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Russian Defense Ministry plans to buy 32 Ka-52K helicopters for Mistral ships
© Photo: aviasalon.com
Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yury Borisov visited the Progress aircraft manufacturing company, based in the city of Arsenyevsk, Primorye Territory, where he discussed potential acquisitions of Kamov Ka-52K ship-based helicopters for Mistral-class helicopter carriers, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a press release, seen by Interfax-AVN on Tuesday.
"The plant is in a stable position and has a long-term contract on the delivery of 146 Ka-52 Alligator helicopters for the period up to 2020. Further plans include [the sale of] 32 ship-based helicopters," Borisov was quoted as saying by the ministry's press service. When commenting on a contract with Russia's Navy, the deputy minister said that the "Navy is expecting Ka-52 helicopters, which will be placed on board the Mistral-type ships currently under construction."
orisov arrived in the Primorye Territory on June 24 to inspect the implementation of earlier signed defense contracts and analyze the production capabilities of local defense industry enterprises. The deputy minister positively assessed the way the Progress aircraft manufacturing company, which is a member of the Russian Helicopters Holding, has been fulfilling this year's defense contracts.
Borisov visited the plant's sections where Ka-52 Alligator helicopters are produced, saying that the enterprise's work on the 2014 defense contracts has been successful and it is prepared to tackle next year's defense orders. During the visit, Borisov and the plant's management discussed a new deal on Ka-52K helicopter deliveries in 2015 and 2016. "We paid great attention to import replacement issues, including as far as components received from Ukraine as concerned. These issues are not critical. They can be resolved quite painlessly," Borisov said.
t the end of his visit, the deputy minister watched a demonstration flight by a Ka-52 Alligator helicopter. Ka-52 is a new-generation helicopter that can be used in any weather and at night as well as in the daytime. It is a two-seat modification of the Ka-50 Black Shark attack helicopter and can destroy armored vehicles and low-speed air targets, carry out reconnaissance missions and coordinate groups of combat helicopters. The Progress plant is currently preparing to launch the production of Ka-52K helicopters for the Russian Navy. Progress is a hi-tech enterprise that specializes in manufacturing advanced helicopters.
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