Russian government office first deputy head, Sergei Prikhodko, released a statement on Monday that the Russian Helicopters and China's Avicopter will sign a framework contract that will develop Advanced Heavy Lifter (AHL) helicopters.
According to Prikhodko, it is expected that the signing of the framework contract and all sub-contracts are scheduled on November 7 during the 23rd regular meeting of the two country's government leaders.
He added that the Russian and Chinese companies had 24 scheduled discussions which started from May 2014 to October 2018 before the finalization of the contract. Both sides started all the sub-contracts and finished drafting the master contract in May and its text in October.
According to reports, the agreement on the AHL helicopter development between Russia and China was signed in June 2016.
As stated in the agreement, the Russian Helicopters Group part in the program is in a form of investments of technologies and design the technical proposal and certain machine systems and China is expected to implement the whole development program. The Russian company is a part of Russia's Rostec state hi-tech corporation.
Victor Kladov, Director for International Cooperation and Regional Policy at Russia's Rostec Corporation said in the summer of 2017 that they are expecting the construction of more or less 200 AHL helicopters under the contract.
Presented data shows that the helicopter's maximum takeoff weight is 38.2 tons. It is expected to reach the height of 5,700 meters, a traveling distance of 630 kilometers, and its maximum speed is 300 km/h (186 mph). It is expected to carry a maximum weight capacity of 10 tons of internal cargo and 15 tons for underslung cargo.
Andrey Boginsky, CEO of the Russian Helicopters, said that they managed to reach a common ground with their Chinese partners on technical parameters of the AHH project. He added that the Russian company has a clear vision of machine specifications. He said that they have conducted meaningful negotiations with their Avicopter partners during the China Helicopter Expo and it resulted in exchanged views on the financial issue of the project. He also said that the Russian side is willing to finish the pre-contract stage and plan signing of the contract at the end of 2018.
It is expected in the joint project that the Chinese company will arrange the general organization of the AHL that includes designing, constructing engineering development models, testing, certification, preparation, and serial production. Promoting the helicopters in the market is also part of China's obligation.
