Russia Set to Unveil Upgraded Anti-Submarine Helicopter Production Project

MOSCOW (Moscow region) (Sputnik) – The Russian Helicopters company is ready to start research and development (R&D) activities for the resumption of manufacturing of the Mi-14 counter-submarine helicopter in 2016, the company’s deputy CEO said Tuesday.

The legendary Mi-14 nuclear-capable submarine-hunting amphibious helicopter can be used in both aerial and maritime operations.

"We are ready to start conducting R&D for the resumption of [production of] Mi-14-class helicopter [NATO reporting name Haze] on a new technological level in 2016," Andrey Shibitov told RIA Novosti.

According to him, a respective engineering note has already been prepared for the Russian Defense Ministry, containing a description of the machine and an outline of the company’s approaches to the project.

Two scenarios for the project's development are currently being considered, either upgrade with local modernization of the system or a substantially updated Mi-14, with conceptually new equipment and new avionics, as well as blades and Russian VK-2500 turboshaft engines boosting a more powerful TA-14 auxiliary power unit, he added.

The company is currently participating in the Innovation Day of the Russian Defense Ministry exhibition that kicked off on Monday at the ministry’s exhibition center in Kubinka, close to Moscow.

The Mi-14 helicopters were phased out in favor of Kamov Ka-27 helicopters in 1992 as part of a plan to downsize the Russian Armed Forces after the collapse of the Soviet Union.