ST. PETERSBURG, October 22. /TASS/. The advanced VK-2500P engine developed for Russia’s latest Mil Mi-28NM combat helicopters successfully passed state bench tests, the developers said at the ceremony of delivering a certificate on the successful trials at the UEC-Klimov engine maker (part of the United Engine Corporation) on Thursday.

The certificate was delivered by representatives of Russia’s Defense Ministry.

"We are confident that this engine has quite a big future. The use of this engine on most Mil and Kamov helicopters will give them completely different qualities than those they have today," UEC-Klimov Executive Director Alexander Vatagin said at the ceremony.

The engine has successfully passed a series of trials to comply with the technical requirements specified by Russia’s Defense Ministry and can be used as a powerplant for the latest Russian helicopters, the company’s press office specified.

As its major advantage, the engine employs the most advanced FADEC (full authority digital engine control system), the executive director stressed.

"This expands the engine’s capabilities enormously, which enables it to give a new quality to the helicopters that have been operational in Russia for many years. The trials took twelve months. We expect the engine to find its application not only on Mi-28NM helicopters but also on other rotorcraft," he told reporters.

VK-2500 engines are mounted on Mi-8/17, Mi-24/35 and Ka-50/52 helicopters and also on civil Ka-32 rotorcraft. The VK-2500P modification has been developed for the Mi-28NM, the upgraded version of the Mi-28N ‘Night Hunter’ gunship.