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| Mil Mi-8 | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Mil Mi-8 of Baltic Airlines taking off at Peter and Paul Fortress in Saint Petersburg | |
| General information | |
| Type | Transport helicopter (also several armed versions) |
| National origin | Soviet Union/Russia |
| Manufacturer | Kazan Helicopter Plant Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant |
| Designer | Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant |
| Status | In service |
| Primary user |
|
| Number built | >17,000 and production continues today; world's most-produced helicopter |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1961–present |
| Introduction date | 1967 |
| First flight | 7 July 1961 |
| Variants | Mil Mi-8M/Mi-17 |
| Developed into | |
The Mil Mi-8 (Russian: Ми-8, NATO reporting name: Hip) is a medium twin-turbine helicopter, originally designed by the Soviet Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI) in the 1960s and introduced into the Soviet Air Force in 1968. Russian production of the aircraft model still continues as of 2024.[1] In addition to its most common role as a transport helicopter, the Mi-8 is also used as an airborne command post, armed gunship, and reconnaissance platform.
The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter,[2] with over 17,000 units used by over 50 countries. As of 2015, when combined with the related Mil Mi-17, the two helicopters are the third most common operational military aircraft in the world.[3]
- ^ Erkanli, Dr Sertan (24 March 2023). "MI-8 Helicopter: A Versatile Aircraft for Military and Civilian Use | Defensebridge". defensebridge.com. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
- ^ Air Force Magazine. Air Force Association. July 2015. p. 66. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
- ^ "Strength in numbers: The World's Top 10 military aircraft types". Flightglobal.com. Reed Business Information Limited. 9 January 2015. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2015.