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Mil Mi-26 Halo

Mil · Heavy Lift Helicopter · Russia · Cold War (1970–1991)

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The Mil Mi-26 (NATO reporting name Halo) is a Soviet/Russian twin-engine heavy-lift helicopter developed by the Mil Helicopter Plant — now Russian Helicopters JSC — and built from 1983 to the present. It entered Soviet Air Force service in 1983 and remains the world's largest production helicopter, exceeding any other rotorcraft in size, weight, and lift capacity. Operators include Russia, India, China, Algeria, Belarus, Cyprus, Greece (former), Kazakhstan, North Korea, Peru, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Venezuela. Some 320+ Mi-26 / Mi-26T airframes have rolled off the line, and Russian Helicopters' Rostvertol plant at Rostov-on-Don continues low-rate production.

The Mi-26 measures 110 ft (33.7 m) overall and turns an eight-blade main rotor 105 ft (32.0 m) in diameter — the largest production helicopter rotor in service. Empty weight is around 62,200 lb; maximum take-off weight 123,500 lb, dwarfing the Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion's 88,000 lb. Power comes from two Lotarev D-136 turboshafts rated at roughly 11,400 shp each. Top speed is about 183 mph, combat radius around 240 nmi, and service ceiling 15,100 ft. The cabin accommodates 90 troops plus 5 crew, or 44,000 lb of internal cargo with a further 44,000 lb on the external sling. Distinctive features include the eight-blade main rotor (versus the CH-53K's seven), a full-section internal cargo bay with rear-loading ramp, and titanium primary structure in the most heavily loaded members.

Heavy-lift transport is the Mi-26's defining mission: moving equipment, vehicles, and supplies that no other helicopter can carry. Roles include military airlift with Soviet, Russian, and foreign operators; construction work placing heavy industrial machinery and oil-rig modules; disaster relief and mass civilian evacuation; aerial firefighting, where the Russian Mi-26 fleet ranks among the largest globally; and Soviet/Russian space-program support. The 44,000 lb external sling load outclasses every Western type — the CH-53K manages 36,000 lb and the CH-47F 26,000 lb.

Since 1983 the Mi-26 has flown continuously in service. Soviet operations included the Chernobyl disaster cleanup of 1986, when crews dropped lead pellets on the destroyed reactor, and limited use during the Soviet-Afghan War. Russian deployments span the Chechnya wars and wider Caucasus operations, alongside extensive Russian and foreign disaster-relief work. Use in the Russia-Ukraine war has been limited, the heavy-lift role being less prominent in modern combat. On 19 August 2002 a Russian Mi-26 was hit by RPG fire from Chechen rebels — 127 were killed, one of the largest single-helicopter casualty events in history. Production at Rostvertol continues for export and domestic customers, and the upgraded Mi-26T2 (from 2014) introduced a glass cockpit and updated mission systems.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The Mil Mi-26 is the world's largest helicopter in service. It's a Russian-built heavy-lift helicopter that can carry 44,000 pounds of cargo inside — about as much as 22 cars stacked together. The Mi-26 first flew in 1977 and is still being built today.

The Mi-26 has 8 rotor blades on its main rotor — the most blades on any production helicopter. (Most helicopters have 2-5 blades.) The rotor disc is 105 feet across — wider than a basketball court. Two big jet engines on top provide 11,400 horsepower each. The Mi-26 is about 130 feet long, with a cargo bay big enough to fit two American Humvees side by side.

The Mi-26 is used for huge cargo loads no other helicopter can lift. Some famous missions: lifting other crashed helicopters off mountains, transporting wounded soldiers, carrying construction equipment to remote sites, fighting wildfires by carrying water buckets. Russian military uses Mi-26s for moving troops, vehicles, and supplies.

About 350 Mi-26s have been built since 1977. Operators include Russia, China, India, Algeria, Cuba, North Korea, Peru, and several Russian commercial operators.

Even the American Army has rented Mi-26s twice — once to move a Chinook that crashed in Afghanistan in 2002, and once in 2009. No Western helicopter can match the Mi-26's lifting power.

Fun Facts

The Mi-26 is the world's largest helicopter in service.
It can carry 44,000 pounds of cargo inside — about as much as 22 cars stacked together.
The Mi-26 has 8 rotor blades — more than any other production helicopter.
Two big jet engines provide 11,400 horsepower each.
Even the U.S. Army has rented Mi-26s twice — once to move a Chinook that crashed in Afghanistan.
Famous missions: lifting other crashed helicopters off mountains, fighting wildfires with huge water buckets.
About 350 Mi-26s have been built since 1977 — and the type is still in production.

Kids’ Questions

Why so many rotor blades?

