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Russia Russian Helicopters
Mi-8MTV-5
One of the most widely produced helicopters in history, a twin-turbine medium transport used for troop lift, assault and utility roles. Modernized Mi-8MTV and export Mi-17 variants remain in mass service worldwide, including with the Russian military.
In service since 1967 · 50 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
250
km/h
800
km range
6,000
m ceiling
1,500
kg payload
Pricing: No public modern unit cost; wide production range
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Russian state channel
Rosoboronexport monopoly; Western sanctions exposure and payment/logistics risk for many buyers.
Channel: Rosoboronexport (state)
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 50 operators
In service since 1967. Status: active · ~12,000 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 250 km/h Bottom 3% of helicopters
- Cruise speed
Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station.
- 230 km/h Bottom 9% of helicopters
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 800 km Stronger than 66% of helicopters
- Service ceiling
Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.
- 6,000 m Stronger than 69% of helicopters
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Hardpoints
External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts.
- 6 Stronger than 88% of helicopters
- Weapons payload
Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie.
- 1,500 kg Stronger than 58% of helicopters
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 18.17 m
- Height
Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.
- 5.65 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 7,100 kg
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 13,000 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 3
- Troop capacity
Number of embarked troops/passengers (IFV, APC, transport). Higher carries more.
- 24 Stronger than 65% of helicopters
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- 2x Klimov VK-2500 turboshafts
- Engines
Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.
- 2
- Engine power
Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.
- 2,400 hp Stronger than 85% of helicopters
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Turboshaft
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 12,000 Top 1% of helicopters
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 50 Top 2% of helicopters
Specifications compiled from public Russian Helicopters and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
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Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Russian Helicopters Mi-8MTV-5? +
The Russian Helicopters Mi-8MTV-5 has a maximum speed of 250 km/h.
What is the range of the Russian Helicopters Mi-8MTV-5? +
The Russian Helicopters Mi-8MTV-5 has a maximum range of 800 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Russian Helicopters Mi-8MTV-5? +
The Russian Helicopters Mi-8MTV-5 can carry up to 1,500 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Russian Helicopters Mi-8MTV-5 weigh? +
The Russian Helicopters Mi-8MTV-5 has a combat weight of 13,000 kg.
How many crew does the Russian Helicopters Mi-8MTV-5 require? +
The Russian Helicopters Mi-8MTV-5 requires a crew of 3.
What engine does the Russian Helicopters Mi-8MTV-5 use? +
The Russian Helicopters Mi-8MTV-5 is powered by the 2x Klimov VK-2500 turboshafts.
What is the Russian Helicopters Mi-8MTV-5 used for? +
The Russian Helicopters Mi-8MTV-5 is a helicopter typically used for isr.
How many countries operate the Russian Helicopters Mi-8MTV-5? +
The Russian Helicopters Mi-8MTV-5 is operated by 50 countries.
How much does the Russian Helicopters Mi-8MTV-5 cost? +
Russian Helicopters Mi-8MTV-5: No public modern unit cost; wide production range. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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