ST.PETERSBURG, July 18 (AVN) - The local Klimov plant will launch serial production of the VK-2500 helicopter engine in the fourth quarter of 2001, a spokesman for the plant's export and marketing department said on Wednesday.
Implementation of this large-scale project was made possible after a state commission signed an act on completion of the engine's tests, the spokesman told the Military News Agency.
The enterprise has received about 200 option requests for the new device's purchase, including from several Asian, African and Latin American nations. More clients are likely to appear, as Russian helicopters are operated in more than 60 countries.
In addition to high specifications, the new engine is twice cheaper than its foreign analogues. Its price makes about RUR650,000 (USD22,220). Besides, VK-2500 has the size identical to that of its predecessor, the TVZ-117VM engine, which facilitates their replacement.
Russia will install VK-2500 in such famous helicopters as MI-17 Hip, MI-24 Hind, MI-28N Havoc, KA-32 Helix, KA-50 Hokum and KA-52. Demand for the new product will allow the plant to double production capacities already in 2002 and work at full rate of operation in next two years.