RuAviation

The International Military-Technical Forum Army-2023 for the first time presented modernised Ka-52M and Mi-28NM helicopters with a wide range of weapons, including guided weapons. They are equipped with capabilities that meet the requirements of combat operations in modern military conflicts. Combat application of new weapons: lightweight multi-purpose guided missile, ATGM Chrysanthemum, missile Verba, taking into account their characteristics ensures the defeat of targets without entering the target area of the enemy’s air defence.

“Helicopter Mi-28NM or Night Hunter is a modern attack helicopter designed to search and destroy enemy vehicles and infantry. On the battlefield its “prey” are tanks, self-propelled artillery, air defence, infantry fighting vehicles, armoured personnel carriers and vehicles, guns and launchers, individual firing points and infantry units. Night Hunter is capable of destroying helicopters in the air, low-flying aircraft and even drones”, – said in the Department of Mass Communications of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation.

Its main difference from its predecessor Mi-28N – a more advanced system of sighting and navigation equipment – suprahub radar station, which is located in a sphere above the main rotor, inside which there is a radar circular view H025. Thanks to her Mi-28NM is able to perform two groups of tasks: navigational and combat. The first includes mapping the terrain, detection of obstacles to flight, such as power lines or uneven terrain, as well as weather formation.

In combat conditions, radar can detect and determine the direction of movement of moving objects on the ground, this allows the helicopter to search and sort targets. Radar detects the target, determines its coordinates and transmits them to a more accurate, but limited in the field of view of the optoelectronic and thermal imaging weapon control systems, which and perform targeting and guidance guided missile. Mi-28NM has shown its full power in Syria and is now used on the Ukrainian frontline.

To solve the tasks assigned to the crews of the Mi-28 help modern complexes of guided missile weapons classes air-to-surface and air-to-air, installation with a cannon calibre of 30 mm and the possibility of using unguided aircraft missiles. The helicopter is equipped with a complex of on-board radio electronic and instrumentation equipment, providing the use of weapons both with visual visibility of targets and with the help of technical means.

The vehicle carries 2300 kg of combat load. If the Mi-28NM compared with the American AH-64 Apache, the “American” loses badly, he can take on board no more than 770 kg of armament and does not have the ability to hit air targets with air-to-air missiles.

On the suspension nodes under the wing consoles can be placed missile system Sagittarius with missiles Igla-V air-to-air class, air-to-air missiles Shturm-V and Ataka-V, NAR C-8 and C-13, guided missiles Hermes and containers for laying mines KMGU-2. Weapon control systems Mi-28NM adapted for the use of ATGM Vikhr-1 and tactical missiles LMUR (Product 305). Complex OPS-28 makes it possible to detect enemy UAVs and destroy them with a 30-mm gun 2A42.

The helicopter has implemented a set of measures to improve combat survivability: separation and shielding of engines, the use of composite materials, protection of fuel tanks from explosion, and fuel tanks – from leaking fuel through the holes. The pilots are in special armoured capsules. The cockpit glazing can withstand 12.7 mm bullets. The helicopter is equipped with a system of emergency resetting of the cockpit doors and wing consoles. The helicopter has an energy-absorbing landing gear to absorb impact energy in case of emergency landing.