The Mil Mi-8 is a twin-turbine medium aircraft, originally designed by the Soviet Union, and now manufactured by Russia. The Mi-8 is also used as an airborne command post, armed gunship, and reconnaissance platform, in addition to its most common role as a transport helicopter.The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine aircraft, originally designed by the Soviet Union and now manufactured by Russia. The Mi-8 is also used as an airborne command post, mounted gunship, and observation platform as well as its most famous role as a transport helicopter. In addition to the related, more powerful MilMi-17, the Mi-8 is among the most produced helicopters in the world Seen in more than 50 countries. As of 2015, it is the world's third most regular military operating aircraft.

Design and development

Initially, Mikhail Mil approached the Soviet government with a proposal to design an all-new two-engine turbine helicopter following the success of the Mil Mi-4 and the emergence and efficiency of the Mil Mi-6 turbines; but the military argued against a new helicopter as they were satisfied with the current Mil Mi-4 helicopter.To address this, Mikhail Mil suggested that the new helicopter would be more of an upgrade to modern turbine engines than a completely new helicopter; this convinced the ministers ' council to continue with the development. Because of the engine's position, this allowed Mikhail Mil to justify redesigning the entire front half of the aircraft around the single engine (designed by Oleksandr Ivchenko at OKB-478 in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, originally as all other Soviet turbines had been up to that point for fixed wing aircraft).