Russia unveils new Heliburo HB.17 helicopter image
November 22, 2024
On 13 November 2024, The Russian ‘Fighterbomber’ Telegram channel reported that “the development of Russia’s new NV.17 hybrid helicopter has advanced to the technical design phase, following the completion of its preliminary and draft design stages.” Most reports simply repeated this, failing to realise that the designation had been wrongly rendered as though it was a transliteration from Cyrillic script. In fact the designation prefix is HB (for HeliBuro) and not NV.
A new CGI image of the aircraft is more detailed than the representations on Heliburo’s website, and shows the aircraft in full VKS (Russian Aerospace Forces) markings. The aircraft is of conventional ‘pod and boom’ configuration, with a five-bladed main rotor and a three-bladed tail rotor to starboard. The aircraft has a retractable undercarriage, much like that of the Puma/Cougar family, the nose gear retracting into an open bay in the lower fuselage, and the main undercarriage units into sponsons. A winch is carried above the port cabin door in one image, and to starboard in another, with fast roping provision from the rear of the cabin, where what appears to be a rear loading ramp is actually formed by two upward-opening clamshell doors. Armament is carried on outriggers, Mi-17 style. The most unusual feature is a streamlined, rather flat-fronted ‘wedge-shaped’ nose, reminiscent of the 1970’s Advanced Passenger Train.
Heliburo was founded in 2023 by its current CEO, Maxim Prokhorov, who was the former deputy managing director of Kazan Helicopters, and before that the Head Of International Sales for JSC Russian Helicopters.
The company’s stated goal was the creation of a new medium-class helicopter. It has claimed that its expertise, experience and its understanding of the needs of operators, coupled with close co-operation with the best technology companies in Russia and the use of advanced digital tools and modelling of dynamic processes would allow Heliburo to be “at the technological cutting edge of helicopter construction.”
The HB.17 helicopter is a medium-class helicopter designed for multiple roles, commercial and military, including cargo and passenger transport, reconnaissance and close air support. The helicopter is optimised for missions requiring greater capacity than can be offered by light helicopters while avoiding the operational constraints that limit larger aircraft. As such, it would seem to be a competitor to the Kamov Ka-60/62 and the Mil Mi-38 in some respects.
The ‘17’ in its designation may indicate that it is intended as a replacement for the Mi-17, with similar multi-role capabilities but with much more modern systems and technologies.
The HB.17 will have a hybrid power plant and a combined control system and is reportedly designed to operate for up to seven hours without refuelling.
According to multiple Russian media sources, the technical design of the aircraft is almost complete, and Heliburo plans to make the first flight in 2027.
