noting that the flight altitude record was broken in 2013, but also by a domestically produced helicopter. The Mi-8MSB model managed to “take” an altitude of 9150 meters. There are in the treasury of the achievements of the new Mil OKB helicopter and records for lifting cargo, for example, lifting a cargo weighing two tons to a height of 7020 meters and tons of cargo to a height of 8000 meters.
On the international market, the Russian novelty will have to compete with European-made helicopters. Airbus Helicopters and AgustaWestland, which actively sell their own medium-duty helicopters, offer their multipurpose helicopters with similar flight characteristics. Just like the Mi-38, they are presented in military and civilian versions and differ in the versatility of their application.
The AW101 helicopter (the anti-submarine version is known under the designation Merlin), developed by the Anglo-Italian company AgustaWestland, is now part of the largest Italian machine-building holding Leonardo, in terms of its performance characteristics it is closest to the new Russian Mi-38 helicopter. The AgustaWestland AW101 rotorcraft first took to the skies in 1987 and has been mass-produced since 1997. Production is deployed in four countries at once: Italy, Great Britain, USA and Japan.
AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin
Both rotorcraft are presented in the same maximum take-off weight - 15 600 kg. The capabilities declared by the developers for the transportation of the landing are also equal - 30 paratroopers with full weapons (placement on the seats) and up to 12 wounded on stretchers. The cruising speed of helicopters is practically equal - 277 km / h for the Italian and 280-290 km / h for the Russian. At the same time, the Russian Mi-38 helicopter surpasses the AW101 in such an important indicator as the carrying capacity. An Italian car can take up to 3000 kg of cargo in the cabin (a Russian helicopter up to 5000 kg), and on an external sling it can carry up to 5520 kg of various cargo (a Russian helicopter up to 6000 kg). At the same time, the useful volume of the cargo compartment of the helicopters is practically the same, 29.5 m3 for the Russian helicopter, versus 29 m3 for the AW101. Also, the Mi-38 surpasses the competitor in practical ceiling - 5900 meters versus 4575 meters for the AW101 helicopter.
Another possible competitor to the Russian Mi-38 is the H225 helicopter (which is the youngest member of the Super Puma helicopter family), which is manufactured by Airbus Helicopters. At the same time, this helicopter is nevertheless closer to the Mi-8 / Mi-17, it has a maximum take-off weight of 11,200 kg, a cruising speed of 260 km / h and is capable of lifting cargo weighing up to 4,750 kg on an external sling, the number of passengers on board is also limited. 19-24. The only thing in which this model is not much superior to the Mi-38 is the practical ceiling, which is 6050 meters versus 5900 meters for the Mi-38 helicopter.
Airbus Helicopters H225
An important advantage of Russian helicopters, which made the Mi-8 / Mi-17 the most massive and best-selling helicopter in the world, is the ability to operate them in the most severe conditions, in different climatic zones and on different continents from sandy and arctic deserts to high mountain regions and rainforest. Also, the traditional advantage of domestic technology is cost. Lower price and such indicator as cost / efficiency often turn out to be decisive when choosing Russian aircraft.
