The Ministry for Strategic Industries of Ukraine has announced that the Ukrainian defense industry achieved a significant milestone this month as part of an ongoing upgrade program and launches production of composite and steel rotor blades for Mil family helicopters.
Production has now begun of an all-new, technologically-advanced, main rotor blades for Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters at the Motor Sich facility in Zaporizhzhia, according to a press release issued last week by the Ministry for Strategic Industries of Ukraine.
“…Flight tests of composite blades for Mi-8 helicopters and steel blades for Mi-24 helicopters of Ukrainian production have begun at the Motor Sich testy facility,” said Uruskyy Oleh, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Strategic Industries of Ukraine.
He also added that this is a significant milestone for Ukraine, she joined the top five world countries capable to produce rotor blades for heavy helicopters.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a working trip to the Zaporizhzhia region also said that Ukraine now produces its own helicopter rotors, which have already been successfully tested at Motor Sich.
“It is very symbolic for the independence of our country, and it is very patriotic that we produce our modern Ukrainian rotors, which we have been buying only from Russia previously. Today there were tests of helicopters, they flew on Ukrainian rotors for the first time,” said Zelensky.
