Russian Helicopters holding company of Rostec State Corporation equips Ansat helicopter with an external sling to lift oversized cargo weighing up to 1,000 kg or carry a helicopter bucket for firefighting operations. This is already the fifth option available for configuring the helicopter for specific tasks.

During tests at the Kazan Helicopters facility, the helicopter climbed to an altitude of 3.7 km with 600 kg of external cargo. It reached a speed of 180 km/h with this setup. The maximum takeoff weight of Ansat using an external sling has been increased from 3,600 to 3,800 kg.

"Ansat is a versatile helicopter with diverse customization options. The helicopter provides five transformation options depending on the task at hand. In addition to the passenger modification, it can also be equipped with a medical module. There are also modifications equipped with special hoisting mechanisms with a winch for rescue operations, lifting cargo on board. The use of external sling will expand the range of helicopter applications, including the possibility to use Ansat for firefighting operations. In the near future, we also expect to increase the helicopter's flight range by 160 km, up to 565 km," said the Rostec spokesman.

Kazan Helicopters has earlier received approval from the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) to install an onboard winch on Ansat. The new option significantly expands the helicopter's functionality, allowing it to safely lift and lower people and cargo weighing up to 272 kg. The winch increases the efficiency of the helicopter in search and rescue operations and allows to carry out loading and unloading operations while hovering.

Ansat is a light multipurpose twin-engine helicopter. Its serial production is deployed at Kazan Helicopters. According to the helicopter certificate, its design allows quickly converting it into a cargo version or into a passenger configuration that can transport up to seven people. In May 2015, the modification of the helicopter with a medical module was certified. Ansat is certified for use in the temperatures ranging between -45 °С and +50 °С, and in high mountains.