Fifth Generation Mi-28N Helicopter Makes First Flight
The first pre-series Mi-28N helicopter assembled at the Rostvertol plant made its first flight today [30.03.04]. Tomorrow the official demonstration of this aircraft in the air will take place, a factory representative from Rostov-on-Don reported by telephone to an ARMS-TASS correspondent.
The round-the-clock all-weather Mi-28N strike helicopter is regarded as a fifth generation combat complex. It is intended for fighting with an enemy’s tanks, armor and personnel, the destruction of defended objects and damage of spaced targets, including defensive structures, and combat with high-speed and low-flying aircraft. It can be used during peace-keeping and anti-terrorist operations. The “Ataka” air-to-surface and “Igla” air-to-air missiles, the movable NPPU-28N 30-milimeter cannon installation and a suspended container with the GSh-23L 23-milimeter cannon are included in the Mi-28N’s guided weapons complex.
Source: 30.03.04, ITAR-TASS
“Night Hunters” Will Reach Russia’s Military
New examples of the Mi-28N “Night Hunter” will reach the inventory of the Russian military in 2 years, Russian presidential advisor, Aleksandr Burutin, announced at the Rostvertol plant in Rostov and who had arrived at the enterprise for participation in the tests of the second flying example of the Mi-28.
“It is planned that the first combat examples of the Mi-28 helicopter are supposed to appear in the Russian military’s inventory in 2 – 3 years, they will replace the well-known Mi-24, which is nicknamed the flying tank,” Burutin said.
According to him, OAO Rostvertol is the helicopter’s lead executor. Development of the Mi-28N helicopter based on the Mi-28 was begun in 1993.
Burutin noted that the principle difference of the Mi-28N from the Mi-28 combat helicopter consists of the fact that a completely new integrated complex of aircraft equipment created by domestic developers is installed on the new aircraft.
“The basis of its combat usage is flight at night at extremely low altitudes,” Burutin emphasized. He said that “at the present time the Mi-28N is the only helicopter in the world which is capable to realize flight in automatic mode at an altitude from 5 meters with terrain following both day and night. This allows successfully using it in theaters of military actions which are distinguished by a saturation of anti-air defense.”
It should be noted especially that what is included in the circular scan aircraft equipment (the radar) provides the helicopter the capability to search for targets and in contrast with the radar of the American AH-64 “Apache” helicopter is able to provide resolution of flight navigational tasks.
Moreover, in the Mi-28N arsenal the newest powerful armament is provided. “This is the supersonic precision “Ataka” guided missile, which destroys tanks with reactive armor [DINAMICHESKAYA ZASHCHITA BRONI] and also aerial targets. The supersonic “Igla” guided air-to-air missile, which is used on the “fire and forget” principle. A cannon installation with the 2A42 30-milimeter cannon. Thanks to the selective cannon feed, the crew can select the type of round immediately at the time of the fight. The airman aims with the aid of a helmet-mounted targeting system,” Burutin said.
“It is impossible not to mention also the achievements of the helicopter being developed in the provision of combat survivability of the aircraft and crew safety. The crew’s cockpit has tandem layout of the pilots’ seats. The cockpit is fully armored and the cockpit glazing sustains a direct hit of 12.7 millimeter round,” he added.
The president’s advisor also reported that new developments in the area of helicopter construction are underway also at the Kamov design bureau. “Included is a helicopter, which is capable of detecting all types of aerial targets, all the way to cruise missiles, at great distances, the Ka-60 helicopter, and the twin-seat military multirole all-weather Ka-52 helicopter, which is able to be a competitor to the Mi-28N,” Burutin noted.
In Burutin’s opinion, “today we can talk about the suspension of the systematic economic crisis and the revival of the defense industry.”
According to him, the state defense order has grown by 20 percent in 2004 in comparison with 2003, a new state arms program is being developed in which will be stipulated, also the adoption into the inventory of the Mi-28N and Ka-52.
