The Russian Helicopters company has signed a number of framework agreements with its Chinese partners for the creation of helicopter service centers throughout China, a representative from the firm told Sputnik on Saturday
TIANJIN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th October, 2019) The Russian Helicopters company has signed a number of framework agreements with its Chinese partners for the creation of helicopter service centers throughout China, a representative from the firm told Sputnik on Saturday.
The 5th China Helicopter Exposition four-day expo started on Thursday. More than 400 international helicopter companies are estimated by media to be in attendance, while 27 helicopters will perform in airshows at the event. The event is jointly held by the Tianjin government, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China and the Chinese People's Liberation Army Ground Force.
"Framework agreements have been signed on the creation of helicopter service centers jointly with our Chinese partners," the representative said on the sidelines of the 5th China Helicopter Exposition in China's northeastern Tianjin.
The representative said that the agreements included the approximate start date of the project and the design of the service centers. Commercial proposals for the project had also been created.
The company representative did not specify what Chinese cities the service centers would be located in.
Additionally, Russian Helicopters and China's Avicopter helicopter manufacturer reached a deal and negotiated the terms for the creation of a heavy-lift helicopter.
"Russian Helicopters and Avicopter have completed the negotiations and reached agreement on a legal contract for the creation of a heavy-lift helicopter. The contract is now going through the approval process in China's government. We hope to sign the contract by the end of the year," the company representative said.
He added that Russia would provide technical support to the Chinese side for the construction of the helicopter.
Also, at the expo, Russian Helicopters met with Chinese clients and discussed new prospects for the Russian company to deliver its products to the Chinese market.
"We met with traditional and new Chinese buyers of Russia's helicopters [at the expo]. We discussed new prospective projects to deliver Mi-171A2 and Ansat helicopters [to China]," the representative said.
The Mi-171A2 is an advanced helicopter, which combines technologies used in the construction of the Mi-8/17 series with the new ones, such as upgraded engines and avionics. The Ansat, a multipurpose light twin-engine turbine helicopter, can be used to carry goods and passengers, as well as for surveillance, search and rescue missions, and medical evacuations.
