Russian Helicopters to Expand Services in Latin America and Caribbean

Russian Helicopters has unveiled plans to provide after-sales service and maintenance for helicopters operated in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The total fleet of Russian helicopters operating in the region exceeds 400.

Mi-8/17 helicopters are the most popular, at 320 units. There are 60 Soviet and Russian-made helicopters in Cuba today for example, about 50 of them are Mi-8/17s.

Russian Helicopters will also offer comprehensive services to expand helicopters' operational capabilities via a modernisation programme.

Military-transport helicopters will be offered integrated digital avionics, new engines, modernised rotor system and gears, electro-optical protection systems against SAMs and MANPADS, and other recent developments. Commercial helicopters will be offered new digital avionics systems and additional equipment, enabling them to be used in search and rescue and passenger transport operations.

Russian Helicopters is also willing to modernise and repair military helicopters. Under Licence dated 30.09.2014 No. 2014214207, Russian Helicopters has the right to export spare parts, components, special training and auxiliary equipment, as well as technical documentation for military helicopters already delivered, and to carry out works to extend their service life, repair and modernisation (including design research and development work), utilisation and other works comprising full service provision for military helicopters, and training foreign specialists to carry out these works.

Aftersales service provision for helicopters operated in Latin America and the Caribbean will draw on the production capacity at the Yu. A. Gagarin Aircraft Repair Plant (Cuba).

Russian Helicopters is in talks with their Cuban counterparts on formulating the proposal for retooling the plant and authorising it as an entity that is empowered to carry out aftersales service and maintenance on Soviet-made and Russian-made military and commercial helicopters.