The merger of Russia’s two leading helicopter makers is inevitable, according to Sergey Mikheyev, constructor general of Kamov, one of the two companies involved. “I believe that the merger of design bureaus, mass production plants and adjacent enterprises in a single helicopter-building association is inevitable and will happen sooner or later,” Mikheyev told reporters in Moscow on August 12. “I believe that the first restructuring stage should be aimed at creating self-sufficient bodies bringing together Kamov and Mil,” Mikheyev continued. He said the Kamov design bureau, production plants in Kumertau and Artemyev and adjacent plants, including the Stupino plant, can be unified under Kamov’s supervision. “We are unlikely to have time to take legal action to create this structure this year, but we can de facto launch work within the integrated structure,” he said. Mikheyev added that he was planning soon to make a proposal to the Russian Aviation and Space Agency in October dealing with the merger of helicopter-building enterprises, with Kamov as the foundation.