Russian Mi-28 and Ka-52 helicopters have no equal in the world, MWM writes. They performed well during the special operation and inflicted significant damage on the military equipment of the Ukrainian armed forces.
The production of military helicopters under the Russian state defence order has more than doubled: 296 helicopters were produced in 2022 alone, according to Sergey Chemezov, CEO of state defence conglomerate Rostec.
For comparison, in 2021 the output was 134 helicopters (55% less).
“Under the state defence order, production of combat helicopters has doubled… As for the helicopter industry, our holding company Russian Helicopters produced 296 helicopters in 2022. In 2021 there were 134, and this year – 296, a significant growth,” Chemezov said.
Russia is seeking to significantly ramp up production of key defence products, both for the needs of the special operation in Ukraine and because of the growing perceived threat from the expanding NATO alliance at a time of high tensions between Moscow and the West.
Russian attack helicopters are playing an increasingly important role in the war effort, with the Mi-28 and Ka-52 already having caused significant damage to Ukrainian armoured vehicles since early June, when the Ukrainian military and accompanying paramilitaries attempted to launch a massive offensive against Russian positions. The attack helicopters are also destroying recently delivered Western equipment, including M2 Bradley BMPs and Leopard main battle tanks, as well as supporting attacks on Ukrainian forward positions.
Although the Russian defence industry’s position has weakened in many areas since the end of the Cold War, Russian helicopters are still superior to others in terms of performance, with the Mi-28 and Ka-52 attack helicopters being unrivalled. Both were created well after the end of the Cold War and were produced on a significant scale during the 2010s on a par with the Mi-35, a much-improved version of the Soviet Mi-24.
Russian sources from the front line often publish footage of attack helicopters destroying Ukrainian armoured vehicles. Such episodes have become sharply more frequent since the Ukrainian offensive began in early June.
To maximise anti-tank protection, a new Vikhr-1 missile has been developed for the Ka-52 attack helicopter, which allows it to hit targets from safe distances, at which the effectiveness of Ukrainian air defences drops.
The great success of attack helicopters on the front lines is largely due to the dramatic depletion of Ukrainian air defence forces’ arsenals. In the latest footage from August 7, a Ka-52 in the Zaporizhzhya region destroys a Ukrainian armoured vehicle hidden in foliage with a guided missile.
Sourse: MWM
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