OREANDA-NEWS. November 3, 2011. Russian Helicopters holding company, a part of United Industrial Corporation Oboronprom, and the Chief Administration for the social security of Ordos City (China, Inner Mongolia) have signed a contract for the delivery of a civil all-weather multi-role coaxial Ka-32A11BC helicopter in its firefighting variant. The helicopter is equipped with the Simplex firefighting system, horizontal water cannon, and VSU-5 water-dumping system.

Russian Helicopters won the tender for a firefighting helicopter in August 2011. The delivery to the Chief Administration for the social security of Ordos City is planned for September 2012.

A combination of outstanding operational characteristics inherent in the design of the Ka-32A11BC makes it a solid performer in firefighting, this fact being confirmed by efficient operations experience in Russian EMERCOM divisions, as well as rescue services in Spain, Portugal, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Greece, and South Korea.

The Ka-32A11BC is easy to control and very precise in its movements due to its coaxial rotors. No tail rotor and a tail boom shortened to rotor diameter helps to manoeuvre near obstacles and achieve extreme hover accuracy even when working in the zone of fire and in unstable atmosphere. High power capacity allows for the transportation of up to 5 tons of water.

The helicopter can work for prolonged periods in high smoke and dust congestion. The Ka-32A11BC can fight fires on oil-loading tankers and containers, facilities of fuel, chemical, and oil refinery enterprises, in oil and gas rigging areas, and top floors and roofs of high-rise buildings. The helicopter can also be used to create shelter belts in forest fires.

A wide range of additional specialised equipment is available for the firefighting Ka-32A11BC: a horizontal water cannon, hang-on water tanks (Bambi Bucket, Simplex firefighting systems), water-dumping systems such as VSU-5.

The Russian Ka-32A11BC is certified in China; it has received airworthiness certificates in the world’s largest regions – in America, Asia, and Europe. Today Ka-32 helicopters of various modifications are successfully operated in Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Canada, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, China, and other countries. In South Korea the fleet of Ka-32s exceeds 60 – these helicopters are top scorers in firefighting with the Forestry Service, and in the Coast Guard.

One Ka-32A11BC is currently operated in China. It performs various missions for the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration.