Russian Military Receives Mi-8 Helicopters With Advanced On-Board Defense Systems

Russian Ministry of Defense has received a batch of five Mi-8MTV-5-1 military transport helicopters.

This is the final delivery under 2011 contract. The helicopters have advanced on-board defense equipment installed, Russian Helicopters said in a statement August 5.

Mi-8MTV-5 is the domestic designation of Mi-17V-5 export version.

"The machines are equipped with modern domestic-made UV-26M protection equipment. The helicopter fuselage has been adapted for the installation of the L-370 electronic warfare system,” said Yuri Pustovgarov, managing director of the Kazan Helicopter plant.

UV-26M passive jamming dispenser is designed to protect aircraft and helicopters from guided missiles by jamming their guidance systems and executive mechanisms with passive countermeasures, effective in optical and radar frequency bands, its producer Vympel MKB claims. It can work in manual and automatic modes, as part of an on-board defense system or independently.

The cockpit of Mi-8MTV-5-1 is equipped with lighting equipment adapted for the use of night vision goggles, which allows flying in the dark at low and extremely low altitudes, as well as taking off and landing on unmarked sites. The helicopter also has modern communication systems.

In July 2020 Russian Helicopters announced the start of the trials of the brand-new Mi-8AMTSh-VN helicopter purposefully designed for the use by the special forces based on combat experience in Syria. The Mi-8AMTSh-VN helicopter employs two side-mounted 12.7mm forward-firing machine-guns.