China's Jiangsu Baoli Orders 4 Ka-32A11BC Firefighting Helicopters

Russian Helicopters has signed a contract with China's Jiangsu Baoli for delivery of 4 Ka-32A11BC firefighting helicopters in 2016-2017.

Once delivered to China, the Ka-32A11BC helicopters will be used in firefighting operations, as well as for patrols and supporting special operations.

Russian Helicopters Deputy CEO for Marketing and Business Development, Alexander Shcherbinin, said, "Ka-32A11BC helicopters are ideally suited to China's high mountainous regions and heavily built-up urban centres, since they do not need much space to land and are easy to manoeuvre in mountainous and urban high-rise areas."

China's firefighting service has considerable experience of using Ka-32A11BC helicopters to fight fires and in search-and-rescue operations.

In early January this year the Ka-32A11BC played a crucial role in rescuing passengers from the ice-bound Akademic Shokalsky research ship.

The Ka-32A11BC meets FAR-29 and AP-29 airworthiness standards, and has EASA certification.

The helicopters are currently operated in Austria, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Canada, China, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Russia, South Korea, Spain, and Switzerland.