The Mi-8TB was an export modification of the Soviet Mi-8TV, developed in 1968. Its main difference from helicopters in service with the Soviet army was the replacement of the 9M17M "Falanga" ATGM complex with the 9M14M "Malyutka". The helicopter was exported to many countries, in particular, to East Germany, where over 100 Mi-8s of various modifications were supplied. By reunification of Germany in the 1990s, a small number of outdated Mi-8TBs remained in East Germany, as the replacement process with Mi-8MT and Mi-8MTV-2 had not been completed due to the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Germany. The last Mi-8TBs disappeared from German skies in 1992, but some still exist in museums around the country.

Introduced in Update "Sons of Attila", the German Mi-8TB differs from the Mi-8TV only in having six "Malyutka" ATGMs instead of four "Falanga" missiles. In all other respects, the machines are identical - they can carry a large number of rocket pods and bombs, but their enormous size and weight prevent them from actively manoeuvring between trees and terrain, making it quite difficult for them to evade enemy fire.