Within the framework of the Army-2018 international military-technical forum, which took place in Kubinka near Moscow from August 21 to 26, the Russian Helicopters holding presented the Mi-28NE attack helicopter in an updated technical form for the first time. Attack helicopter Mi-28N (the export version of the helicopter has the code Mi-28NE, according to NATO codification - Havoc "Devastator") is intended for fire support of the forward units of the ground forces, motorized rifle and tank units. The helicopter is distinguished by enhanced armor protection, increased combat survivability and the presence of a modern high-precision guided and unguided weapon system.
Attack helicopter Mi-28NE is made according to the classical scheme. The main rotor has five blades with an asymmetric profile, the spar and tail compartments of the helicopter are made of composite material. The cockpit contains the workplaces of two crew members (in tandem). In front is the pilot-operator of weapons, in the back - the seat of the crew commander. The Mi-28NE helicopter has been designed and adapted to perform the following missions: strike and reconnaissance-strike operations; combat escort of columns; observation of the terrain; fire support and safety operations in the urban environment; delivering high-precision strikes.
On the sides of the helicopter fuselage there are two wing consoles with suspension assemblies, on which several types of guided and unguided weapons can be placed, as well as additional fuel tanks. Each wing has two suspension points designed for 500 kg of load, that is, each wing can accommodate up to 1000 kg of various weapons or equipment.
Mi-28NE in an updated technical form, photo: fotografersha.livejournal.com
When developing the helicopter, the designers paid great attention to the protection of the crew and the survivability of the vehicle. So, the most important units of the attack helicopter and the wiring were duplicated and spaced along different sides, important components and assemblies were covered by less important ones. The Mi-28NE cockpit is armored. The windshield of the helicopter is able to withstand a direct hit from a large-caliber 12, 7-mm bullet, and the cabin itself can withstand the hit of fragments and shells with a caliber of up to 20 mm. The same applies to the rotor blades, which are able to withstand the impact of small-caliber artillery shells.
The high combat qualities of the Mi-28N helicopters were confirmed by Russian pilots in Syria. “Speed, overall reliability, response to controls - all of the above parameters of the Mi-28 can be rated“excellent”. During combat work, both in the daytime and at night, the available weapons and surveillance equipment are sufficient to carry out combat work as quickly and efficiently as possible. At the same time, certain types of weapons made it possible to launch missiles from a safe distance, at which it is practically impossible to hit a helicopter with large-caliber weapons, especially in the dark,”the commander of one of the Mi-28N attack helicopters of the Southern Military District said in an interview with Zvezda TV. The average launch range of guided missiles, according to the pilots, in the conditions of hostilities in Syria was 4.5-5 kilometers.
After the results of the combat use of the Mi-28N "Night Hunter" attack helicopter in Syria were studied, systematized and analyzed by military and civilian specialists, it was time to modernize this combat vehicle. It is this modernized Mi-28NE helicopter that was presented at the static exposition of the Army-2018 forum. First of all, improvements to the helicopter concerned the composition of its armament. The Ravager received a new 9M123M Chrysanthemum-VM anti-tank guided missile with a two-channel guidance system (automatic radar guidance channel and laser guidance channel). The use of this missile makes it possible to increase the range of destruction of armored targets up to 10 kilometers. At the same time, the helicopter can also use the upgraded ATGM 9M120-1 "Attack-VM" with a laser guidance system. The possibility of using aerial bombs weighing up to 500 kg has also been added, according to the official website of the Russian Helicopters holding.
Mi-28NE in an updated technical form, photo: fotografersha.livejournal.com
In addition, the modernization of the Mi-28NE affected the power of the engine and blades, due to which it was possible to improve the flight performance of the machine when operating in hot climates and high mountains, the cruising speed of the attack helicopter increased and the possibilities for performing complex aerobatics were expanded. The upgraded machine is equipped with new VK-2500-01 high-power turboshaft engines and a new multi-cyclone dust protection device. The appearance of an enlarged stabilizer makes it possible to improve the controllability of the Mi-28NM. “Equipping the helicopter with new weapons will increase its firepower, and expanding the scope of the Mi-28NE will make it even more in demand on the international arms market,” said Anatoly Serdyukov, industrial director of the aviation cluster of Rostec State Corporation.
Among other things, the updated Mi-28NE attack helicopter was able to interact with unmanned aerial vehicles and control them remotely. For this, the combat vehicle was equipped with special means of communication, according to Russian Helicopters. “The continuous improvement of Russian military helicopters is dictated by the changing requirements of customers, which our company always strives to meet. The experience of the combat use of attack helicopters of the Mi-28 type prompted us for further development of this project. The work that has already been carried out to modernize the helicopter has significantly expanded the capabilities of the Night Hunter and opened up new prospects for export deliveries,”stressed Andrey Boginsky, General Director of the Russian Helicopters holding.
Among the advantages of the modernized Mi-28NE helicopter is also called resistance to various combat damage, which is achieved through the use of the latest materials in this model, as well as competent design solutions. So the rotor blades of the "Ravager" are made of composite materials, which allows you to safely complete the flight even if they are hit by shells with a caliber of 20-30 mm. And the design of the fuel system of the Mi-28NE helicopter excludes the possibility of an explosion or fuel ignition. It is also important that the Mi-28NE became one of the first domestic combat helicopters to receive modern communications and a digital avionics complex.
Mi-28NE in an updated technical form, photo: fotografersha.livejournal.com
The Mi-28NE helicopters were in demand on the international arms market before. Algeria is currently receiving these helicopters. The contract with this African country was signed in 2013. According to Russian media reports, Algeria then contracted 42 helicopters of this type. Earlier in 2012, a contract was signed with Iraq for the supply of 15 Mi-28NE helicopters. Since then, the Russian Mi-28N attack helicopters have undergone a real baptism of fire during the operation in Syria, confirming their high flight performance in combat conditions. The Iraqi Mi-28NE helicopters also took part in the hostilities and the Iraqi pilots have already appreciated the high combat qualities of this attack helicopter - convenient control and reliable equipment, an intuitive weapons control system. The same qualities were repeatedly noted by Russian pilots who flew combat missions in Mi-28N helicopters in Syria.
Experts note that in addition to a qualitative improvement for the pilots of the Russian Aerospace Forces army aviation, the package of expanded combat capabilities of the Mi-28NE attack helicopter, which was demonstrated at the Army-2018 forum, will delight potential buyers of these combat vehicles and future Russian partners in the field of military-technical cooperation, as well as the military of those countries that have already acquired and received the "Ravagers" at their disposal. Experts believe that the deep modernization of the Mi-28N helicopters will have a positive effect on the export image of the helicopter and will allow it to ensure technological superiority over foreign helicopters of this class.
