OREANDA-NEWS. July 08, 2013. Russian Helicopters, a subsidiary of Oboronprom, part of State Corporation Rostec and a leading global designer and manufacturer of helicopters will showcase naval helicopters currently in service with the Russian Navy and foreign fleets and models adapted for future deployment aboard naval vessels at the Sixth International Maritime Defence Show in Saint Petersburg.

The Kamov Design Bureau, a Russian Helicopters company, is uniquely qualified in developing helicopters for naval use. In its day the shipboard anti-submarine Ka-25 was widely used in the Navy, becoming the first Soviet-built helicopter built specifically for maritime use. One of the Ka-25’s principal advantages was the Kamov Design Bureau’s trademark coaxial rotors, thanks to which the helicopter was able to land easily on deck and was more resilient against crosswinds; the lack of a tail-rotor gave the helicopter smaller dimensions, a particularly useful quality for shipboard use.

The layout of the naval Ka-25 has been developed in subsequent models for maritime use. At the IMDS, Russian Helicopters will showcase modern naval helicopters including the Ka-27PS search-and-rescue model and the Ka-31 radar surveillance helicopter. Ka-brand models serve not only with the Russian Navy but also with the fleets of India, China and other countries.

Russian Helicopters is launching new programmes to develop its line-up of naval helicopters. On display at the IMDS will be the Ka-52 Alligator, a modified version of which is being created for the Russian Navy. The Ka-52K is planned to have a tough anti-corrosion coating, folding blades and wings, as well as a number of systems specially adapted for naval use.

The maritime version of the Alligator, the Ka-52K will be of interest to countries that are actively developing their naval capabilities. For the Russian Navy, the helicopter is primarily designed to be used aboard Mistral-class amphibious assault ships.

In June the Ka-52 Alligator made its international debut at the Paris Air Show. The Alligator’s demonstration of its capabilities was one of the highlights of the show, and the helicopter itself was the centre of attention from sector specialists and potential customers.

Russian-built helicopters have always been in high demand for export. Russian Helicopters and Rosoboronexport are working together to brief potential customers for naval helicopters about the unique capabilities of the Ka-31. This helicopter is designed to defend groups of naval vessels operating outside the range of shore-based radar and AWACS planes against aircraft strikes. The Ka-31 detects air targets (including low-altitude targets over land or sea) and surface targets and automatically transfers the information to ground- or ship-based command centres or air-defence systems.

The International Maritime Defence Show is organised by Russia’s Ministry of Industry and Trade, and is a leading global exhibition for the shipbuilding and naval armaments industries. Russian Helicopter is a leading developer and producer of specialist naval helicopters for the Russian Navy. The Company fulfils the state defence order and expects to expand it by supplying new helicopters to meet the needs of the country’s Navy. Participation in the IMDS also gives Russian Helicopters the opportunity to brief potential clients from other countries interested in developing their naval capabilities on new specialist helicopters.