The Mi-26's 8 blades let it lift much more weight than helicopters with fewer blades. Each blade contributes to lift, so more blades means more total lifting power. But more blades also mean more drag (the blades slow each other down in the air) and more complex maintenance. The Mi-26's designers decided the trade-off was worth it for ultra-heavy lifting. The trade-off doesn't make sense for smaller helicopters — most Western military and civilian helicopters have 4-5 blades, which gives a good balance of lift and efficiency.

What's the difference between the Mi-26 and the Mi-24 Hind?

Both are Russian Mil helicopters but they have very different jobs. The Mi-24 Hind is an attack helicopter — armored, armed with guns and missiles, used to attack enemy ground forces. The Mi-26 is a heavy-lift transport — designed to carry cargo and troops in huge quantities, with no weapons of its own. The Mi-26 is much bigger (130 feet long vs Mi-24's 57 feet) but flies more slowly. Both are made by the Mil Design Bureau in Russia, but for completely different missions.

Variants

Mi-26 (initial 1983): Original 1983 production type. Around 280+ built for Soviet/Russian Air Force and export customers.
Mi-26T (commercial/civilian): Civilian-market variant flown by commercial operators worldwide for heavy-lift contract work.
Mi-26T2 (upgraded, 2014+): 2014 upgrade with glass cockpit and updated mission systems. Around 25 delivered. Current principal production variant.
Mi-26T2V (military upgrade, 2018+): Military-spec build with expanded mission systems. Limited production for the Russian Aerospace Forces.
Mi-46 (cancelled successor concept, 2010s): Proposed Mi-26 successor. Limited public information; programme cancelled or delayed.

Notable Operators

Russian Aerospace Forces: Primary operator with around 25+ Mi-26 / Mi-26T2 in active service for heavy-lift transport and other duties.
Foreign/international operators (~15+ nations): India (~4), China (~4), Algeria, Belarus, Cyprus, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Peru, Venezuela, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Greece (former), among others. Total foreign user base: 15+ nations historically and currently.
Commercial/civilian operators: International commercial fleets flying the Mi-26T on oil-rig support, wildfire suppression, industrial-equipment placement, and contract heavy-lift work.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Mi-26's maximum lift capability?

External sling load tops out at 44,000 lb — the largest of any production helicopter. Internal cargo also reaches 44,000 lb (or 90 troops plus 5 crew), and combined internal + external loads can reach 88,000 lb under specific conditions. That figure exceeds the U.S. CH-53K King Stallion's 36,000 lb external lift, putting the Mi-26 in a class of its own. The type has even been used to recover other helicopters — including a CH-47 Chinook lifted out for repair.

How does Mi-26 compare to CH-53K King Stallion?

The Mi-26 is the larger machine. The CH-53K is 99 ft long with a 79-ft rotor, 88,000 lb MTOW and 36,000 lb sling-load. The Mi-26 measures 110 ft with a 105-ft rotor, 123,500 lb MTOW and 44,000 lb sling-load — roughly 40% larger and heavier. The CH-53K offers more advanced systems and stronger hot-and-high performance; the Mi-26 wins on raw lift and per-airframe cost. The two serve different priorities — CH-53K for U.S. Marine Corps amphibious operations, Mi-26 for absolute payload.

What was Mi-26's role in Chernobyl?

From 26 April 1986 onwards, Soviet Mi-26s flew thousands of sorties over the destroyed Chernobyl Reactor 4, dropping around 5,000 tons of lead, sand, and boron carbide onto the burning core to suppress the radioactive fire and slow contamination. Crews flew through intense radioactive plumes and many later developed radiation-exposure illnesses. On 2 October 1986, an Mi-8 (the smaller Mil type) crashed near Chernobyl while sampling the reactor, killing 4. Around 12 Mi-26s took part in the Chernobyl effort, and the operation cemented the type's role in emergency work beyond conventional military missions.

What was the 2002 Mi-26 shootdown?

On 19 August 2002 a Russian Mi-26 ferrying troops and supplies to Khankala Air Base near Grozny, Chechnya, was hit by RPG fire from Chechen rebels. The aircraft was carrying 145 personnel — well above design capacity — and 127 were killed in the ensuing fire, crash, and ground impact. It ranks as one of the largest single-helicopter casualty events in history. Investigators identified overcrowding, inadequate threat assessment, and insufficient defensive measures, and the loss reshaped Russian helicopter operating procedures and threat-assessment doctrine.

How many Mi-26 are still operational?

Around 80-100 Mi-26 / Mi-26T airframes are in active service globally as of 2026, drawn from the 320+ produced. Russia operates 25+; the 15 or so foreign user nations field a combined 40-50; commercial operators fly another 15-30. Production of the Mi-26T2 and Mi-26T2V continues at Rostvertol. Three factors sustain the type: heavy-lift capability no other helicopter can match, steady operator demand, and a deep production and support base. Service is likely to extend beyond 2040.

Sources

Russian Helicopters JSC — Mi-26T2
Wikipedia — Mil Mi-26 — CC BY-SA.