Russian Helicopters forming part of Rostec and Industrial Development and Renovation Organization (IDRO) of Iran announced cooperation in setting up a joint venture for assembling light civil helicopters manufactured in Russia which may take place in Iran.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by CEO of Russian Helicopters Andrey Boginsky and Chairman of the Board of Directors of IDRO Mansour Moazami. The document is aimed at promoting cooperation between Russia and Iran as part of the program on upgrading the Iranian helicopter fleet. Besides, Russian Helicopters intend to exploit the potential for cooperation with IDRO for developing its business in the Middle East.

“We see that the demand for light helicopters is high in Iran, and the country needs them for the use in the interests of civil authorities. The joint venture of Russia and Iran considers assembling light Ka-226 or Ansat helicopters. At present, the negotiations on this issue continue. The Memorandum signed today implies that a fully fledged cooperation agreement will be concluded as soon as possible,” said Andrey Boginsky.

Today Iran has over 50 helicopters manufactured in Russia. The demand for the Mi-17 helicopter remains the highest. The country uses almost the whole range of helicopters of this type: Mi-17, Mi-171, Mi-171E, Mi-8MTV and Mi-17V-5. These medium-class helicopters are used for law enforcement and fighting organized crime in the country. Like in other countries in this region, Russian Helicopters in Iran have become known primarily as undemanding and reliable machines which make it possible to perform tasks in high temperatures and at high altitudes.

Press release and picture Rostec