MOSCOW, May 12 (RIA Novosti) - A manufacturing plant in southwest China has started to assemble Russian-designed Mi-171 transport helicopters, one of Russia's key arms exports, the Russian business daily Vedomosti said on Monday.
China plans to build at least 20 helicopters in 2008 with assembly kits supplied by a Russian plant in Ulan-Ude and later increase production capacity to 80 aircraft per year.
"We consider this project as the beginning of a trend to assembly Russian helicopters in China," the newspaper quoted a source in Oboronprom, which controls Russian Helicopters, a helicopter manufacturing group.
Mi-171 is an export version of the Mi-8 Hip helicopter, which is currently in production at two factories in Kazan and Ulan-Ude, fitted with more powerful turboshaft engines.
According to Vedomosti, the Lantian Helicopter Company, based in Sichuan province, has already received orders worth $42.8 million.
"The Chinese are planning to export [Mi-171] helicopters to Pakistan and Africa, which may hurt Russian exports," the source said. "In addition, the successful implementation of the project could leave Russian manufacturers short of component parts."
In 2007, Russian companies only built 120 Mi-171 helicopters, although they had orders for 150 aircraft, due to a shortage of transmissions and rotors, and according to estimates, there are no plans in the future to increase production for these components.
At the same time, some Russian experts believe it is better to allow the Chinese to manufacture helicopters under license rather than sit and wait until China develops its own version, modeled on Russian designs, Vedomosti said.
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Re: China starts producing Russian Mi-171 helicopters
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May 17 2008, 7:17 PM
it is no big deal this was only agreed to because Russia plans to discontinue the Mi-8 line altogether once the Mi-38 development is finished. A deal to produce Pratt and Whitney engines in Russia for the Mi-38 was signed this week. A second Mi-38 prototype is being assembled for the test program. China will still stay a whole generation behind. Oboronprom also offered the Russian military a Pratt and Whitney engined Ka-62 this week. Now that the engines will be made in Russia the MoD will likely accept this design. The problem with the Ka-60/62 was always that there was no suitable Russian made engine for it and now that problems looks like its been solved.
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Re: China starts producing Russian Mi-171 helicopters
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May 17 2008, 8:03 PM
KA-60 is only a 6ton helicopter which is the same as the chinese EC-175/z-15 which now in development.
therefore a 13ton mi-17 will still be quite useful.
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Re: China starts producing Russian Mi-171 helicopters
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May 17 2008, 8:09 PM
mi-38 will fill the heavy roll but Russia wants to move to smaller birds like Ka-60 anyway for more things. Large helos have proven to be problematic in dropping special operations people in Chechnya, they are to big a target and make more noise. Mi-17 production will end when the Mi-38 is ready. They will drag production on for a few more years to fill orders in the third world but the future is the Mi-38 with its Canadian engine and new Transas glass cockpit.
This message has been edited by irkut on May 17, 2008 8:10 PM
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Re: China starts producing Russian Mi-171 helicopters
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May 17 2008, 9:18 PM
China will still stay a whole generation behind.
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EC-175 is hardly a whole generation behind just different doctrine, as well the mi-171 isnt tat bad either it has been proven to be as good as S-70C Blackhawk under varies harsh trials.
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Re: China starts producing Russian Mi-171 helicopters
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May 17 2008, 9:43 PM
Within a decade I think the Chinese will begin replacing their older Mi-17s with the Mi-38 - would expect the same from India, Pakistan & other big forces. However a good number of the Mi-17/171 operators may not be able to afford Mi-38 very soon, the Chinese will definitely mint the market. Plus the Mi-171s around the world will be in service for a fair while, so the parts market will be big for a while.
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Re: China starts producing Russian Mi-171 helicopters
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May 17 2008, 10:01 PM
there is no need to replace the mi-171 nor could china afford. more importantly with some good upgrades of electronic and engines such as Mi-17V-7 which featuring more powerful VK-2500 engines thus allows high-altitude work in Tibet to get the work done and cost efficient.
as well there are EC-175/Z-15 and Z-9 to compensate mi-171.
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Re: China starts producing Russian Mi-171 helicopters
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May 17 2008, 11:41 PM
no, depends on which role the hardware is undertaking as well the country's situation of needs. For the roles of logistic and relief mi-171 would be providing a cost efficient and robust platform.
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Re: China starts producing Russian Mi-171 helicopters
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May 17 2008, 11:45 PM
its too heavy an airframe, material science has advanced to the point where you can have a double digit reduction iN weight, you can thus save fuel. Fuel consumption is why the Mi-17 doesnt sell in the commerical arena and in the West at all. The goal for Russia is to develop products we can sell in Europe.
This message has been edited by irkut on May 17, 2008 11:48 PM
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Re: China starts producing Russian Mi-171 helicopters
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May 17 2008, 11:55 PM
i doubt it will reach success in europe except mi-26.'
another thing is commerical helicopter tends to require most of high-tech and fuel efficient plus nice looks, where as military version tends to be simple, robust and battle proven.
This message has been edited by cookerk-9 on May 17, 2008 11:59 PM
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Re: China starts producing Russian Mi-171 helicopters
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May 18 2008, 12:56 AM
maybe in the interim the production of a new version of the mi-17 design with up to date light weight materials should be looked at as a cost effective way of keeping the design going without moving on to the mi-38.. all it would take is retooling and being re certified to fit the needs of the PLA and/or other countries that like to mi-17 and might not want to switch to the mi-38 due to the costs.. this could be done through the sale of the design to chinese firms or some type of transfer agreement on profit splitiing
Re: China starts producing Russian Mi-171 helicopters
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May 18 2008, 2:59 AM
ur right tats y china is producing the newest version Mi-17V-7 with new frame, engines, and electronic bring up the Max internal payload from 4000kg to 5000kg.
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