India has received its first batch of Russian-made Mi-17V-5 helicopters under a 2008 deal that will see it receive 80 of the updated aircraft.
Featuring a revamped avionics suite and a streamlined cockpit, the Mi-17V-5 is the latest incarnation of the ubiquitous military helicopter known by NATO as the “Hip.” Primarily a transport aircraft, it can also be fitted out as a gunship.
The Mi-17 is built on the basic airframe of the Mi-8, which first went into service in 1967. More than 11,000 Mi-8/17-family rotorcraft have been delivered to 110 countries, according to the manufacturer, Kazan Helicopters, a subsidiary of Russian Helicopters.
