Mechel bags order for new class of steel for Russian Helicopters

Mechel OAO, one of the leading Russian mining and metals companies, reports that the Group's Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant fulfilled the order for a new class of steel for helicopter making. The order was placed by the Russian Helicopters holding.

High quality steel was produced in November 2012. The product showed excellent results during preliminary technological testing and is currently passed to industrial production. This type of steel is necessary to manufacture particularly important joints in modern helicopter making.

Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant's stainless high-strength steel will be used in manufacturing certain joints for the Ka-226(T) helicopter. The light multi-purpose Ka-226(T) helicopter is used for corporate and private flights, as well as special operations and rescue missions.

The modern light Ka-226(T) is estimated by experts to be one of the most ecologically-friendly and safe helicopters in its class, so the steel must be up to the most rigorous standard. The light helicopter is equipped with engines ensuring high carrying capacity and flight height as well as a coaxial rotor system.

Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant's high strength steel will also be used in manufacturing the attack scout helicopter Ka-52 Alligator, which is undisputedly one of the most perfect armed machines in its class. It combines traditional Russian helicopter virtues with state of the art developments in avionics, arms and flight safety, as well as use of composites. The helicopter has passed all state tests, is in serial production and has been adopted into the Russian Air Force's arsenal.

The Russian Helicopters holding plans in the future to use the new type of steel not only to produce important joints for Ka-52 and Ka-226(T), but also for Mi-type helicopters.

Mr Dmitry Shaburov head of Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant's Technical Team said that "In July 2012 our plant accepted the order for producing steel for helicopter making. For Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant, this means making a new type of steel. We worked on the order together with Urals Stampings Plant. The technology of making helicopter steel was developed by the plant's technical services together with experts from Bardin's Central Research Institute for Ferrous Metals and the All-Russian Aviation Materials Institute."