Thailand receives delivery of 3 new Mil Mi-17V-5 medium helicopters

 

Two of the three new Mi-17V-5 helicopters of the RTA. Photo c/o Russian Embassy in Thailand.

The Royal Thai Army (RTA) received a delivery of three new Mil Mi-17V-5 medium multipurpose helicopters from Russia.

The helicopters were acquired by the RTA for support of military operations, and for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations.

The new helicopters were handed over to the RTA on 26 March 2021 at U-Tapao Airbase, and was attended by the Russian Ambassador to Thailand Yu Tomikhin.

The RTA has been operating the Mi-17V-5 helicopter since 2011, with the three new helicopters joining seven other units with the RTA’s 41st Aviation Battalion based in Lopburi, and has been used for variety of missions over the past decade.

The Mil Mi-17V-5 is a variant of the successful Mil Mi-8 and Mil Mi-17 Hip medium helicopters and are currently offered by Russian Helicopters. 

In RTA service, these helicopters are used for heavier transport missions opposite smaller helicopters like the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, Bell 212, and several other utility and transport helicopters.




[1] Russian Embassy in Thailand
[2] Jane’s