Kamov is to develop a civilian version of the Ka-60 Kasatka medium helicopter with federal Russian funding. Kamov was one of the biggest beneficiaries of a recent Russian federal budget aimed at stimulating the aerospace industry.
The Russian programme for civil aviation development in 2002-10 will provide 113 million roubles ($3.8 million) for a civilian version of the 4t, twin-turbine Kasatka, dubbed the Ka-62. This includes 51 million roubles for RSK MiG, Kamov and the RSK MiG production plant in Ulan-Ude, where the Ka-62 will be assembled. Assembly will also be conducted at the MiG plant in Voronin.
The budget also allocates 25 million roubles for the TA-14 auxiliary power unit which is being developed by Aerosila for the Ka-62 and the 50-seat Tupolev Tu-324 regional aircraft. The Ka-60 is funded directly from Russian defence budgets, which are not made public.
According to RSK MiG general director Nikolai Nikitin, the company has set up a Kasatka assembly line and has completed the tail boom for the first production example of the Ka-60, which will be rolled out in March. RSK MiG is also looking into production of a customised version of the Ka-60 for South Korea as part of a fighter tender for MiG-29s.
Source: Flight International
