The AP-55 light helicopter was on display at the annual industry exhibition in Moscow in May 2025. The KEMZ facility (Kizlyar, Dagestan) has developed a modern helicopter that is built using a coaxial rotor system, a design that has been traditionally used in Russia for Kamov Design Bureau helicopters. Nevertheless, the AP-55 is plagued by a “traditional” issue that has impacted a significant portion of Russian civilian aviation equipment that has been developed since the late 2000s: a foreign engine. The engine is sourced not just from any country, but specifically from one of the most hostile nations.
This is KEMZ’s second production project in the sphere of light aviation. Prior to this, the facility constructed the “Alpha-KM,” a four-seat twin-engine helicopter that was developed by the design bureau of the Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) under the designation MAI-411. This aircraft and the developers’ production plans were the subject of our article in 2023.
At that time, there were already numerous reservations regarding the selection of the power facility. Two foreign-made aviation engines were installed on the Kizlyar aircraft. This created specific export opportunities; however, sanctions impeded technical maintenance and mass production. Regrettably, there is no official or accessible information available regarding the status of the Alpha-KM project in Dagestan as of 2025.
In light of this, the developers once again attracted attention to themselves by exhibiting their AP-55 helicopter at the HeliRussia exhibition in Moscow. Some Russian journalists, who were not familiar with aviation, hastily wrote about a “new product” that, upon even a cursory review of the project’s history, is not truly new.
So, what is this helicopter?
The AP-55 was developed directly by the “Avia-Project” company (Moscow), which decided in the late 2000s to develop its own world-class light helicopter with a five-seat fuselage. The creators established an ambitious objective and enlisted the assistance of Kamov’s experts, including Boris Anatolyevich Gubarev (Honored Designer of the Russian Federation, who was instrumental in the development of the Ka-29, Ka-50, Ka-56, Ka-62, and Ka-226 helicopters).
A full-scale mock-up of the AP-55 helicopter, complete with a cockpit interior and pilot’s seat, had been on display at exhibitions in Moscow by 2009. Working design documentation (WDD) had been finalized for the coaxial rotor system, transmission, main flight control system, skid landing gear, and a finalized list of standard onboard equipment, which was coordinated with subcontractors, by 2012. Also at that time, the developers intended to construct a prototype for full-scale static testing.
We were unable to locate the subsequent events in open sources. However, the following was reported on KEMZ’s website nearly a decade later:
“In 2020, the company JSC ‘Avia-Project,’ together with JSC ‘KEMZ Concern,’ on their initiative developed a model of the light five-seat multipurpose helicopter AP-55. The plant’s main production facilities were involved in manufacturing components and composite materials. Assembly of the AP-55 is carried out at a flight test complex with access to a 1,450-meter runway.”
In summary, the AP-55 was once again “new and promising.”
A mock-up of the helicopter was displayed at KEMZ’s stand at the 2021 Moscow Aviation Salon, the final event prior to the special military operation. Negotiations with prospective buyers were also conducted at the event. It is important to mention that KEMZ’s facility in Kizlyar has maintained its own composite materials workshop for aviation purposes since May 2021.
In May 2025, regional media outlets reported that the helicopter currently being assembled in Dagestan was “undergoing laboratory testing, with flight tests to commence shortly.” This serves to exacerbate the uncertainty regarding the project’s present status.
In summary, the helicopter has been in development on a private initiative since 2007 or 2008, with a modest design bureau contributing to the project. The KEMZ plant has been involved in the initiative since 2020, and they intend to mass-produce the AP-55. Nevertheless, all testing will not yet have been finalized by 2025.
Now, let’s discuss the technical specifications provided by the potential manufacturer. The AP-55 is equipped with a British Rolls-Royce Model 250-C20-B gas turbine engine that generates 350 horsepower and has a takeoff weight of 1.36 tons (although some sources suggest that it may be as high as 1.55 tons). The five-seat helicopter is engineered to operate at a maximum speed of 260 km/h and a range of up to 700 km. The helicopter’s coaxial rotor system and compact dimensions enable it to operate in confined spaces, allowing for safe takeoff and landing on a 15 x 15-meter pad. A self-sufficient unit is created by the helicopter’s moving parts, which include the main gearbox, coaxial rotor system, engine, and support systems (like the fuel, lubrication, and control systems), along with the strong frame of the helicopter’s body. This modular design enables the development of various helicopter modifications. The developers of the project are particularly interested in an unmanned version that can carry a payload of up to 400 kg. On the one hand, the helicopter appears to be in fine condition—a sleek domestic model with “Kamov-style” genetics, but one that is powered by an engine from “hostile” Britain. This is evidently a dead end for Russian civil aviation in 2025. In this context, the VK-650V, a Russian helicopter engine, has already been developed and installed on other light helicopters, including the Ansat-M and the Mi-34M1.
The power plant originates from hostile Britain. It’s clear that Russian civil aviation will face a stalemate in 2025. In the interim, Russia has created its own VK-650V helicopter engine, which is currently in use in other light helicopters, including the Mi-34M1 and the Ansat-M. It is evident that the path to full-scale production is still unexplored, and the duration of this journey is wholly uncertain.
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