Russia’s Rosonboronexport in talks with several countries to sell Mi-35P

Rosonboronexport, the state-owned entity responsible for managing export opportunities for the Russian defence industry, announced that it was negotiating with several countries for the sale of Mil Mi-35P air-assault helicopters.

The Mi-35P is a new version of the Mi-35M, which is a modernized export-centric variant of the Mi-24 Hind assault helicopter, which popularized itself from its service in Afghanistan in the 1980s.

Rosonboronexport says the Mi-35P is equipped with a “23mm chin-mounted articulated double-barrel gun, HUD [heads-up display] in the pilot’s cockpit, multi-functional displays, gyro-stabilized optoelectronic system” and other features. The Mi-35P will also be capable of nighttime operations.

The Nigerian Air Force recently commissioned its first two (of 12) Mi-35M helicopters in April. The Pakistan Army has four Mi-35s on order, which it will reportedly receive by the end of this year. Reports had pegged Pakistan’s total Mi-35 requirement at 20 helicopters.

The Mi-35 is manufactured from Russian Helicopters’ Rostvertol plant. It is powered by two turboshaft engines, either Klimov TV3-117VMA or VK-2500 for commonality with the Mi-17 and Mi-28, respectively.

The Mi-35 has a payload capacity of 2,400 kg, which translate into armaments – such as anti-tank guided missiles, 80mm or 122mm rockets, and 23mm gun pods – and personnel, such as special forces operatives.

The Mi-35 is also configurable with a complete self-protection suite comprising of passive sensors, such as a radar warning receiver, and countermeasures, such as directed infrared jamming and chaff/flares.