MOSCOW, July 13. /TASS/. Russia’s Rostec state corporation plans to deliver the first Ansat Aurus luxury helicopter to the client this year, First Deputy General Director Vladimir Artyakov said in an interview with TASS.

"As of today, we have reached the advanced stage of negotiations with several clients, with the first helicopter planned to be supplied as early as this year," he said, adding that Ansat Aurus was successfully tested at the beginning of the year, after which the aviation watchdog approved changes into the helicopter’s certificate by allowing exploitation of Ansat of that modification.

Speaking about production plans, Artyakov said that "output volumes will be largely defined by the demand and wishes of [Rostec’s] clients."

Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov said earlier that sales of Ansat Aurus helicopters were planned at the level of 20-25 units per year starting 2021.

The lightweight Ansat multirole helicopter has been produced by the Kazan Helicopter Works since 2013.