A contract was signed on Monday between Russia and China for jointly developing a multipurpose heavy, state-owned Russian Helicopters. Russia will contribute parts for the aircraft including its transmission, steering screw and anti-icing system.

In 2016, similar agreement was signed between the Russian and Chinese governments for China's Avicopter and Russian Helicopters, a unit of state industrial group Rostec, to develop a heavy helicopter for the Chinese market that would be assembled in China.

Since 2008, Russia has been in talks about the project with China but the contract was finally signed on 25 June, 2021 and would last for about 13 years.

The Chinese side will carry out the organization of the heavy helicopter program as a whole, including design, construction of prototypes, testing, certification, preparation and serial production, as well as the promotion of the helicopter to the market and overall coordination of work.

The Russian company will in turn provide technologies, as well as develop an engineering proposal and individual machine systems on a contract basis.

The maximum take-off weight of the helicopter will be 38.2 tonnes, the service ceiling will be 5,700 meters. The flight range will reach 630 km, the maximum speed - 300 km/h.

The carrying capacity of the AHL when the cargo is located inside the fuselage will be 10 tonnes, and up to 15 tonnes when the cargo is placed as an external load.

According to Russia's state-owned United Aircraft Corporation, since 2014, both countries have also been jointly developing a long-range wide-body new generation aircraft for 250-320 passengers, which will make its maiden flight in 2023.

Image Courtesy: TASS