Myanmar Becomes First Foreign Operator of Russia’s Mi-38T Military Transport Helicopter
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Myanmar’s Air Force inducted three Russian Mi-38T helicopters and two Chinese Y-8F-200W transports during a November 7 ceremony in Naypyidaw, verified by independent imagery. The delivery underscores growing Russia-China coordination in supporting Myanmar’s air mobility amid regional security shifts.
According to the Myanmar Defense & Security Institute (MDSI), on November 7, 2025, the Myanmar Air Force held an acceptance ceremony in Naypyidaw for three Russian Mi-38T transport helicopters and two Chinese-built Y-8F-200W airlifters, marking an unusual commissioning outside the service’s traditional 15 December Air Force Day. Independent open-source posts from that day, including runway imagery, corroborated the timing and scope of the event.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Myanmar Air Force’s new Mi-38T medium transport helicopters, powered by twin Klimov TV7-117V engines, can carry up to 40 troops or 5 tons of cargo, offering greater range, speed, and hot-and-high performance than legacy Mi-17s for troop lift, medevac, and resupply missions in remote terrain (Picture source: MDSI).
The Mi-38T is Russia’s newest medium-lift military transport produced by Kazan Helicopters and powered by twin Klimov TV7-117V turboshafts. Rosoboronexport lists the type at 15,600 kilograms maximum takeoff weight with a top speed of 290 kilometers per hour, a service ceiling of 6,300 meters, and carriage for up to 40 personnel. In the cargo role, it moves 4,500 kilograms internally or 5,000 kilograms on the external sling; with a 3,200-kilogram load it has a stated range of up to 500 kilometers. The baseline military cockpit is digital with modern flight management and night-capable avionics suites.
Myanmar gains a step change over legacy Mi-17s in lift margin, cabin volume, and speed. The rear loading ramp and wide cabin enable roll-on pallets and light vehicles for rapid turnarounds, while the underslung lift allows artillery, generators, or fuel bladders to be flown directly to remote positions. The platform’s performance envelope is suited to mountainous states and austere landing zones and supports night movements for casualty evacuation, special-purpose insertions, and precision resupply from low-level approaches.
The two inducted Y-8s appear to be the export-standard Y-8F-200W variant from Shaanxi, a derivative of the Antonov An-12 with a full-width cargo ramp. The Y-8 class carries roughly 20 tons of cargo or about ninety fully equipped troops, providing the bulk theater lift that smaller ATRs, Beechcraft, or Y-12s cannot handle. Spotter photography and analyst posts earlier in 2025 identified Myanmar-marked Y-8F-200Ws, tail numbers 5923 and 5924, staged at Kunming Changshui International Airport before hand-over, a pattern consistent with previous deliveries.
Local contract figures suggest the Mi-38T tranche combines two transports and one VIP-configured airframe. Pricing reported by CJ Platform put two transports at about 18.89 million euros each and a VIP variant at roughly 21.9 million euros, totaling approximately 59.68 million euros for three airframes. While Rosoboronexport first disclosed an unnamed Mi-38T export customer in 2020, a range of specialist outlets now identify Myanmar as the first foreign operator fielding the type in military service.
The procurement fits a longer trajectory in Russia–Myanmar defense cooperation centered on combat aviation and helicopters, training lines, and sustainment ecosystems. Between 2022 and 2024, Russia completed delivery of six Su-30SME multirole fighters under a 2018 agreement, and Myanmar previously took Yak-130s and Mi-35s from Russian industry. At the operational level, the relationship has also included joint naval drills in the Andaman Sea in November 2023, signaling close military ties and ease of integration for new platforms.
Taken together, pairing Mi-38Ts with Y-8s adds both tactical and theater-level mobility for Myanmar’s air arm. The Y-8s lift heavy munitions, generators, and company-sized elements between central hubs and prepared strips, while Mi-38Ts conduct the last-mile shuttle into short, rough, or high-elevation landing zones. Photographic evidence of Y-8 airframes moving through Kunming, combined with the September arrival and November commissioning of Mi-38Ts, points to sustained pipelines from China and Russia for lift assets.
The Mi-38T slots above Myanmar’s Mi-17V-5 fleet in payload, speed, and cabin volume. Rosoboronexport lists the Mi-17V-5 at a 13,000-kilogram maximum takeoff weight, 250-kilometer-per-hour top speed, and 4,000-kilogram payload, carrying up to 36 troops. Western peers like Airbus’s H225M seat about 28–31 troops with a 4,750-kilogram sling load at an 11,000-kilogram MTOW. Against those benchmarks, the Mi-38T’s 15,600-kilogram MTOW, 40-person capacity, and 5,000-kilogram external lift provide clear headroom for air assault, medevac, and underslung logistics.
The Myanmar air force already trains on and sustains Russian airframes and avionics families, easing the introduction of the Mi-38T, while Shaanxi’s Y-8 offers competitive cost per ton, a proven ramp layout, and assured availability through Chinese production channels. Continued Russia–Myanmar engagement at the military level, including exercises and high-level visits, further supports predictable deliveries and support arrangements.
