{
  "id": "mi-8",
  "name": "Mi-8 (Hip)",
  "aliases": [
    "Mi-8T"
  ],
  "domain": "air",
  "country": "RUS",
  "category": "Medium transport helicopter",
  "status": null,
  "fielded": 1967,
  "operators": [
    "AFG",
    "AGO",
    "ALB",
    "ARM",
    "AZE",
    "BFA",
    "BGR",
    "BIH",
    "BLR",
    "BTN",
    "CAN",
    "CHN",
    "COG",
    "COL",
    "CUB",
    "CZE",
    "DEU",
    "DJI",
    "DZA",
    "EGY",
    "ERI",
    "ETH",
    "GEO",
    "GIN",
    "GNB",
    "HRV",
    "IDN",
    "IND",
    "IRN",
    "IRQ",
    "KAZ",
    "KGZ",
    "KHM",
    "LAO",
    "LBY",
    "LTU",
    "LVA",
    "MDA",
    "MDV",
    "MEX",
    "MLI",
    "MNE",
    "MNG",
    "MOZ",
    "NPL",
    "PAK",
    "PER",
    "POL",
    "PRK",
    "ROU",
    "RUS",
    "SDN",
    "SOM",
    "SRB",
    "SVK",
    "SYR",
    "TJK",
    "TKM",
    "TUR",
    "UKR",
    "USA",
    "UZB",
    "VNM"
  ],
  "prolif_count": 64,
  "summary": "Mi-8 (Hip) Russian Medium Transport Helicopter is a medium twin-turbine helicopter, originally designed by the Soviet Union, and now produced by Russia. In addition to its most common role as a transport helicopter, the Mi-8 is also used as an airborne command post, armed gunship, and reconnaissance platform.",
  "specs": [
    {
      "k": "crew",
      "v": 3,
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Hardpoints",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "4 ea",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "width_m",
      "v": 2.5,
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Wingspan"
    },
    {
      "k": "height_m",
      "v": 5.65,
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "mass_kg",
      "v": 6990,
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Empty weight"
    },
    {
      "k": "engine_name",
      "v": "2 x TV2-117",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Thrust / power",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "1,482 hp",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "ceiling_m",
      "v": 4500,
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Rate of climb",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "9 m/s",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Weather Radar",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "Type 8A-813",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Navigation Radar",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "DISS-32-90 Doppler navigation under tailboom",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Armor Type",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "Bolt-on",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Heat Signature Reduction",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "IR over engine exhausts",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Add on Armor",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "Available",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "NBC Protection",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "Yes",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Door Mounted Gun",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Loaded combat troops can fire personal weapons through windows from inside cabin.",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Wing Mounted Weapons: additional armament that can be equipped on the mi-8t",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "2 x 7.62-mm Machine Guns or 1 x 12.7-mm Machine Gun; 4-6 x AT-2C Swatter or AT-3 Sagger ATGMs; 4-6 x 57-mm rocket pods (16 each); 2 x 80-mm rocket pods (20 each); 4 x 250-kg bombs; 2 x 500-kg bombs; 2 x 12.7-mm MG pod; 2 x Twin 23-mm gun pods; 1,830 liters…",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "armament",
      "v": "UB-32 (rocket pod); S-5 Rockets",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    }
  ],
  "payloads": [
    {
      "name": "UB-32 (rocket pod)",
      "role": "57 mm, reusable, 32-salvo rocket pod",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Type": "57 mm, reusable, 32-salvo rocket pod"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "S-5 Rockets",
      "role": "Rocket",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Type": "Rocket"
      },
      "range_km": [
        3,
        4
      ],
      "qty": "32 x S-5 Rockets per UB-32 Rocket Pod"
    }
  ],
  "variants": [
    {
      "name": "Mi-8T (NATO – Hip-C)",
      "text": "First mass production utility transport version, it can carry four UV-16-57 unguided rocket pods, (with S-5 rockets), mounted to four hardpoints on two outrigger pylons, and is armed with one or two side-mounted PK machine guns.",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Mi-8TV",
      "text": "Armed version of the Mi-8T.",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Mi-8TVK (NATO – Hip-E, a.k.a. Mi-8TB)",
      "text": "Version used as a gunship or direct air support platform. Airframe modifications add 2x external hard points for a total of 6, and mount a flexible 12.7 mm (0.5-inch) KV-4 machine gun in the nose.",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Mi-8TBK (NATO – Hip-F)",
      "text": "Armed export version, fitted with six launch rails to carry and fire Malyutka missiles.",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Mi-8IV (NATO – Hip-G, a.k.a. Mi-9)",
      "text": "Airborne command post version fitted with \"Ivolga\" system, characterized by antennas, and Doppler radar on tail boom.",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Mi-8PP (NATO – Hip-K)",
      "text": "Airborne jamming platform with \"Polye\" (field) system. From 1980, the type was fitted with the new \"Akatsiya\" system and redesignated the Mi-8PPA. It is characterized by six \"X\"-shaped antennas on each side of the aft fuselage.",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Mi-8PD",
      "text": "Polish airborne command post version.",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Mi-8SMV (NATO – Hip-J)",
      "text": "Airborne jamming platform with \"Smalta-V\" system, characterized by two small boxes on each side of the fuselage. Used for protection of ground attack aircraft against enemy air defenses.",
      "src": [
        "weg-mi-8"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "art": "helicopter",
  "image": {
    "file": "mi-8.jpg",
    "thumb": "mi-8-thumb.jpg",
    "credit": "Andrey Butko",
    "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
    "url": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2021._%D0%A1%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B1%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B5_%D0%B2%D1%8B%D1%81%D0%BE%D1%82%D1%8B_DSC_6803.jpg",
    "title": "File:2021. Самбекские высоты DSC 6803.jpg"
  },
  "verified": null,
  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-10-10",
      "change": "Entry created from the Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN), bulk import"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-10",
      "change": "Added photo (CC BY-SA 4.0)"
    }
  ],
  "url": "https://www.defensepedia.com/systems/mi-8.html",
  "sources": {
    "weg-mi-8": {
      "title": "Mi-8 (Hip) Russian Medium Transport Helicopter",
      "publisher": "U.S. Army TRADOC G-2 Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)",
      "url": "https://odin.t2com.army.mil/WEG/Asset/Mi-8_Hip_Russian_Medium_Transport_Helicopter",
      "published": "2026-03-20",
      "tier": 1,
      "checked": "2026-10-10"
    }
  }
}