New Mi-8MTV5-1 Gunships Join Russian Military in Tajikistan

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced today two Mi-8MTV5-1 combat helicopters entered service with the air group of 201st Russian military base in Tajikistan.

“An airborne defense complex has already been installed on board the rotorcraft, and the cockpit is equipped with lighting equipment adapted for the use of night vision goggles. The new helicopters replaced the more outdated models in service with the military base,” the MoD said in a statement.

The Mi-8MTV-5-1 is supplied to Russia’s military and law-enforcement agencies, and is designed to transport up to 4,000 kg of cargo and equipment. The helicopter can also fly search-and-rescue missions and carry out a number of specialized tasks. The rotorcraft’s on-board defense complex offers protection from missiles with infrared-guided aiming heads.

The helicopter's 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.

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.