News

2013-06-01

Mi35 Attack Helicopter

Development History

2013 marks the 40th anniversary of production of the Mi-24, the first purpose-built Russian combat helicopter at Rostov Helicopter Plant, today called Rostvertol, and is a Russian Helicopters company.

Russian Helicopters supplies the Russian Air Force with increasing numbers of the latest helicopters every year. The Russian Defense Ministry is one of the company’s largest and most important customers. In the next decade, more than 1,000 modern helicopters will enter service with the Russian Air Force, including the new Ka-52 Alligator and Mi-28NE Night Hunter attack helicopters, new versions of the Mi-8 /17 and Mi-35M military transport helicopter, the Mi-26 heavy transports and the light Ansat-U training model.

The design of the Mi-24, a strike and transport helicopter, was so successful that older versions are still in use today: some 1,500 Mi-24s serve with the armed forces of 60 countries worldwide. In 1978, helicopter test pilot and Hero of the Soviet Union Gurgen Karapetyan set a world helicopter flight speed record of 368.4kmh in a Mi-24. For Russian-made helicopters this record stands to this day.

The Mi-24, the first helicopter to enter service with the Russian Air Force as an assault transport and gunship, was developed on the basis of the Mi-8’s propulsion system. Additional missions include direct air support, antitank, armed escort, and air to air combat. The Mi-24 is a close counterpart to the American AH-64 Apache, but unlike this and other Western assault helicopters it is also capable of transporting up to eight troops or cargo, and fly medevac missions. The Russians have deployed significant numbers in Europe and have exported to many developing countries.

Variants

• Mi-24D/HIND D: Direct air support.

• Mi-24V/HIND E: Direct air support. Most proliferated version.

• Mi-24P/HIND F: Direct air support. The fixed twin gun cut the turret profile, and empty weight to 8,200 kg, while boosting maximum gross weight to 12,000 kg.

• Mi-24R/HIND G-1: NBC sampling. It has mechanisms to obtain soil and air samples, filter air, and place marker flares.

• Mi-24K/HIND G-2: Photo-recon, and artillery spotting. Has a camera in cabin, gun, rocket pods, but no targeting system.

• Mi-25: Export version of the HIND D.

• Mi-35: The export version of the Mi-24V.

• Mi-35P: Export version of the HIND F.

• Mi-35M: Night attack version, is fitted with upgraded advanced avionics and sensor package, including night vision systems, GOES-342 electro-optical range finder/targeting system, GLONASS/GPS navigation system, electronic multifunction displays, onboard computer, and jam-proof communications equipment. The Mi-35M has a twin barrel 23-mm gun. Also known as Mi-35M1.

• Mi-35M2: Updated version of the Mi-35M for the Venezuelan Army.

• Mi-35M3: Export Mi-24VM.

• Mi-35M4 (AH-2 Sabre): Updated version of the Mi-35M with Israeli avionics for the Brazilian Airforce.

• Mi-35O: Export version of the Mi-24VN using a Mexican FLIR camera and a glass cockpit with upgraded avionics. Operated by Mexico only.

• Mi-35P: The export version of the Mi-24P, also used by the Russian Air Force.

• Mi-35U: Unarmed training version of the Mi-35.

Design

The five-blade main rotor is mounted on top of fuselage midsection, while short, stubby, weapon-carrying wings are mounted at the fuselsage midsection. Two turboshaft engines are mounted above body midsection with two round air intakes located just above the cockpit and exhaust ports on the sides of engines. The Mi-24D fuselage features nose modification with tandem bubble canopies, and a chin-mounted turret. The swept-back tapered tail fin features a rotor on the right on some models, with tapered flats on a boom just forward of the fin.

External stores are mounted on underwing external stores points. Each wing has three hardpoints for a total of six stations. A representative mix when targeting armor formations would be eight AT-6 ATGMs, 750x 30-mm rounds, and two 57-mm rocket pods. The aircraft can store an additional ammunition basic load in the cargo compartment in lieu of carrying troops. Armored cockpits and titanium rotor head can withstand 20-mm cannon hits. Every aircraft has an over-pressurization system for operation in a NBC environment.