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Myanmar’s Air Force inducted three Russian Mi-38T helicopters and two Chinese Y-8F-200W transports during a November 7 ceremony in Naypyidaw, verified by independent imagery. The delivery underscores growing Russia-China coordination in supporting Myanmar’s air mobility amid regional security shifts.
According to the Myanmar Defense & Security Institute (MDSI), on November 7, 2025, the Myanmar Air Force held an acceptance ceremony in Naypyidaw for three Russian Mi-38T transport helicopters and two Chinese-built Y-8F-200W airlifters, marking an unusual commissioning outside the service’s traditional 15 December Air Force Day. Independent open-source posts from that day, including runway imagery, corroborated the timing and scope of the event.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Myanmar Air Force’s new Mi-38T medium transport helicopters, powered by twin Klimov TV7-117V engines, can carry up to 40 troops or 5 tons of cargo, offering greater range, speed, and hot-and-high performance than legacy Mi-17s for troop lift, medevac, and resupply missions in remote terrain (Picture source: MDSI).
The Mi-38T is Russia’s newest medium-lift military transport produced by Kazan Helicopters and powered by twin Klimov TV7-117V turboshafts. Rosoboronexport lists the type at 15,600 kilograms maximum takeoff weight with a top speed of 290 kilometers per hour, a service ceiling of 6,300 meters, and carriage for up to 40 personnel. In the cargo role, it moves 4,500 kilograms internally or 5,000 kilograms on the external sling; with a 3,200-kilogram load it has a stated range of up to 500 kilometers. The baseline military cockpit is digital with modern flight management and night-capable avionics suites.
Myanmar gains a step change over legacy Mi-17s in lift margin, cabin volume, and speed. The rear loading ramp and wide cabin enable roll-on pallets and light vehicles for rapid turnarounds, while the underslung lift allows artillery, generators, or fuel bladders to be flown directly to remote positions. The platform’s performance envelope is suited to mountainous states and austere landing zones and supports night movements for casualty evacuation, special-purpose insertions, and precision resupply from low-level approaches.
The two inducted Y-8s appear to be the export-standard Y-8F-200W variant from Shaanxi, a derivative of the Antonov An-12 with a full-width cargo ramp. The Y-8 class carries roughly 20 tons of cargo or about ninety fully equipped troops, providing the bulk theater lift that smaller ATRs, Beechcraft, or Y-12s cannot handle. Spotter photography and analyst posts earlier in 2025 identified Myanmar-marked Y-8F-200Ws, tail numbers 5923 and 5924, staged at Kunming Changshui International Airport before hand-over, a pattern consistent with previous deliveries.
Local contract figures suggest the Mi-38T tranche combines two transports and one VIP-configured airframe. Pricing reported by CJ Platform put two transports at about 18.89 million euros each and a VIP variant at roughly 21.9 million euros, totaling approximately 59.68 million euros for three airframes. While Rosoboronexport first disclosed an unnamed Mi-38T export customer in 2020, a range of specialist outlets now identify Myanmar as the first foreign operator fielding the type in military service.
The procurement fits a longer trajectory in Russia–Myanmar defense cooperation centered on combat aviation and helicopters, training lines, and sustainment ecosystems. Between 2022 and 2024, Russia completed delivery of six Su-30SME multirole fighters under a 2018 agreement, and Myanmar previously took Yak-130s and Mi-35s from Russian industry. At the operational level, the relationship has also included joint naval drills in the Andaman Sea in November 2023, signaling close military ties and ease of integration for new platforms.
Taken together, pairing Mi-38Ts with Y-8s adds both tactical and theater-level mobility for Myanmar’s air arm. The Y-8s lift heavy munitions, generators, and company-sized elements between central hubs and prepared strips, while Mi-38Ts conduct the last-mile shuttle into short, rough, or high-elevation landing zones. Photographic evidence of Y-8 airframes moving through Kunming, combined with the September arrival and November commissioning of Mi-38Ts, points to sustained pipelines from China and Russia for lift assets.
The Mi-38T slots above Myanmar’s Mi-17V-5 fleet in payload, speed, and cabin volume. Rosoboronexport lists the Mi-17V-5 at a 13,000-kilogram maximum takeoff weight, 250-kilometer-per-hour top speed, and 4,000-kilogram payload, carrying up to 36 troops. Western peers like Airbus’s H225M seat about 28–31 troops with a 4,750-kilogram sling load at an 11,000-kilogram MTOW. Against those benchmarks, the Mi-38T’s 15,600-kilogram MTOW, 40-person capacity, and 5,000-kilogram external lift provide clear headroom for air assault, medevac, and underslung logistics.
The Myanmar air force already trains on and sustains Russian airframes and avionics families, easing the introduction of the Mi-38T, while Shaanxi’s Y-8 offers competitive cost per ton, a proven ramp layout, and assured availability through Chinese production channels. Continued Russia–Myanmar engagement at the military level, including exercises and high-level visits, further supports predictable deliveries and support arrangements.
