Arctic helicopter going into service

The Army-2016 Forum is to host the first demonstration of the all-new Mi-8AMTSh-VA helicopter designed by the Russian Helicopters especially for operation under extreme Arctic conditions. The display is expected to be invitation-only.The Arctic version was created on the base of the Mi-8ATMSh-V helicopter, which the Russian Defense Ministry has been receiving since 2014. The Russian Helicopters emphasized that the Arctic helicopter features a unique heated oil system and heated transmission that provide a quick engine start for Mi-8ATMSh-VA’s stationed and serviced outdoors and with ambient temperature as low as -60°С.

Apart from that, the aircraft has received external fuel tanks, which allowed Mi-8ATMSh-VA to have a bigger operating range. Mi-8ATMSh-VA has got cutting-edge flight-control navigation and radio communication equipment allowing it to run missions over featureless terrain and under polar night conditions. The standard avionics include a digital autoflight and an inertial navigation system capable of operating in a no-satellite-signal mode.