OREANDA-NEWS. June 27, 2012. Russian Helicopters, a leading global designer and manufacturer of helicopters and part of the Russian state defence industry holding Oboronprom, announces the early completion of its contact to supply five search-and-rescue helicopters to the Russian Emergencies Ministry (EMERCOM).

The fifth and final Ka-32A11BC was delivered to the Ministry under a contract to supply five Ka-32A11BC helicopters configured for medical operations and also ready to have fire-fighting equipment fitted. All five machines are fitted with medical modules produced by the Kamov Design Bureau and certificated in June 2012 by Russia’s health and social development service.

The Ka-32A11BCs were delivered six months ahead of the schedule agreed under the contract signed with the Ministry in 2009.

It is planned that the helicopters will be used for patrolling the main road between Moscow and St. Petersburg as part of the Ministry’s road-safety programme for Russia’s federal highways.

Russian Helicopters and the Emergencies Ministry’s Aviation Administration in 2009 signed a supply agreement under which the Company will supply helicopters to create an integrated road-safety system involving airborne search-and-rescue and medical units and helicopter-based first-aid brigades. In total, the Ministry’s Aviation Administration may acquire 62 light and 123 medium helicopters.

Experts say that the Ka-32A11BC is one of the best helicopters for search-and-rescue and fire-fighting operations anywhere in the world. On 19 June, Ka-32As and an Mi-26T belonging to the Ministry and fitted with external water discharge units were instrumental in effectively and rapidly localising and extinguishing a large fire across an area of about 1,000 sq m in northern Moscow.

Earlier this year, in April Ka-32As and Mi-26T of the Russian Emergencies Ministry put out a fire on the 66th and 67th floor of the Moscow International Business Centre (“Moscow City”). Using other fire-fighting equipment was impossible at such a height, and helicopters proved to be the only effective way of tackling the fire on the upper floors of the building.

Airborne search-and-rescue bodies and companies in countries across the world operate helicopters of the Ka-32A series for fire fighting, maintaining public order, evacuating sick and wounded people from disaster zones, law enforcement and border patrols.