MOSCOW. Aug 6 (Interfax-AVN) - Ansat-U training helicopters are going into service in Russia in 2009 and Kamov Ka-60U training helicopters in 2011, the commander of Russia's air force said on Wednesday.
"As regards Ansat-U helicopters, a report on the completion of state tests was signed late in 2008, and the first few aircraft will start being supplied to [pilot] colleges this year. As regards the Ka-60U helicopter, tests are still going on and supplies to colleges are planned to start in 2011," Col. Gen. Alexander Zelin told reporters.
Russia's fleet of assault helicopters is being supplied with new choppers of the Mil Mi-8 family, he said.
"The modernized Mi-8MTV-5 helicopters have much better flying characteristics and assault facilities, a completely new, modern crew cab, and can carry out their tasks round the clock," Zelin said.
The air force began to be supplied with 20 Mi-8MTV-5 helicopters in 2006 and will have received about 20 of them by the end of 2009, he said.
The Ansat-U is fitted with two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW-207K gas turbine engines and has a take-off weight of 3.3 tonnes. It can carry up to 10 people in addition to two crewmembers. It is an optimum solution for carrying cargo and people to remote and hard-of-access areas and can be used for administrative, medical, rescue, patrolling, and other purposes.
The Ka-60U is a modification of the multirole Ka-60 Kasatka.
It needs a crew of one or two persons and can carry up to 14 paratroops or, alternatively, six wounded soldiers on stretchers and three accompanying servicemen.
The Ka-60 helicopter has a take-off weight of 6,500 kilograms without or 6,750 kilograms with an undersling load. It can carry a maximum 2,770 kilograms of cargo inside or an undersling load of 2,750 kilograms.
It has a maximum speed of 300 kilometers per hour and a cruise speed of 270 kilometers per hour, a hover ceiling of 2,600 meters and a service ceiling of 5,150 meters, a practical range of 770 kilometers with fuel in internal tanks and a ferry range of 1,165 kilometers with supplementary tanks, and a maximum flight duration of 4 hours and 20 minutes.