The Russian Central Military District, tasked with providing SAR support during the re-entry and return to earth of space vehicles, is set to receive four new Mi-8MTV-5 helicopters. The helicopters will be operated by an army aviation squadron based at Uprun airfield. SAR operations in support of the Russian space programme are undertaken on a regular basis, mainly in the territory of nearby Kazakhstan, where the main landing zones are located. Over the last ten years, the Russian Air and Space Force has supported 60 operations to recover manned space vehicles returning to the earth involving 200 cosmonauts, mainly using Mi-8 helicopters and An-12 aircraft.
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