MOSCOW, December 10. /TASS/. A center for the maintenance and repairs of Russian-made Mil Mi helicopters has opened in the Peruvian capital of Lima with the support of Russian Helicopters Group, the rotorcraft maker’s press office reported on Monday.

"The Helicentro Peru center for the maintenance and repairs of Russian-made helicopters has begun its work on the basis of the Peruvian Air Force Maintenance Service (SEMAN) in the city of Lima. The Center has been set up with the participation of Russian Helicopters Group (part of the state hi-tech corporation Rostec) and will deal with the maintenance of Mi helicopters," the press office said in a statement.

Helicentro Peru will utilize the enterprise’s capacities to repair civilian Mi-17 helicopters operational in the region. Specialists of Russian Helicopters Group will be carrying out major repairs of Mi-17 helicopters operational in the Peruvian Air Force.

"Although the Center has just begun its work, it is provided with orders until 2023: in the next five years, the repairs of about 40 helicopters are planned. Besides, Peru’s advantageous geographical position and the production capacity reserve make it possible to consider also orders from other countries of the region," the press office quoted Russian Helicopters Group CEO Andrei Boginsky as saying.

The Center’s creation will help carry out the entire range of works without transporting the fuselages from the country’s territory. Peru is the largest importer of Russian-made helicopters in Latin America. Currently, Peru operates more than 100 Russian-made helicopters.

Mi-8/17 helicopters developed by the Mil Design Bureau are well-known in the world as reliable and easy-to-operate rotorcraft. They are used in medical-sanitary and humanitarian missions, cargo and passenger carriages, including VIP transportations. Mi-8/17 military transport helicopters are designated for carrying personnel, and also cargoes inside the cabin and on an external sling.