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World Defense & Security News - Russia & India
 
 
Russia & India planning to sign contract on Ka-226 Helicopter delivery in 2018
 
A contract for the delivery of 200 Kamov Ka-226 (NATO reporting name: Hoodlum) multirole helicopters to India is planned to be signed in the first quarter of 2018, Russian Helicopters Group CEO Andrei Boginsky said.
     
India and Russia close to sign deal for Ka 226T multirole helicopters 640 001Russian Helicopters Ka-226T light multirole helicopter
(Credit: Russian Helicopters)
     
"From my point of view, we have reached the final stage of the talks. I expect, hope and want the contract to be signed in the first quarter of 2018 because, unfortunately, this cannot be done before the end of the current year," Boginsky said.

According to the CEO, Russian Helicopters Group has done all the work required to start contract negotiations.

"Talks are currently in progress with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and India’s Defense Ministry to specify the parameters of the helicopter to be delivered,"
Boginsky said.

The CEO did not rule out the possibility of exporting the Ka-226 helicopter from India to other countries.

"In fact, we don’t rule out such an option. This helicopter will be delivered in the configuration required for the Indian Defense Ministry. Therefore, if the issue of delivering the helicopter in the same configuration is raised, of course, a separate agreement between the governments of the two countries will be required,"
Boginsky said.

If the delivery of the civil version of the helicopter is a matter of interest, it will be more rational to discuss it after all the 200 helicopters are delivered to India under the contract, he added.

An agreement on cooperation in helicopter production was signed between Russia and India in 2015.

Under the agreement, Russian Helicopters Group will deliver Ka-226T helicopters to India and organize the production of the rotorcraft and its versions on the Indian territory. As many as 200 Ka-226T helicopters are expected to be produced and no less than 140 of them are planned to be manufactured by the Russian-Indian joint venture in India.

The Ka-226 is a light multipurpose helicopter developed by Russia’s Kamov Design Bureau. The helicopter has a takeoff weight of 3.4 tons and can carry up to 1.5 tons of payload or up to seven passengers over a distance of 600 kilometers (373 miles).

The helicopter features an increased thrust margin and a high climb rate due to its coaxial rotors. The helicopter can operate in mountain terrain and at high temperatures.
     
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