Mil Mi-8

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This article is about the helicopter. For the codebreaking organisation named MI-8, see Black Chamber.

The Mil Mi-8 (NATO reporting name "Hip") is a large twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The first single-engine (AI-24W) prototype, W-8, flew in 9 July 1961. A second one with two AI-24W engines made its first flight on 17 September 1962. After few changes it was introduced into the Soviet Air Force by 1967 as Mi-8. There are numerous variants, including the Mi-8T which in addition to carrying twenty four soldiers is also armed with rockets and anti-tank guided missiles. The navalized Mil Mi-14, and attack Mi-24 are derived from the Mi-8.

The Mi-8 is used by over 50 countries, including India, China and Iran; the latest variant, known as the Mi-8MT/Mi-17 is more heavily armed and was introduced in 1981. The Mi-17 is less widely used, employed by around 20 countries.

Variants

Russian helicopter downed by Chechens near Grozny, December 1994.

Prototypes/experimental/low production variants

• V-8 (NATO: Hip-A) - The original single-engined prototype.
• Mi-8 (NATO: Hip-B) - Twin-engined prototype.
• Mi-8TG - Conversion to operate on LPG gas.
• Mi-18 - Prototype helicopter design, a modification of the existing Mil Mi-8. Two Mi-8s were extended by 0.9 meters (3 ft), the landing gear made retractable, and a sliding door added to the starboard side of the fuselage. The Mi-18s were trailed in the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and later used as static training airframes for pilots of the Mi-8/17.

Basic military transport / airframe variants

• Mi-8T (NATO: Hip-C) - First mass production utility transport version, can carry unguided rocked pods (with S-5 rockets) and side mounted PK machine gun.
• Mi-8TVK (NATO: Hip-E) - used as a gunship or direct air support platform. Airframe modifications add 2x external hard points for a total of 6, and mount a flexible 12.7-mm machine gun in the nose. Armament of 57-mm S-5 rockets, bombs, or AT-2/SWATTER ATGMs.
• Mi-8MT (NATO: Hip-H, for export: Mi-17) - Developed from the basic Mi-8 airframe it was fitted with the larger TV3-117MT engines, rotors, and transmission developed for the Mi-14, along with fuselage improvements for heavier loads. Optional engines for 'hot and high' conditions are the 1545kW (2070 shp) Isotov TV3-117VM. The high mountains variant with new VK-2500 engine with FADEC control is also avalible.Can be recognized because it has the tail rotor at the starboard side, instead of the port side. It also has six hard points that can carry unguided rockets or bombs (instead of four in Mi-8T), the maximum amount of unguided rockets is six UB-32 pods with 32 S5 rockets each what gives total amount of 192 rockets (instead of 64 on Mi-8T). Only unguided weapons.
• Mi-8AMTSh (for export: Mi-171Sh) - Variant with new large door on the right side, improved APU, Kevlar plates around the cockpit area and engines. Some of them (but not all) have a loading ramp in place of the usual clamshell doors, and will load a vehicle up to the size of an SUV.

Command and electronic warfare variants

Polish Mi-8T in Iraq, AL Hillah 2005

• 'Mi-8IV (NATO: Hip-G, for export: Mi-9) - Airborne command post characterized by antennas, and Doppler radar on tail boom (based on Mi-8T airframe).
• Mi-8PPA (NATO: Hip-K) - Airborne jamming platform characterized by 6x “X”-shaped antennas on the aft fuselage. Builded only for export.
• Mi-8PS (NATO: Hip-D, aka: Mi-8TPS) - Radio relay and command post version.
• Mi-8SMV (NATO: Hip-J)- Airborne jamming platform characterized by small boxes on the left side of the fuselage. Used for protection of ground attack aircraft against enemy air defenses.
• Mi-8VPK (NATO Hip-D) - Airborne communications platform with rectangular communication canisters mounted on weapons racks.
• Mi-19 - airborne command post for tank and motorized infantry commanders (based on Mi-8MT airframe).
• Mi-19R - airborne command post similar to Mi-19 for commanders of rocket artillery (based on Mi-8MT airframe).

Other military variants

• Mi-8MB - Military ambulance version.
• Mi-8R - Reconnaissance version.
• Mi-8K - Artillery observation version.

Civil variants

Finnish Mi-8 in Hernesaari, Helsinki, in 2005.

• Mi-8P - Civilian passenger transport version.
• Mi-8S - Civilian VIP transport version.
• Mi-8MPS - Search and rescue version. (usually in Malaysia for Fire and Rescue Department services)
• Mi-8MA - Polar exploration version for use in the Arctic.
• Mi-8AT - Civilian transport version, with upgraded engines.
• Mi-8ATS - Agricultural version.
• Mi-8TL - Air accident investigation version.

Specifications (Mi-8T)

Operators

• Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Anguilla, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Djibouti, East Germany, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, India (largest operator after Russia), Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Libya, Lithuania, Latvia, Madagascar, Malaysia (fire and rescue services version), Maldives, Mali, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, North Korea, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan,Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia

Civil Operators

• Aeroflot

Specifications (Mi-17)

Mil Mi-17

General characteristics

• Crew: Three[pilot/co-pilot/flight engineer]
• Capacity: 32 troops or 12 stretchers or 4,000 kg (8,800 lb) of cargo.
• Length: 18.42 m (60 ft 5 in)
• Main rotor diameter: 21.352 m (69 ft 10 in)
• Height: 4.76 m (15 ft 7 in)
• Main rotor area: 356 m² (3,830 ft²)
• Empty: 7,100 kg (15,700 lb)
• Loaded: 11,100 kg (24,470 lb)
• Maximum takeoff: 13,000 kg (28,700 lb)
• Powerplant: 2x Klimov TV3-117VM turboshafts, 1,450 kW (2225 shp) each at max .take off rating.

Performance

• Maximum speed: 250 km/h (156 mph)
• Range: 950 km (594 miles)
• Service ceiling: 6,000 m (19,690 ft)
• Rate of climb: 8 m/s at lim t/o &11 m/s at max take off rating.
• Main rotor loading: 31 kg/m² (6 lb/ft²)
• Power/Mass: 0.26 kW/kg (0.16 hp/lb)

Armament

• up to 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) of disposable stores on six hardpoints, including bombs, rockets, and gunpods

Operators

• Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Hungary, India, Iraq, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macedonia, Malaysia (Fire and Rescue version) Mexico, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Palestine, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda (Mi-17MD), Serbia, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkey, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam

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