The Russian Helicopters Holding Company plans to certify before the yearend a civil version of Mil Mi-38 and offer its Arctic version, the company’s head Andrei Boginsky told reporters on Thursday.

"We shall be working on it, we have the plans, though not time frames," he said in response to a question about the helicopter’s Arctic version.

"The first supplies of Mi-38 will be to the military, though we have civil clients, negotiations are under way," he continued. "The task we face now is to certify changes for the civil use."

"We plan to have it certified before the yearend," he added.

According to him, the designers will make changes to Mi-38 combat series helicopter to have it adapted for civilian use.

Mi-38 is a medium/heavy transport helicopter meeting the latest standards. It takes the niche between Mi-8 and heavy Mi-26. It may be used for transporting cargo and passengers, it may be used for search and rescue missions, as well as for flights above water. Mi-38 was created to solve transport maintenance problems for industrial and commercial enterprises, as well as to solve transport problems in remote areas with poor infrastructures.