The Mi-24 was used as the model for development of the Mi-35M, which entered production at Rostvertol, the Russian Helicopters production plant in 2005. As well as having substantially superior flight capabilities and maneuverability to its predecessor, the Mi-35M can fly combat missions round the clock and in a range of geographies and climates such as high-temperature and high-altitude environments. The Mi-35M is in demand around the world, particularly in Russia and other CIS countries. A new market is South America, where countries have also begun incorporating this unique military machine into their fleets.

Mi-35M

The Mi-35M is equipped with advanced high-precision weapons, and it can be used day and night to destroy armored targets or to provide air support for ground operations. It can be configured as a strike, ground assault, medevac or transport helicopter, making it not only effective but also highly valuable, as it can replace a number of different rotorcraft.

A key advantage of the Mi-35M is its round-the-clock combat capability. It comes with advanced navigation equipment and multifunctional color displays, surveillance and targeting systems that include thermal imaging and television channel, a laser range finder and a location finder. This not only reduces demands facing the crew, but also allows the helicopter’s guided and unguided weapons to be used at any time. The helicopter is also able to take off and land in unprepared and poorly-equipped areas.

Russian Mi-35M combat helicopters are being shipped to Brazil pursuant to a contract signed. Russia has delivered a total of 12 Mi-35M (Hind E) helicopters to Brazil under a 2008 contract worth $150 million.

The Mi-35M is an export version of the Mi-24 (Hind). The Mi-24/35 is unique among dedicated attack helicopters insofar as it can carry a load of troops, in addition to performing its offensive role.

Media have reported that the Brazilian Mi-35s would be used in the Amazon region, in conjunction with Brazil’s Embraer land and ground surveillance jets. The Amazon region borders both Venezuela and Colombia, and is a prime location for transnational narco-terrorists and drug traffickers. Mi-35M – a multipurpose military transport helicopter is capable of day/night operation in even the most adverse weather conditions. It is intended for destruction of enemy armored vehicles, supporting fire for ground units, landing of troops, evacuation of wounded, as well as cargo transportation in cargo cabin and on external sling. Mi-35M is to the maximum proximate to the new generation helicopters. Long-term operational experience is combined in this aircraft with the latest achievements and developments in helicopter industry.

Primary weapons

Primary weapons consist of up to eight 9 М114, 9 М120 and 9 М120F missiles; up to eighty 80-mm S-8 rockets; up to 20 122-mm S-13 rockets; a gun pod with double-tube 23 mm caliber gun;two containers; a built-in movable gun system with 23-mm caliber gun and capacity of 450–470 cartridges. Additional options include an OPS-24Nobservation-sight system, optional non-Russian radio station, modern avionics, lighting equipment compatible with NVG, upgraded main rotor, X-shaped tail rotor,non-retractable landing gear, which makes helicopter lighter and safer in case of hard landings,an upgraded hydraulic system, upgraded ATGM complex and wing in-built cargo lift system.

Self-defense suite

The Mi-35M’s self-defense suite consists of radar warning receiver, chaff & flare dispenser, IR jamming system, engine-exhaust IR suppressor, multiple redundancy of the helicopter’s main systems, and efficient armor of the cockpit and other vitally important helicopter systems.

The Mi-35M’s wings provide 22-28 percent of its lift in forward flight. In a steep banking turn at slower airspeeds, the low wing can lose lift while it is maintained on the upper wing, resulting in an excessive roll. This is countered by increasing forward airspeed to increase lift on the lower wing. Because of this characteristic, and the helicopter’ssize and weight, it is not easily maneuverable. Therefore they usually attack in pairs or multiple pairs, and from various directions.

User Countries

Russia, Brazil, Venezuela and Azerbaijan uses the new Mi-35M.

Comments () Views (2927 ) Print

Send To Friend