Mi-2 Helicopters Operating at Sea

The article describes participation of Mi-2 helicopters in both military and civilian operations at sea. Although the multipurpose Mi-2 rotorcraft were not designed to operate in the harsh environment over the sea, they became - in the second half of the 1960s and in the 1970s - a standard type performing a wide array of tasks at sea. Modern turboshaft engines, a favorable weight-to-power ratio and a dual engine configuration were all factors enabling safe flight over the sea, at considerable distances from land. The specialized Mi-2RM variant designed by WSK PZL Świdnik provided the Naval Aviation with an opportunity to establish, in the 1st half of the 1970s, a unique marine air rescue system. The last Mi-2RM used for rescue missions was decommissioned as late as in 2010, although at that stage it was only used for aircrew training purposes. The Navy was also using the Mi-2Ch variant tasked with creating smokescreens to conceal vessels and port facilities. General purpose variants of the helicopter were used to transport people and goods. They also performed well during patrolling missions and while identifying various types of contamination.

As far as civilian use of the helicopters is concerned, Mi-2 versions equipped with special purpose on-board systems supported scientists in the exploration of the Antarctica at two stations of the Polish Academy of Science. The Maritime Authority in Gdynia was also using its own Mi-2 helicopter for over 30 years - until 2015 - for patrolling the Gdańsk and Puck Bays and waters around the Hel Peninsula. The missions were focusing primarily on detecting potential contamination of the coastal areas.

In the former Soviet Union, civilian Mi-2 variants were (and still are) standard equipment of deep sea icebreakers operating in the Arctic and around the North Pole. The machines are mainly used for safety purposes, as well as for transporting scientists and groups of extreme tourists. Approximately a dozen Mi-2 purchased from Russia in the mid-1990s, in turn, were used by the Aviation Force of the Mexican Navy. Unfortunately, no further details regarding their use are available.