Armenia has displayed interest in Russia’s cutting-edge Ka-52M and Mi-28NE attack helicopters, CEO of the Russian Helicopters rotorcraft manufacturer Andrei Boginsky told TASS.
Boginsky stated that Armenia, Kazakhstan and the UAE have shown a keen interest in these gunships at the Dubai Airshow 2021 international aviation exhibition held in the United Arab Emirates on November 14-18.
"There were delegations from Armenia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mauritania, the UAE and Saudi Arabia [at the airshow]. Colleagues from Rosoboronexport [Russia’s state weapons exporter] are actively working on the promotion and we are satisfied with the result that we have," TASS quoted the chief executive as saying.
The demonstration of the Mi-28NE ‘Night Hunter’ gunship was a major world premiere at the Dubai Airshow 2021. Russia never showcased this combat helicopter at international airshows before. The Ka-52 ‘Alligator’ attack helicopter was also demonstrated at the Dubai Airshow for the first time.
The Ka-52M is an upgraded version of the Ka-52 ‘Alligator’ gunship. As the gunship’s designers say, the Ka-52M missile armament has been standardized with the weapons suite of the Mi-28NM helicopter, another state-of-the-art Russian attack gunship, which has helped increase the target destruction range considerably. The Ka-52M is also furnished with a new phased array radar station and longer-range missiles. The upgraded gunship prototype performed its debut flight on August 10, 2020, TASS reports.
The Mi-28NE is designated to destroy aerial targets, tanks and armor and can also be employed for reconnaissance and patrols. Its armament includes a flexible 30mm gun, three types of anti-tank missiles with a range of 6 km and 10 km, air-to-air missiles, two types of rockets and air bombs weighing up to 500 kg. The gunship’s rotor blades can withstand strikes by 30mm shells. The attack helicopter operates two increased-capacity 2,400 hp engines, features enhanced survivability and the armored glass cockpit. The combat helicopter is capable of effectively accomplishing assigned tasks in hot climates with its new screen-exhaust and dust protection technology.
