The Ka-32 is the civilian variant of the military Ka-27 anti-submarine helicopter. It is used in many countries, notably in Canada and Europe. Like other Kamov military helicopters it has coaxial rotors, removing the need for a tail rotor. Ka-32A11BC multipurpose helicopters have been successfully operated in Portugal for over five years. In 2006, KAMOV JSC won the tender for the supply of Ka-32A11BC firefighting helicopters, to replace Aérospatiale SA 330 Pumas, which have very high operating costs. Over 240 Ka-32 have been built as of 2019 and have been exported to more than 30 countries; South Korea operates some 50 Ka-32s. The Ka-32A11BC features a high power-to-weight ratio and ease of handling, owing to its coaxial rotor design. The rotors' diameters are not restricted by the presence of a tail rotor and associated tail boom; this facilitates maneuvering near obstacles and helps assure exceptional accuracy when hovering in heavy smoke and dust conditions. The Ka-32A11BC may be equipped with the Bambi Bucket suspended fire-fighting system of up to five tons capacity. The service life has been extended to up to 32,000 flight hours. Ka-32s are used for construction of transmission towers for overhead power lines, as it has somewhat higher lift capacity than the Vertol 107. In Canada, the Ka-32 is used for selective logging as it is able to lift selective species vertically. Variants. Ka-32A Civil transport helicopter. Initial production version. Ka-32A1 Fire fighting helicopter, equipped with a helicopter bucket. Ka-32A2 Police version, equipped with two searchlights and a loudspeaker. Ka-32A4 Special search and rescue, salvage and evacuation version. Ka-32A7 Armed version developed from the Ka-27PS. Ka-32A11BC Canadian, Chinese, European-certified version with Klimov TV3-117MA engines and Glass Cockpit. Used by Pegasus Air Services, Indonesia.[20] Ka-32A12 Swiss-registered and approved version. KA-32C Little-known custom version. Ka-32M Projected development with 1839kW TV3-117VMA-SB3 engines. Probably replaced by the Ka-32-10 project. Ka-32S (Helix-C) Maritime utility transport, search and rescue helicopter, fitted with an undernose radar. Ka-32T (Helix-C) Utility transport helicopter, with accommodation for two crew and 16 passengers. Ka-32K Flying crane helicopter, fitted with a retractable gondola for a second pilot. Specifications below are for the Ka-32A variant.
