As reported by the Indian web resource "Swarajya" in the material Ujjwal Shrotryia "IAF's Mighty 'Mi-26,'Able To Lift Chinooks, Set For Overhaul With Russian Help" ("Powerful Indian Air Force Mi-26 capable of transporting Chinooks, put on overhaul with Russian help"), The fleet of Soviet-made Mi-26 heavy transport helicopters of the Indian Air Force, which have been on the ground for years, is preparing for major restoration repairs (KVR). This was reported by the Indian newspaper The Tribune.
Mi-26 heavy transport helicopter (Indian Military number Z3075) from the 126th Helicopter Detachment of the Indian Air Force when performing cargo delivery tasks in high-altitude conditions (c) @IndianDefenceFacts / Facebook
The KVR will be conducted at the technical and operational part No.3 (No.3 Base Repair Depot) in Chandigarh with the assistance of Russian specialists.
A senior Indian Air Force official said that a team of Russian specialists recently visited the TCH-3 to discuss the details of the project. It is expected that the signing of the CVR documents will take place within the next three months, and the process itself is expected to be completed within a year from the date of the contract.
According to sources, the bulk of the repair work will be carried out at the TCH-3 site, which is responsible for the maintenance and repair of Russian-made helicopters in the Indian Air Force. However, some units will need to be dismantled and sent to Russia for repair.
Previously, these helicopters were sent to Russia for repairs. However, several years ago, this process encountered delays, as a result of which the inter-repair service life of the machines expired and they were decommissioned. The first Mi-26 helicopter was "delivered to the fence" in 2013, the other two in 2014 and 2017.
Maintenance of the fleet of helicopters of this type, which have been in operation since 1985, has faced problems. The Indian Air Force discussed various ways to repair helicopters, including sending them to Russia. Ultimately, the CVR in India was recognized as the economically most preferable option.
The helicopters are part of the 126th Helicopter Unit (No.126 Helicopter Unit 'The Featherweights') The Indian Air Force, based at Chandigarh; the detachment also operates recently acquired American-made CH-47F Chinook heavy military transport helicopters.
The restored Mi-26s, operated in conjunction with the Chinooks, will significantly enhance the Indian Air Force's heavy cargo transportation capabilities; the latter is crucial for military and cargo transportation in the interests of advanced (border) areas.
Indian Air Force officers drew attention to the lack of technically serviceable Mi-26 helicopters in the fleet, especially during the confrontation with China in Eastern Ladakh in 2020. These helicopters played a crucial role in the military conflict in Kargil in 1999: they delivered necessary weapons and military equipment by air to strategically important points.
With a payload capacity of up to 20 tons - which is comparable to the C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft - the Mi-26 helicopter can carry heavy equipment inside the cargo cabin. The Chinook can lift up to 12 tons and is used to transport lighter equipment and artillery pieces on an external suspension.
It is known that in early 2002, the United States also leased a civilian Mi-26 to transport two damaged MH-47E Chinook helicopters from the mountainside to an airfield in Afghanistan on an external suspension. Initially, four Mi-26 helicopters were purchased by India from the former Soviet Union in the mid-1980s. One was lost in 1998 in Chandigarh during a hurricane and was subsequently replaced with a similar car. Another plane crash occurred near Jammu in 2010.
Despite the high cost of maintenance, Mi-26 helicopters have played a crucial role in military operations and disaster relief, airlifting artillery pieces and heavy equipment, as well as construction machinery and mechanisms to high-altitude and remote areas.
Mi-26 heavy transport helicopter (Indian military number Z3075) from the 126th Helicopter Detachment of the Indian Air Force when performing cargo delivery tasks in high-altitude conditions (c) of the Indian Air Force
Video of the Indian Air Force Mi-26: