Rosoboronexport Starts Selling Its New Mi-38T Helicopter Abroad

Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, the subsidiary of Russia’s state-owned Rostec corporation, has inked its first deal with an overseas customer to sell the Mi-38T medium-range multi-purpose helicopter. The buyer and the amount of the sale have not been disclosed.

“JSC Rosoboronexport signed the first foreign trade contract for the supply of the Mi-38T medium-range multi-purpose helicopters manufactured by the Kazan Helicopter Plant, which is a part of the Russian Helicopters of the Rostec state corporation, to a foreign customer,” reads a statement issued by the company on Tuesday.

The Mi-38T is a modification of the Mi-38 with a maximum take-off weight of 15,600 kg (34,400 lbs) and a passenger cabin that can seat up to 40 people. With a cruising speed of 300 km/hr (186 mi/hr), the Russian-made chopper can hold up to 6,000 kg (13,230 lbs) payload.

Rosoboronexport says it is working to export the vehicle to countries across Asia and Africa.

“Mi-38T was created entirely from domestic high-tech components,” Alexander Mikheev, the head of Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, said. “His first flight took place at the end of 2018, and today, in addition to the already contracted machines, Rosoboronexport is also processing several more applications for their delivery to foreign partners.”

The Mi-38T is 99 percent comprised of Russian-made components and is said to surpass all foreign analogs in its class. An integrated digital pilot navigation system, on which data shows via five liquid crystal displays; an explosion-proof protected fuel system; and additional landing gear struts that enable the helicopter to land on soft ground and snow, are all selling points.

Russia is the largest arms exporter in the Caspian region and the world’s second-biggest after the United States. According to reports from the Moscow-based Centre for Analysis of World Arms Trade, Russia exported over $14 billion in defense products over the last year, equaling over 15 percent of global sales.