Remember Mi-24VM?

Remember the Mi-24VM prototype; which along with the Mi-24PNs fixed landing gear and shorter, more heavily armed stub wings, also had the Mi-28N main/tail rotor system? The Mi-35M is the “final version” of this upgrade, albeit for export.

Operating Times for Mi-24VM Helicopter to Be Used in Creation of More Improved Upgrade Variants

It is planned to put into the practice of the serial upgrade of Mi-24P and Mi-24V helicopters of the force line units all innovations which have undergone tests successfully and have been perfected on the Mi-24VM. And they will be used in the creation of even more improved variants of Mi-24 upgrade, an informed source in the area of the creation and tests of helicopter equipment has reported.

He explained that flight tests of the Mi-24VM helicopter are taking place in the interests of the total upgrade program of the line Mi-24 helicopters of the Russian air force within the framework of a so-called block upgrade.

The Mi-24VM helicopter was created by reequipping a line Mi-24V. A new helicopter rotor system (a new wobble plate and the X-shaped tail rotor from the Mi-28N helicopter) is undergoing tests on it and non-retracting landing gear and a shortened wing have been installed.

According to the information of specialists, it is planned to include in the equipment a laser range-finder, an encrypted radio set ((RADIOSTANTSIYA ZAKRYTOY SVYAZI)) and a spread-spectrum command radio set ((RADIOSTANTSIYA S RASSHIRENNYM DIAPAZONOM)). Owing to the installation of the new ?Pastel?? processor, the capabilities of the the ?Bereza” system have been expanded, the ?Lipa? station has been recognized as not effective and is not being installed. In the upgrade of the Mi-24V, they are equipping them with a more effective moveable nose NPPU-23 cannon installation with the GSh-23L (rated at 3,40 rounds per minute and a complement of 450?470 rounds. Agility: in azimuth +/-60 degrees, on sod +20/-45 degrees in elevation.

Source: 17.06.04, AviaPort.RU, Correspondent: Dmitriy Kozlov

My best guess is “block” upgrade indicates that the Mi-24PN is not the final evolution, and they intend to add various new systems, including the rotors which I gather were always planned.

What I’ve seen as detailing the Mi-24PN upgrade include:

– Zarevo (?Blaze?) stabilized electro-optical turret in the nose with laser rangefinder and FLIR

– New 1,838kW TV3-117VMA-SB3 (VK-2500) engines

– Rotors from the Mi-28N: X-type tail rotor and composite blade main rotor

– Shorter stub wings with the armament options of the Mi-28N (16 Ataka ATGMs outboard and 2 B-8V20A rocket pods inboard being typical)

– GPS

– New BREhO-24 avionics complex, with an LCD MFD, and NVG compatible cockpit lighting

– New radios

– Lightweight, fixed landing gear

– Restoration to full time between overhaul service life (1,000 hours, or 7 years)

Unknown if the Mi-24PN also incorporates the Pastel.

Note that both the Mi-24PN and Mi-24VM are Rostvertol/Mil products.

(The simple, unsophisticated Mi-24VK-1, by contrast, isn’t).