Crews on board Russian military Mi-26 helicopters have discovered a new island in the Arctic Ocean. The island was identified from the air above the Vasilevsky shallows by two Mi-26 helicopters that were carrying equipment from the Yakutian port of Tiksi to the Novosibirskie Islands. This geographical discovery expands the Russian Federation’s territorial waters by 452 square kilometres.

The discovery was made in 2013, but was not made public until it had been scientifically verified. Many Arctic islands are unique in that they are formed, not from rock but from ice covered by a layer of subsoil. Over time, the ice melts, and these ‘islands’ disappear. That is why the geographical discovery made by the Mi-26 crews was officially announced after a year had passed and hydrographic service specialists had been able to carry out research confirming that the patch of sandy soil measuring 370 metres by 125 metres, rising to less than one metre above Vasilevsky shallow waters was indeed an island.

The new island was named ‘Yaya’ – as every member of crew on board the Mi-26s started saying, excitedly, ‘I found it, I found it’ (‘ya’ means ‘I’ in Russian).

Mi-26 helicopters, which are used to transport cargo in the Arctic zone, are the largest heaviest-lifting series produced helicopters in the world, and can transport up to 20 tonnes of equipment and large cargo on an external sling or internally. Mi-26 helicopters are also used in transporting paratroopers, injured people, fuel, and for fighting fires. The helicopter is produced at Rostvertol, a Russian Helicopters company. The Mi-26T is the commercial variant.

Flight tests are currently being carried out on the modernised Mi-26T2 helicopter, which boasts reduced crew numbers, a ‘glass’ cabin, the latest avionics, and which can be operated any time of day or night.

Rostvertol, a Russian Helicopters company, produces a wide range of Mi- helicopters and carries out repair and modernisation work on helicopters, supplies aviation engineering materials and provides related services. Currently Rostvertol is involved in the series production of new generation military helicopter Mi-28N Night Hunter (Mi-28NE export variant); the Mi-35M combat support helicopter; and the world’s heaviest multirole transport helicopter – the Mi-26T.

Russian Helicopters, (part of State Corporation Rostec), is one of the global leaders in helicopter production and the only helicopter design and production powerhouse in Russia. Russian Helicopters was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Moscow. The company comprises five helicopter production facilities, two design bureaus, a spare parts production and repair facility, as well as an aftersale service branch responsible for maintenance and repair in Russia and all over the world. Its helicopters are popular among Russian ministries and state authorities (Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Emergency Control Ministry), operators (Gazpromavia, UTair), major Russian corporations. In 2013 its IFRS revenues increased 10% to RUB 138.3 billion. Deliveries reached 275 helicopters.

State Corporation Rostec is a Russian corporation founded in 2007 for the purpose of promoting the development, production and export of hi-tech civilian and military industry products. It comprises 700 organisations, nine of which have now been formed as holding companies of the military-industrial complex and five of them are involved in civil industries. Rostec’s organisations are located in 60 constituent entities of the Russian Federation and supply their products to the markets of more than 70 countries. The revenue of Rostec in 2013 amounted to RUB 1, 04 trillion, with net profit of RUB 40 billion. The tax deductions into the treasuries at all levels exceeded RUB 138 billion