The board of directors of Russian Helicopters holding company (part of the Rostec state corporation) decides to unite the Moscow Mil helicopter factory with Kamov to create the National Helicopter Center (NHC). The center will combine the potential of two helicopter design schools for more efficient and higher quality design.
The consolidation of the two design offices Mil and Kamov aims at the growth of the latter. Nevertheless, the brands will be kept and the staff of the two design offices will be part of the NHC. The foundation of the NHC will help remove current administrative, legal and economic barriers for the cooperation between the two design teams.
Such an approach will create the environment for a fluid exchange of solutions and technical achievements, an efficient division of workload between subdivisions and the unification of technical standards. The expected benefits include reduced labor costs, improved management and production efficiency, improved design quality and time savings in start of mass production.
“According to our estimates, the division of labor between the two design offices and the repair companies of the holding company should release about 15 to 20% of the annual work capacity of two consulting firms, which can be allocated to the development of new helicopters”, said Mikhail Korotkevich, Deputy General Director, Scientific & Technical Policy , Russian Helicopters JSC.
The latter presented the roadmap for the consolidation of the consulting firms during the meeting of the board of directors. “Before, there was a certain competitiveness between companies: the same types of machines were developed in parallel. Our common goal is to compete with foreign manufacturers, not to compete at the national level. The consolidation of both schools will advance the goal”, added Mikhail Korotkevich.
The economic effect of the consolidation of the design offices will allow the reduction of expenditure on several levels. First at the level of tests, but also the means used, whether material or financial. Part of the resources released will be channeled towards improving the scientific and technical potential and the commitment of new designers.
The first stage where two design offices are planned to form a single company must be completed by mid-2020. Other integration processes aimed at optimizing the activity of the two design offices within the same company are planned until 2022.