As an RIA Novosti correspondent is reporting from the location of the tests, at the present time the “Night Hunter is in the air and completing a planned flight program.
Source: 31.03.04, RIA Novosti
Russia’s Defense Ministry Intends to Order 300 New Mi-28N “Night Hunter” Combat Helicopters
Russia’s defense ministry intends to order 300 new Mi-28N “Night Hunter” combat helicopters, Russia’s air force commander-in-chief, General of the Army Vladimir Mikhaylov, reported to journalists after flight tests of the new aircraft at the Rostvertol enterprise.
“There are no counterparts to this helicopter in the world, all components of this aircraft are fully of Russian manufacture,” the CinC emphasized. According to him, it is planned to deliver 50 of the helicopters to the armed forces as early as 2010.
The Mi-28N strike helicopter is a fourth generation combat complex. It was developed using the experience of the creation and combat use at OAO Moscow Mil’ Helicopter Plant and built at OAO Rostvertol.
“The Mi-28N construction program is the largest domestic aviation program being realized in which the leading enterprises of Russia’s defense industrial complex took part along with the lead developer,” the general director of the Rostvertol enterprise, Boris Slyusar’, reported in turn.
According to him, at the present time a pre-production batch of these helicopters has been started, and their assembly is underway in the shops of the enterprise.
Russian presidential advisor, Aleksandr Burutin, in Rostov for tests of the “Night Hunter,” reported that the new examples of the Mi-28N helicopter will reach the Russian military inventory in 2 years.
“It is planned that the first combat examples of the Mi-28 helicopter are supposed to appear in the Russian military’s inventory in 2 – 3 years, they will replace the well-known Mi-24, which is nicknamed the flying tank,” Burutin said.
According to him, the principle difference of the Mi-28N from the Mi-28 combat helicopter consists of the fact that a completely new integrated complex of aircraft equipment created by domestic developers is installed on the new aircraft.
“The basis of its combat usage is flight at night at extremely low altitudes,” Burutin emphasized.
At the present time the Mi-28N is the only helicopter in the world which is capable to realize flight in automatic mode at an altitude from 5 meters with terrain following both day and night. This allows successfully using it in theaters of military actions which are distinguished by a saturation of anti-air defense,” the president’s advisor said.
According to him, in the Mi-28N arsenal the newest powerful armament is provided. “This is the supersonic precision “Ataka” guided missile, which destroys tanks with reactive armor [DINAMICHESKAYA ZASHCHITA BRONI] and also aerial targets. The supersonic “Igla” guided air-to-air missile, which is used on the “fire and forget” principle. A cannon installation with the 2A-42 30-milimeter cannon. Thanks to the selective cannon feed, the crew can select the type of round immediately at the time of the fight. The airman aims with the aid of a helmet-mounted targeting system,” Burutin reported.
“It is impossible not to mention also the achievements of the helicopter being developed in the provision of combat survivability of the aircraft and crew safety. The crew’s cockpit has tandem layout of the pilots’ seats. The cockpit is fully armored and the cockpit glazing sustains a direct hit of 12.7 millimeter round,” he added.
The president’s advisor also reported that new developments in the area of helicopter construction are underway also at the Kamov design bureau. “Included is a new helicopter, which is capable of detecting all types of aerial targets, all the way to cruise missiles, at great distances, the Ka-60 helicopter, and the twin-seat military multirole all-weather Ka-52 helicopter, which is able to be a competitor to the Mi-28N, “ he specified.
“Today we can talk about the suspension of the systematic economic crisis and the revival of the defense industry,” Burutin thinks.
According to him, the state defense order has grown by 20 percent in 2004 in comparison with 2003, a new state arms program is being developed in which will be stipulated, also the adoption into the inventory of the Mi-28N and Ka-52.
Source: 31.03.04, RIA Novosti
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March 31, 2004 at 3:43 pm