Rostec: Russian-made helicopter repair center to open in ThailandBANGKOK, 1 Sep – RIA Novosti.
The center for the repair and maintenance of Russian-made helicopters will open in Thailand by the end of the year, Roman Pilshchikov, permanent representative of the Rostec State Corporation in Bangkok, Deputy Trade Representative of the Russian Federation, told RIA Novosti on Thursday.
The agency's correspondent met with a representative of the Russian corporation at the stand of Datagate, Rostec's Thai partners, at the international exhibition "Defense and Security – 2022", which ends in Bangkok on Thursday.
"The center for the repair and maintenance of Russian-made helicopters will open in the Thai province of Lopburi by the end of this year. The center is being opened by the Thai company Datagate," Pilshchikov said.
According to him, agreements on the establishment of such a center in Thailand were reached between the Russian Helicopters holding company, part of Rostec, and a company that has been operating in the military equipment and weapons market for a long time, back in 2018.
Models of helicopters manufactured by the Russian Helicopters Holding are presented at the Datagate exhibition stand. A video clip showing the operation of the Ka-32 helicopter during fire extinguishing is shown on a large LCD screen. Nearby there is a mini–exposition dedicated to the helicopter repair and maintenance center: a plan of the facility and photos of the construction site, which show an almost completely built repair shop.
"The center will open before the end of the year, it is located in Lopburi province, near the air base of the Thai Army Air Forces, where eight of the ten Mi-17V-5 helicopters delivered from Russia for the ground forces are based. Two more vehicles are serving in the border areas, one in the north, one in the south of Thailand," Sergei Nedelko, head of the helicopter department of the Thai company Datagate, told RIA Novosti.
"There is also a base of rescue and fire-fighting aviation of Thailand nearby, where four Ka-32A11BC helicopters are based, they have this is the only helicopter model they use," he said, adding that the Department of Emergency Prevention and Management of Thailand is planning further purchases, and its representatives have already visited the Datagate stand at the exhibition.
According to the company's representative, the service center plans to service and repair both Mi-17-V5 helicopters and Ka-32A11BC helicopters.
"It is planned that the overhaul of the fuselage and other units, such as stabilizers, oil radiators and fuel tanks, will be made in Thailand, and we will send engines and transmissions to Russia for major repairs," Nedelko said, adding that the repair and maintenance center in Lopburi is designed for simultaneous repair or maintenance of two helicopters.
The center covers an area of 4.5 thousand square meters, on which there is a site for flushing and cleaning the fuselage, removable components, parts and systems of helicopters, a mechanic and mechanical site, a welding and heat treatment site, a site for assembling parts, components and assemblies of the airframe, electronic and aviation equipment and assembly of units for repair, other repair sites, a painting area, a laboratory, storage facilities, administrative offices and classrooms, said a representative of the company. In addition to the building, the center complex includes airfield infrastructure, including platforms for ground and flight tests and parking for helicopters, he added.
The conversation was interrupted by the appearance of a representative delegation of the Thai military: the stand with Russian helicopters was visited by the Permanent Secretary (Permanent Deputy Minister) of the Ministry of Defense of Thailand, General Vorakiat Rattananon, with a large retinue of generals and senior officers of all types of the armed forces of the country.
The General inspected the stands, listened attentively to the explanations of Datagate employees. As one of the officers accompanying the Permanent Secretary told RIA Novosti, General Rattananon chose only a few stands of the huge exhibition for careful acquaintance, and among them was a stand with Russian helicopters.
The model of the Mi-171A2 helicopter, which is not yet in operation in Thailand, is also presented at the Datagate stand. The helicopter is shown in a civilian cargo-passenger version.
Rostec plans to promote this machine to the Thai market as a helicopter for servicing offshore natural gas production platforms. In addition, the helicopter can be used to transport passengers and cargo, or delivered in a VIP version," Roman Pilshchikov, a representative of Rostec, explained to RIA Novosti.
