Ukrainian aero-engine manufacturer MOTOR SICH unveiled a new upgraded variant of the Mi-8MSB and Mi-2MSB helicopters at the Dubai Airshow 2017 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Ukraine’s Motor Sich is offering a number of indigenously developed enhancements for the Mi-8 medium multirole and Mi-2 lightly transport helicopters. The new version Mi-8MSB and Mi-2MSB helicopters are Ukrainian re-motorized versions of the Soviet multipurpose Mi-8T and Mi-2 helicopters, modernization of which is performed by the Zaporozhe-based MOTOR SICH company.
The Mi-8MSB helicopters are equipped with the new TV3-117VMA-SBM1-4E turbo-shaft engine with a capacity of 1,000 horsepower. The Mi-2MSB helicopter is equipped with a new AI-450M engine with a capacity of 465 horsepower.
Motor-Sich is planning to offer the Mi-2MSB, and MSB-2 helicopters on the export markets, primarily in Asia and Africa, where significant quantity of the Mi-2 rotary-wing aircraft still remains in the active service.
At the moment, the National Guard and Armored Forces fo Ukraine is operationally using upgraded Mi-8MSB-W (military version) and Mi-2MSB helicopters, all of which were modernized at the MOTOR SICH facility.