Russian
Helicopters holding company, a part of United Industrial Corporation Oboronprom,
and the Chief Administration for the social security of Ordos City (China,
Inner Mongolia) have signed a contract for the delivery of a civil all-weather
multi-role coaxial Ka-32A11BC helicopter in its firefighting variant.
The helicopter is equipped with the Simplex firefighting system, horizontal
water cannon, and VSU-5 water-dumping system.
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Russian Helicopters won the tender for a firefighting
helicopter in August 2011. The delivery to the Chief Administration
for the social security of Ordos City is planned for September 2012.
A combination of outstanding operational characteristics inherent in
the design of the Ka-32A11BC makes it a solid performer in firefighting,
this fact being confirmed by efficient operations experience in Russian
EMERCOM divisions, as well as rescue services in Spain, Portugal, Azerbaijan,
Bulgaria, Greece, and South Korea.
The Ka-32A11BC is easy to control and very precise in its movements
due to its coaxial rotors. No tail rotor and a tail boom shortened to
rotor diameter helps to manoeuvre near obstacles and achieve extreme
hover accuracy even when working in the zone of fire and in unstable
atmosphere. High power capacity allows for the transportation of up
to 5 tons of water.
The helicopter can work for prolonged periods in high smoke and dust
congestion. The Ka-32A11BC can fight fires on oil-loading tankers and
containers, facilities of fuel, chemical, and oil refinery enterprises,
in oil and gas rigging areas, and top floors and roofs of high-rise
buildings. The helicopter can also be used to create shelter belts in
forest fires.
A wide range of additional specialised equipment is available for the
firefighting Ka-32A11BC: a horizontal water cannon, hang-on water tanks
(Bambi Bucket, Simplex firefighting systems), water-dumping systems
such as VSU-5.
The Russian Ka-32A11BC is certified in China; it has received airworthiness
certificates in the world's largest regions - in America, Asia, and
Europe. Today Ka-32 helicopters of various modifications are successfully
operated in Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Canada, South Korea, Taiwan,
Japan, China, and other countries. In South Korea the fleet of Ka-32s
exceeds 60 - these helicopters are top scorers in firefighting with
the Forestry Service, and in the Coast Guard.
One Ka-32A11BC is currently operated in China. It performs various missions
for the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration.
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