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2023-12-10

Russia Increases Combat Potential of Ka-52 Helicopters

Russian reconnaissance and attack helicopter Ka-52, used in a special military operation, recently received a multi-purpose high-precision guided missile Izdeliye 305 with a firing range of up to 20 km. Each helicopter can accommodate from two to four such missiles, which are used against important targets within the framework of the air defence system.

For area targets, the Ka-52 uses S-8 rockets of 80 mm calibre, which are placed in blocks suspended under the wing consoles. These missiles are fired from a pitched position at a distance of four to five km, which makes it possible to destroy targets without entering the affected area of the enemy’s portable and mobile anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM).

Ka-52 helicopters are equipped with the Argument-52 sighting, flight and navigation system (PrPNK), which includes the Arbalet bow radar with an active phased antenna array, the GOES-520 gyrostabilised optical electronic station, data processing and output devices, and weapons control devices.

An aiming multi-channel 24-hour optical-electronic system provides detection and recognition of typical ground, surface and air targets at considerable distances using television and thermal imaging channels, automatic tracking of detected targets and guidance of missiles to destroy them.

The Ka-52 is equipped with an artillery mount with a 30-mm 2A42-1 cannon in a full-moving turret on the starboard side with 460 rounds of ammunition. A special feature of the gun is its selective feeding, which allows the pilot to select high-explosive fragmentation or armour-piercing shells depending on the type of targets and inflict guaranteed defeat on them.

Under the wing there are six external hardpoints, on which modern aviation weapons can be placed in various combinations, up to 12 units ATGM Vikhr-1 or Attack, 80 aircraft rockets of 80 mm calibre, located in 4 B8V20-A blocks, up to four units Igla-S air-to-air guided missiles, up to four units light multi-purpose guided missile Izdeliye 305 and up to six units guided missiles Khrizantema. The maximum combat load is 2,942 kg.

In the near future, the Ka-52 will be equipped with Hermes-A missiles, ensuring the destruction of ground targets at ranges of up to 15-20 km. This missile can penetrate armour up to 1,000 mm thick or hit unprotected targets.

The armament family of the Ka-52 helicopters also includes Kh-38MLE air-to-surface guided missiles, Kh-35UE anti-ship guided missiles, 9M336 Verba-type air-to-air guided missiles, S-8KOM and S-13T aircraft rockets, aerial bombs.

The use of Vikhr-1, Izdeliye 305 and Khrizantema guided missiles in combat conditions has shown high efficiency in hitting both mobile armoured objects and especially important well-protected objects with known coordinates.

Key Advantages

The twin-rotor coaxial design of the Ka-52 helicopter, in the absence of a tail rotor, and in combination with powerful VK-2500 helicopter engines, provides it with significant advantages among foreign combat helicopters with characteristics such as power consumption and hovering accuracy, vertical rate of climb and static ceiling, as well as manoeuvrability characteristics (especially in mountainous conditions and over the sea surface). The helicopter has exceptional stability and controllability.

If the tail section is damaged or even destroyed, the Ka-52 helicopter, as combat operational experience has shown, retains control for a safe flight completion and landing.

It is extremely rare to shoot down a Ka-52. This is because the helicopter has an optimal combination of flight qualities, protection capabilities and combat survivability. The helicopter is equipped with the President-S onboard defence system, which can significantly increase the survivability of the rotorcraft during a missile attack.

According to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, during the combat flight of one of the Ka-52 attack helicopters, up to 18 attacks of guided missiles with infrared homing heads were thwarted by means of its onboard defence complex, which was recorded by the helicopter’s onboard means of recording objective control.

Helicopters of the Ka-52 type are reportedly the only helicopters in the world with an ejection system for rescuing pilots. During a special operation, there were several cases when the crews of Ka-52 helicopters used the ejection system and, after landing, were delivered to their home airfields by Mi-8AMTSh search and rescue helicopters.

The Arsenyevsky Aviation Plant in Primorye produces Ka-52 helicopters. According to the plant’s general director, Sergei Shamshura, in 2023, the volume of fulfilment of the state defence order has doubled compared to the previous year. In the final assembly shop, work is underway not only on producing new Ka-52M machines but also on modifying Ka-52 helicopters, which perform tasks in special military operations.

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