Flying laboratory of ‘the helicopter of the future’ rises into the sky

Flying laboratory of the advanced speed helicopter has conducted its first flight. The craft is made on the base of the Mi-24K reconnaissance spotter.

Picture of the tests has appeared at russianplanes.net.

Bmpd military blog writes that laboratory tests started on December 23 at the station of the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant in Tomilino.  

We remind that the full-scale mockup of the flying laboratory, which is called ‘demonstrator of the advanced speed helicopter’, was displayed by the JSC ‘Russian Helicopters’ at the MAKS-2015 Air show. Pictures of the laboratory appeared early in December.  

It was reported earlier that ‘helicopter of the future’ would be put in serial production in 2022. According to Victor Bondarev, commander in chief of the Russian Aerospace Force, the flight prototype will rise into the air in 2018. The craft will be able to do up to 500 kmh.