Russian Helicopters holding company (part of State Corporation Rostec) will for the first time present the latest Mi-26T2V heavy helicopter developed for the Ministry of Defence during the Army-2018 International Military-Technical Forum. The prototype was manufactured at Rostvertol and will soon make its first flight.
There are plans for the helicopter to fly to the Army-2018 exhibition without help. After the forum, experts from Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant will conduct preliminary tests of the Mi-26T2V. After that, the rotorcraft will be handed over to the military for state tests.
“The Mi-26, being largest mass-produced helicopter in the world, is used to perform extraordinary tasks impossible for other rotorcraft. Each part of the new machine should provide maximum performance. The onboard equipment of Mi-26T2V will make the helicopter even more efficient and reliable, even when used in bad weather and difficult terrain,” said Russian Helicopters CEO Andrey Boginsky.
The customer requested that the Mi-26T2V be able to complete tasks even in regions with complex physical and geographical and adverse climatic conditions, at any time of the day, on equipped and unequipped routes, or even without routes, and on featureless terrain, in conditions of fire and informational resistance by the enemy.
The helicopter differs from the basic Mi-26 model in its new modern NPK90-2V integrated avionics, which significantly simplifies the piloting of the helicopter. The latest avionics system makes it possible to fly a route, come to a preset point, perform approach and final approach maneuvers, and return to the main or alternate aerodrome in automatic mode. Also, the helicopter is equipped with a digital flight center, and the crew cockpit has multifunction color LCD indicators that significantly reduce the workload of the flight crew. Moreover, the Mi-26T2V got a new Vitebsk airborne defence complex that not only detects threats to the helicopter, but also combats the attack.
Lighting equipment on the Mi-26T2 is now adapted for the use with night vision goggles, and the cockpit is equipped with new energy-absorbing seats for the crew. There are also improvements to the navigation systems and satellite communications of the helicopter.
