The original Mil Mi-8 "Hip" medium-lift transport helicopter series first flew in prototype form on July 7th, 1961 and was introduced in 1967. Since then, over 17,000 examples of the type have been produced while the series maintains an active presence within the inventories of many air services today (2015). The Mi-17 "Hip" model - based on the Mi-8M/MT variant of the Soviet/Russian military - was developed with exportation in mind and has been adopted by over twenty nations worldwide. The Mi-17 model achieved its own first flight in 1975 and was introduced in 1981. Notable serial production has been ongoing since 1977 with totals reaching around 12,000 units with production shared between the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant as well as the Kazan Helicopter Plant.
Externally, the Mi-17 product shares many of the same features with its earlier cousin including a well-glazed cockpit offering good vision, sliding side doors access with rear loading ramp, and fixed wheeled tricycle undercarriage. One discernable difference is in the tail rotor mounting which now faces starboard instead of port side. The cockpit area has been given improved protection through additional armoring and larger Klimov TV3-117VM turboshaft engines have increased performance - the main rotor and gearbox are based on those developed for the Mi-14.
Beyond its traditional role of personnel/cargo hauler, the Mi-17 can be outfitted for the gunship role, typically through multi-shot rocket pods fitted along wing stub mountings. Other versions have been equipped for Search and Rescue (SAR), VIP/general passenger transport, high-altitude, MEDEVAC, Electronic Warfare (EW), and airborne Command Post (CP) service. It has seen its fair share of operations over active combat zones ranging from Cambodia and India/Pakistan to Columbia, Macedonia, and Sri Lanka. Mi-17s were used by both sides of the Libyan Civil War (2011) and the rebuilding Afghan Air Force relies heavily on its Mi-17 fleet.
Operators currently range from Afghanistan and Argentina to Sri Lanka and Thailand. China began local license production of the Mi-17 during May of 2008 and, despite its Cold War-era roots, the Mi-17 remains very much in play today with several nations still considering order of the type.
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June 2018 - India's border security service has taken on six refurbished Mi-17V model helicopters from Russian Helicopters. The service utilized ten V-models for various border-related missions.
March 2020 - Peru is in line to acquire additional Mi-171 units in large numbers.
Afghanistan; Argentina; Bulgaria; Cambodia; China; Colombia; Croatia; India; Iraq; Kenya; Libya; Macedonia; Malaysia; Mexico; North Korea; Pakistan; Russia; Slovakia; Sri Lanka; South Sudan; Soviet Union; Thailand
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Ground Attack (Bombing, Strafing)
Ability to conduct aerial bombing of ground targets by way of (but not limited to) guns, bombs, missiles, rockets, and the like.
✓Close-Air Support (CAS)
Developed to operate in close proximity to active ground elements by way of a broad array of air-to-ground ordnance and munitions options.
✓Special-Mission: MEDical EVACuation (MEDEVAC)
Extraction of wounded combat or civilian elements by way of specialized onboard equipment and available internal volume or external carrying capability.
✓Special-Mission: Search & Rescue (SAR)
Ability to locate and extract personnel from areas of potential harm or peril (i.e. downed airmen in the sea).
✓Transport
General transport functionality to move supplies/cargo or personnel (including wounded and VIP) over range.
✓Commercial Aviation
Used in roles serving the commercial aviation market, ferrying both passengers and goods over range.
✓VIP Service
Used in the Very-Important-Person (VIP) passenger transport role, typically with above-average amenities and luxuries as standard.
Length
60.5 ft (18.45 m)
Width/Span
69.7 ft (21.25 m)
Height
15.6 ft (4.75 m)
Empty Wgt
16,535 lb (7,500 kg)
MTOW
29,762 lb (13,500 kg)
Wgt Diff
+13,228 lb (+6,000 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Mil Mi-17 (Hip-H) production variant)
monoplane / low-mounted / straight
Monoplane
Design utilizes a single primary wing mainplane; this represent the most popular mainplane arrangement.
Low-Mounted
Mainplanes are low-mounted along the sides of the fuselage.
Straight
The planform involves use of basic, straight mainplane members.
(Structural descriptors pertain to the base Mil Mi-17 (Hip-H) production variant)
Installed:
2 x Klimov TV3-117MT/VM OR VK-2500 turboshaft engines developing 2,100 shp or 2,700 shp respectively while driving five-bladed main rotor and three-bladed tail rotor.
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base Mil Mi-17 (Hip-H) production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)
Typically none unless outfitted for gunship/armed transport role: Missiles (Shturm-V), rockets (S-8), rocket pods, 23mm cannon pods, and 7.62mm gun pods across underwing hardpoints when fitted wingstubs; 7.62mm machine guns at doors and / or rear of aircraft. Optional nose machine gun and fuel tanks.
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
Hardpoint Mountings: 6
Mounting Points
-
-
9
7
5
-
-
-
4
6
8
-
-
HARDPOINT(S) KEY:
X
15
13
11
9
7
5
3
1
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
COLOR KEY:
Fuselage Centerline
Fuselage Port/Wingroot
Fuselage Starboard/Wingroot
Wing/Underwing
Wingtip Mount(s)
Internal Bay(s)
Not Used
Note: Diagram above does not take into account inline hardpoints (mounting positions seated one-behind-the-other).
Values are derrived from a variety of categories related to the design, overall function, and historical influence of this aircraft in aviation history.
Overall Rating
The overall rating takes into account over 60 individual factors related to this aircraft entry.
76
Rating is out of a possible 100 points.
Firepower Index (BETA)
Inherent combat value taking into account weapons support / versatility, available hardpoints, and total carrying capability.
Mil Mi-17 (Hip-H) operational range when compared to distances between major cities (in KM).
Max Altitude Visualization
Design Balance
The three qualities reflected above are altitude, speed, and range.
Aviation Era Span
Showcasing era cross-over of this aircraft design.
Unit Production (12,000)
12000
36183
44000
Compared against Ilyushin IL-2 (military) and Cessna 172 (civilian).
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Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
Images Gallery
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Image from the Russian Ministry of Defence.
2 / 7
Image from the Russian Ministry of Defence.
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Image from the Russian Ministry of Defence.
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Image from the Russian Ministry of Defence.
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Image from the Russian Ministry of Defence.
6 / 7
Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS imagery database.
7 / 7
Image from official Russian Helicopters marketing material.
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Afghanistan; Argentina; Bulgaria; Cambodia; China; Colombia; Croatia; India; Iraq; Kenya; Libya; Macedonia; Malaysia; Mexico; North Korea; Pakistan; Russia; Slovakia; Sri Lanka; South Sudan; Soviet Union; Thailand
