Mi-35 choppers now become more lethal
RAJAT PANDIT
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SUNDAY, MARCH 28, 2004 02:32:22 AM ]
SURATGARH: India ‘s only dedicated attack helicopter, the Russian-origin Mi-35, can now wage war round-the-clock.
The massive project to upgrade these lethal helicopter gunships with advanced Israeli night-fighting capabilities and avionics is on the verge of completion.
“It’s a quantum jump…we can now acquire and fire at night. The idea is to enhance the night-flying capabilities of our entire helicopter fleet,” said Air Vice Marshal Sudhir Sah of the IAF’s Western Air Command.
Added a young pilot, “Mi-35s are the baap (father) of the US army’s Apache helicopters and Pakistan ‘s Cobra gunships…they are the best in the world.”
Quipped another, “Even Sylvester Stallone will now find it difficult to evade these helicopters like he did in the Rambo flicks. We can now use the stealth of darkness.”
Enthusiasm apart, the Mi-35s certainly look formidable with their wide array of armaments and cluster bombs. These include “Shturm” radio-guided supersonic anti-tank guided missiles, 80 mm rockets, 23 mm cannons and nose-mounted four-barrelled 12.7 mm gatling guns.
And now, with the Israeli upgrade, two Mi-35s can even stop an advancing enemy tank brigade right on its tracks, said officers of the frontline 104 “Firebirds” squadron based here.
The “One-O-Four”, incidentally, is celebrating its golden jubilee this year.
The upgrade of IAF’s other Mi-35 squadron, the 125 “Gladiators” based in Pathankot, is also near completion.
Sources said the upgradation package of the Mi-35s, acquired by India in 1990-91, signed with the Israeli Aircraft Industries is upwards of $20 million.
The package includes “digital-optronic stabilised payload assemblies”, with forward-looking infra-red TV cameras and laser-range finders, navigation systems and multi-mission computers.
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