IAF approaches private industry to overhaul Mi-17 helicopter engines

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is outsourcing the repair and overhaul of its Mi-17 V5 helicopter engines to the private industry, which will not only help keep pace with its maintenance requirements but also give an impetus to the aerospace sector in the country.

Air Headquarters has issued a request for proposal seeking bids for initially overhauling 50 aero engines for only which Indian firms are eligible to apply, according to industry sources. The engines are to be overhauled on Indian territory and not to be sent overseas.

The project is being overseen by No.3 Base Repair Depot (BRD) in Chandigarh, which is responsible for the maintenance of Russian origin helicopters in the IAF’s inventory. It has also been overhauling the Mi-17 and Mi-25/35 helicopters and their aggregates, but relative to the IAF’s large fleet, has limited capacity. The Depot also assembled and flight tested the Mi-17 V5 when these were procured from Russia.

Industry sources said that while Indian firms have been involved in the indigenisation of aircraft spare parts, components and some sub-assemblies for the past many years, this is for the first time that overhaul of complete engines is being outsourced.

The IAF operates three variants of the Soviet/Russian origin twin-engine Mi-17 class, including the latest Mi-17 V5, Mi-17 1V and the older versions, which form the backbone of its medium-lift rotary component.

Over 220 Mi-17 helicopters, that began entering service in 1991, are reported to be in service. These gradually replaced the earlier Mi-8 and are extensively used for tactical missions such as troops transport, assault, ferrying and air dropping supplies in remote areas, special operations, search and rescue and disaster management.

Over the years the Mi-17 fleet has also gone in for several modifications and upgrades with retrofitting of additional equipment, avionics and weapons to enhance their operational capability, for which the private industry was also involved.