PARIS. June 17 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia and France have unveiled a joint project for modernizing Russian-made MI-24 Hind military helicopters (in the export MI-35 version) at the air show in Le Bourget, France.
"Increasing the fighting capabilities of the MI-24 helicopter with the installation of the latest generation of avionics and weapons is a priority for the military and political leaderships of many countries that have these helicopters in their inventory," deputy chief of Russia's committee for military and technical cooperation with other countries Yury Khozyainov said during the presentation.
Khozyainov said that Russian and French specialists are joining forces to modernize MI-24 avionics packages and weapons for foreign buyers. At the core of this partnership is Russia's worldwide reputation in helicopter building joined with the latest designs from the French company Sagem.
Sagem specializes in designing modern electronics systems for military aircraft, working with more than 20 countries in the field of avionics. This joint project, Khozyainov said, will give a big competitive edge to those armed forces using the MI-24, particularly in ensuring the reliability and guaranteed safety of using the modified gunships.
The modernization will also make possible full compatibility with radio-electronic systems used in Western Europe.