Kamov Ka-226 is one of the rare helicopters in the world with a flexible modular design, suitable for different missions. The Kamov Ka-226, known in the West as Hoodlum, is a small utility helicopter with coaxial propellers, developed from the successful Ka-26. The helicopter entered service in 2002, being developed for both military and civilian customers.

The Ka-226’s unique design is an interchangeable mission module, which is attached to its bubble-shaped cockpit, instead of conventional cabin. Various modules have been developed, optimized for search and rescue, medical evacuation, disaster relief, patrol, police, fire fighting, crop-dusting, and so on. The helicopter can fly with or without module attached.

The Ka-226 has a length of 8.1 m, a height of 4.15 m, its empty weight is about 2 tons, and its maximum take-off weight is 3.5 tons. The helicopter is powered by two Turbomeca Arrius 2G1 engines, with 580 hp each. The top speed is up to 250 km/h, the range is 600 km, and the service ceiling is 6,200 m.

The undercarriage is a four-legged, all-wheeled arrangement for ground-running and remains fixed during flight. The tail unit uses a twin-boom structure that runs aft to which point vertical planes are affixed at the ends of a single horizontal plane. Ka-226 has coaxial contra-rotating main rotors, which was typical to most Kamov helicopter. The lack of tail rotors reduces the risk to ground personnel.