28 Mar 2024
Friday 11 August 2017 - 22:29
Story Code : 271860

Iran to build civil helicopters in joint venture with Russia



Sputnik - Irans Development and Renovation Organization (IDRO) and Russian Helicopters Company plan to team up to assemble light Russian helicopters in the Islamic Republic, IDROs deputy director Abolfazl Kiani Bakhtiari announced.




Mr. Bakhtiari said that apart fromthe Russian Ka-226 and Ansat light multirole helicopters the Iranians would also assemble their own Saba-248 cargo and passenger rotorcraft. The Saba can also be used insearch-and-rescue missions, exploratory mapping, and also asa flying taxi.

In an interview withSputnik Persian, military expert Mikhail Khodaryonok said that such cooperation would benefit both sides, especially Russias helicopter industry, which has recently suffered a drop inorders.
Russias helicopter-making industry will certainly stand togain fromthis, especially when it comes toheavy-lift helicopters. This is a window ofopportunity that will help Russian Helicopters toimprove its financial situation. This would also be beneficial toour industry asa whole, aboveall the fledgling production ofthe Ansat helicopters, Khodaryonok added.


When asked aboutthe impact the standing US sanctions could have onthis cooperation, Mikhail Khodaryonok noted that much depends onthe type ofengines these helicopters would be using.

Some ofthese [engines] could possibly fall under [the US] sanctions, he said.

In December 2016, Iran's Minister ofIndustry Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh said that Tehran is ready toestablish a joint venture toassemble Russian helicopters inthe country, asthe country needs advanced Russian rotorcraft.

The Ansat, a multipurpose light twin-engine turbine helicopter, can be used tocarry goods and passengers, aswell asused forsurveillance, search and rescue missions, and medical evacuation.

The Ka-226 light multirole helicopter has a maximum takeoff weight of3.6 metric tons and is capable oftransferring a payload ofup toone ton. The helicopter could be used forpassenger and cargo missions, medical evacuations and intensive care, and search and rescue operations.

The Saba-248, unveiled inMarch, 2017 and designed and built byIran's Helicopter Renovation and Logistics Company, is a skid-equipped twin-engine, four-bladed utility helicopter meant foruse bythe Iranian armed forces fortroop and cargo transportation, battlefield liaison, casualty evacuation, search and rescue, and observation and reconnaissance.

 

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