Angola, Egypt receiving refurbished Russian helicopters

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Angola is set to this month receive a number of overhauled Mi-24P attack helicopters from Russian Helicopters, which has also repaired the first three Mi-8s for Egypt.

The company told TASS that the aircraft will be delivered to Angola in late September, after Rosoboronexport and Angola signed the contract several years ago.
“A batch of Mi-24P helicopters has been overhauled on the premises of the 150th Aircraft Repair Plant. The aircraft repair plant has replaced main and anti-torque rotor blades, overhauled the helicopters’ engines, transmission units and onboard equipment,” Russian Helicopters said.
“The helicopters’ service life has been extended considerably, which will allow Angola’s Armed Forces to operate the helicopters for a long time.”

In 2015/2016 Russian Helicopters delivered eight armed Mi-171Sh helicopters to Angola as part of a $1 billion deal signed between Rosoboronexport and Angola in 2013. This is believed to include 12 Su-30 fighter jets and spares for Mi-17 helicopters and other hardware already in service with Angola’s armed forces.

Russian Helicopters also announced it has repaired the first three Mi-8T helicopters for the Egyptian Air Force. “The Egyptian Air Force has received the first three Mi-8T helicopters overhauled at the Aircraft Repair Plant in Novosibirsk,” Group CEO Alexander Mikheyev said.
“Service technicians from Helwan Factory for Developed Industries (HFDI) have undergone training and the remaining equipment has been prepared for shipment to the Egyptian aircraft repair plant.”

Russian Helicopters is maintaining 41 Egyptian Air Force Mi-8T and 3 Mi-17-1V rotorcraft and providing HFDI with the capability to overhaul these helicopters itself. The deal with Egypt was announced in December last year.

The Helwan Factory for Developed Industries was created in 1978, and manufactured the Airbus Helicopters (Eurocopter) SA 341/342 Gazelle through a licence-build agreement with Westland. The company has also previously undertaken MRO work on Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters.

Over the next year Russian Helicopters will deliver Mi-8/17 transport and Mi-24/35 attack helicopters to Nigeria, Mali and Sudan including 12 Mi-35Ms to Nigeria by 2018.