Mil Mi-2 Scout / Ми-2 «Скаут» (c/n 5410741108), an upgraded variant of the iconic Mi-2, exhibited at the static display during the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2019, Zhukovsky, August 2019.
The Mil Mi-2 (NATO reporting name: “Hoplite”), designed by Mikhail Mil and his construction bureau in the early 1960s, was one of the best-known light utility helicopters developed during the Cold War. Manufactured between 1965 and 1993, the helicopter was produced in almost 5,500 examples and used by various civil and military operators all over the world. It is estimated that a few hundred Mi-2s still remain in active service worldwide.
It is therefore not surprising that the popularity of the Mi-2 provided an impetus for the development of several projects focused on upgrading the classic airframe and adapting the helicopter to modern requirements and safety standards. A few such modernisation programmes were launched in Russia, taking into account that a significant fleet of Mi-2 helicopters is still operated in the CIS countries, where several private operators cannot afford to purchase modern helicopters.
One of these Mi-2 upgrade projects was undertaken by JSC Borisfen (АО «Борисфен»), a Moscow-based company specialising in the repair and maintenance of aircraft engines and the supply of aircraft components. Designated the Mi-2 Scout, the helicopter was first unveiled to the public in 2019 as a modification of the Mi-2 c/n 5410741108, manufactured by PZL Świdnik in 1988.
Although the latest version was shown in 2019, the Scout modification had its roots in earlier upgrades to that helicopter carried out by JSC Moscow Aviation Repair Plant DOSAAF (Московский авиационно-ремонтный завод ДОСААФ, commonly known as MARZ DOSAAF). The first of one, known as the Mi-2M, was done between 2015 and 2016. It was then followed by the first Scout-branded modernisation, with work beginning in 2017 and continuing until 2019.
The latest upgrade to the airframe, carried out by Borisfen, involved a deep modernisation of the popular Mi-2 helicopter. The scope of work included the installation of modern avionics and the replacement of the original GTD-350 engines with AI-450M turboshaft powerplants. According to the company, the transmission, gearbox and rotor blades remained unchanged.
The modernised Mi-2 Scout was actively promoted by Borisfen and participated in several aviation events in the region, including the HeliRussia exhibition and the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2019, where our current Photo of the Week was taken.
At a later date, Borisfen offered the possibility of equipping the helicopter with either AI-450M engines, each producing 400 hp, or the more powerful AI-450M-B powerplants, generating 430 hp. According to the company, the new engines reduced fuel consumption by more than 30%, while increasing the helicopter’s maximum ceiling to up to 8,000 metres (with a practical ceiling of 4,000 metres).
The Mi-2 Scout was also characterised by an increased range of up to 1,000 km with additional fuel tanks. The helicopter had a maximum take-off weight of 3,550 kg, a maximum speed of 200 km/h and could carry up to nine people, including the crew.
In 2021, Borisfen offered several variants of the upgraded helicopter, including passenger and transport versions, a search-and-rescue platform, as well as agricultural, military and training configurations. According to statements made by the company’s management to the Russian press, a single example of the Mi-2 Scout had already been purchased by an undisclosed company from the country’s Far East. In addition, talks with the Ministry of Emergency Situations were under way.
Nevertheless, the Scout had to compete with other Mi-2 modernisation programmes, including those offered by Rostvertol, part of the Russian Helicopters holding, and the MSB-2 Hope (МСБ-2 «Надежда»), developed by JSC Motor Sich (Мотор Січ), a Ukrainian aircraft engine manufacturer based in Zaporizhzhia.
Interestingly, the aforementioned AI-450 engines, which formed the core of the Mi-2 upgrade, were developed and manufactured by Motor Sich. This eventually became the biggest problem for the entire Scout programme. As early as 2021, cooperation between Borisfen and Motor Sich was described as challenging. It became impossible following the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The current status of the Mi-2 Scout programme remains unknown. None of the deals announced by Borisfen’s management in 2021 was officially confirmed afterwards, nor was any information about serial production of the helicopter subsequently released. The company’s official website, including its press-release section, has not been updated since 2023, and the Mi-2 Scout is still listed there among the offered products.
The latest official information related to the helicopter dates from 2024. The Mi-2 Scout was then mentioned in the official catalogue of the Association of Aero Engine Manufacturers (АССАД), which included a presentation of the Borisfen company. Nevertheless, the helicopter’s last official public presentation took place in 2022, at that year’s edition of the HeliRussia exhibition.
