The upgraded Mi-35P Phoenix combat helicopter, produced by the Russian Helicopters’ Rostvertol company amd presented to the African nations at Russia-Africa Economic Forum in 2019, will be supplied to the undisclosed foreign customer. The agreement was concluded in the framework of the ARMY-2021 expo, which took place from 22nd to 28th August near Moscow in Russia.
“According to the agreements concluded with foreign customers, Rosoboronexport will export Russian defense industry products for all services of the armed forces, as well as electronic warfare and air defense equipment in the coming years. Among them are the Su-30 type aircraft, Mi-35P, Mi-171SH and Mi-17V-5 helicopters, air weapons, Pantsir-S1 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun/missile (SPAAGM) system, Kornet-EM ATGM system, remotely controlled weapon stations, weapons for surface combatants and submarines, small arms and short-range weapons, various ammunition”, announced on Monday Rosoboronexport.
The upgraded Mi-35P helicopter was presented by Russia to the African nations at Russia-Africa Economic Forum in Sochi in 2019. As the Russian Helicopters holding company announced at the time, over 900 helicopters made by its enterprises were registered in African countries – almost one in four helicopters on the continent, with the share of the military rotorcraft being almost 40%. The Russian Helicopters stressed, that It is provided for huge potential for cooperation in servicing, modernizing and renovating the fleets. According to the company, the African countries operate over 250 helicopters of Mi-24/35 type.
In the summer 2020 tests of the upgraded Mi-35P (called Phoenix) were over and it went into serial production at Rostvertol in Rostov-on-Don. It can be used as a combat helicopter for destruction of tanks and other armored vehicles, as a troop-carrier, as an ambulance for transportation of two casualties and a medical attendant, and a cargo-carrier for transportation of cargoes inside the cargo cabin (1500 kg) and on external load sling (2400 kg).
The new Mi-35P has the upgraded round-the-clock surveillance-sighting system, new digital integrated flight system, advanced navigation and electronic indication system with multi-functional color displays. Installation of laser defense system and short range navigation and instrument landing system is said to be possible.
The armament suite of the basic version includes 23-mm nose flexible gun mount, S-8 rockets and suspended gun containers housing 23-mm gun. At the same time the renewed Mi-35P can incorporate a wide range of optional equipment and armament, including guided “air-to-surface” missiles, “air-to-air” missiles, aerial bombs etc. The Kalashnikov group announced in July 2021 the plans to integrate with the Mi-35P its advanced Vikhr anti-tank missile.
