Trumpeter 03416 Kamov KA-31 Helix

The Kamov Ka-31 (in NATO code: Helix) was and still is an on-board Soviet / Russian early warning helicopter of all metal construction, with a retractable landing gear, in a rare coaxial twin rotor configuration. The drive is provided by two Izotow TV-3-117WMAR turbine engines with a nominal power of 1900 KM each. The flight of the first prototype took place in 1986, and serial production started in 2001 and is still in progress at Kumiertauskie Zakłady Lotnicze. The Kamow Ka-31 was created as a very far-reaching development of the Ka-27 helicopter. First of all, the Ka-31 was to detect and locate enemy surface ships, which required the installation of a powerful E801M sea and air surveillance radar. This entailed numerous design changes. First of all, the machine's hull was changed and significantly redesigned. New engines and a retractable undercarriage were also used. At the moment (2017), the main user of this helicopter is the Indian Navy and China, while in the Russian fleet, the machine is intensively tested. It is estimated that the unit cost of the Ka-31 is approximately 23 million. dollars by 1999 prices.