Russian Helicopters Develops Composite Armor for Mi-8 Choppers

Russian Helicopters has developed a composite ballistic protection system for Mi-8AMT and Mi-8MTV-1 helicopters.

The armor system will be installed on helicopters used for UN peacekeeping missions, Rostec said in a statement today.

Significant advantages of armor are the possibility of its use in various climatic conditions in the temperature range from -50 to +50 degrees, resistance to corrosion and wear. The basis of ballistic protection is a domestic non-combustible composite material, which differs from analogues in a lower surface density while maintaining high protective properties.

The developed system guarantees a high level of protection for crew members and passengers from small arms bullets up to 7.62 mm caliber. A set of composite armor covers not only the cockpit, but also the cargo compartment, while its weight does not exceed 230 kg. The protection system is reliable, lightweight and easy to install. These advantages allow us to talk about the great potential of its use on Mi-8 series helicopters.

Work on the creation of the system was carried out by a certified developer of aviation equipment - the Novosibirsk Aircraft Repair Plant (NARP), which is part of the Russian Helicopters holding. Based on the results of development work, a bulletin was put into effect. Currently, ballistic protection is being produced according to the patterns developed by NARP.