Mi-28s and Ka-52s in 2004

Mi-28 and Ka-52 Helicopter to Appear in Forces in 2004

Deliveries of the new Mi-28 and Ka-52 helicopters to military aviation units will begin as early as next year, the air force commander-in-chief, General Colonel Vladimir Mikhaylov, announced to Interfax-AVN on Wednesday.

“In 2004, we plan to start equipping military aviation with new types of helicopters – the Mi-28 and the Ka-52,” V. Mikhaylov said.
“If it is planned to equipment all helicopter units with Mi-28 helicopters, then the Kamov aircraft will arrive only in those helicopter elements which perform special operations. At a minimum, one squadron will be equipped with Ka-52 helicopters,” General-Colonel V. Mikhaylov emphasized.

He noted that he holds the combat readiness and maintenance ((OBUSTROYSTVO)) of this type of troops in the air force under personal control.

“Up to now I am devoting the lion’s share of time to military aviation, which was transferred to the air force from the ground forces a year ago in an extremely neglected condition,” declared V. Mikhaylov, noting that he “personally has to resolve questions of the flying training and maintenance of military aviation personnel.”

According to the commander-in-chief, on 1 December of this year, “regular organization actions for the formation of the control of air force military aviation, which the experienced combat airman, General-Lieutenant Anatoliy Surtsukov, headed, have been completed.”

“In fact, since then, control has proceeded to full-scale activity in a new capacity for the control of the helicopter units of the Russian Federation’s armed forces,” General-Colonel V. Mikhaylov said.