Prospects for the Ka-52K without Mistrals
or deck ships without DVD …
Talks about the creation of a naval modification of the Ka-52 Alligator helicopter began in the period immediately preceding the signing of a contract for the construction in France of Mistral-class helicopter landing ships (DVKD) for the Russian Navy.
At this time, the Arsenyev Aviation Company "Progress" was already producing serial combat vehicles Ka-52, which underwent experimental military operation at the 344th Center for Combat Use and Retraining of Army Aviation Flight Personnel in Torzhok, as well as in the third helicopter squadron of the 575th Aviation base of the second category in Chernigovka. Helicopters Ka-52, intended mainly for missions on ground targets, also had a corresponding integrated on-board complex, which included the Arbalet-52 radar station and the GOES-451 gyro-stabilized optoelectronic station - allowing to detect targets at long range and use guided weapons on them.
In 2008, the General Designer of the Kamov Design Bureau, Sergey Viktorovich Mikheev, to my question regarding the development of the “naval” theme, answered literally the following (I give the full version):
- The naval theme will certainly develop. It just so happened that over the past 20 years, we have not helped the fleet in any way - not because we did not want to, but simply reduced funding. On the eve of the 90s, we fully completed the re-equipment of the fleet with a Ka-27 helicopter. But today we see a reassessment of our behavior in the water area of the World Ocean. The question of our presence is being raised again, this task is familiar to us, we went through all these problems in the 70s and 80s. But today the fleet is becoming different - a new generation, a smaller displacement, a greater tension of ships, and higher speeds. This requires a completely new approach. The helicopter will remain a necessary accessory for the battleship, but it must be designed with all current circumstances in mind. I think the next shipborne helicopter will be within 10 tons. We have already completed the Ka-27 for 12.5 tons, the new machine will return to the Ka-25 helicopter class, which weighed 7.2 tons. From the point of view of the tasks performed, the new machine will surpass the Ka-25. This is the development of the combat complex, electronic equipment. The vehicle will become more versatile. In previous years, the main task of a ship's helicopter was the fight against submarines, and today the development of technology leads to the fact that the helicopter will be able to perform other combat missions. With ship helicopters, everything is developing quite interestingly: today there is not a single combat mission in the fleet in which the helicopter is not used as a technological link. A target designator helicopter, a rescue helicopter, a combat vehicle delivering a fire strike.
It should be noted here that the interview was intended for a closed, departmental publication, which implied a high degree of the respondent's openness.
From the answer of the general it came out that three years before the signing of the contract for the construction of the DVKD, the developer of the helicopters for the new "palubnik" had only a general idea, not tied to a specific type of machine.
The first talks about the creation of a deck version of the land-based Ka-52 began on the sidelines of the military-industrial complex in 2010.
In June 2011, a contract was signed for the construction of two DVKDs, and in October 2011, in the Barents Sea, the Kamovites conducted flight tests aimed at establishing the capabilities of basing the Ka-52 helicopter on a combat ship. During these tests, the Ka-52 landed and took off from the helipad of the large anti-submarine ship "Vice-Admiral Kulakov". Subsequently, the Ka-52 landed and took off from the Mistral DVDKD during the ship's stay in St. Petersburg at the naval salon.
In 2011, the developer determined the preliminary appearance of the shipborne version of the helicopter, which was named Ka-52K (shipborne). The main differences from the land version were the presence of folding blades and wings, inflatable ballonets in case of emergency landing on water, as well as an upgraded air conditioning system adapted for use in sea conditions. Later, the developer spoke about the intention to put an automatic landing system on the ship's version of the helicopter. Already during the construction of the helicopter, the location of the fuel filler neck was changed.
Ka-52 in the final assembly shop of the Progress airline. Photo by the author
In 2011, Progress began to receive design documentation for the Ka-52K, and the enterprise began to prepare for the production of these machines. Initially, it was assumed that five production helicopters would be ready by the end of 2014, by the time the first DVKD arrived in Russia.
In 2013, the first Ka-52K fuselage left the main building berth on Progress and entered the final assembly shop. The company's management has repeatedly stated that the Ka-52K will go to state tests in 2014, however, for various reasons, until the end of 2014, not a single Ka-52K on Progress has taken off. One of the reasons announced by the helicopter builders not to the public was the unclearness of the final appearance of the ship's vehicle, which is why the developer constantly demanded from the manufacturer to make newly adopted design changes, which made it difficult to bring the helicopter to flight condition by the established deadlines.
In October 2013, a Ka-52 helicopter (serial no. 01-03) crashed in Moscow as a result of the destruction of the rotor thrust. It is known that on that day the helicopter was flying as part of the tests of the air conditioning system (ACS), which is supposed to be installed not only on the marine version of the helicopter, but also on all other Ka-52 machines (it was decided to create a new ACS, common for land and marine vehicles). Later, the media announced that the new SLE had successfully passed state tests.
At the end of 2013, during a visit to the Progress airline, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said that the state had signed a contract for the construction of 32 Ka-52K helicopters by Progress, which is supposed to equip an aviation group based on the Vladivostok and Sevastopol DVKD.
The prospects of the Ka-52K, used with the DVKD, are seen as follows: it is a combat attack helicopter, the main task of which is to provide fire support for the actions of amphibious assault forces during the seizure of the coastal strip. Within the framework of this combat use, the Ka-52K is capable of reconnaissance and destruction of armored, mobile and stationary coastal targets of the enemy, primarily mobile anti-ship missile systems, anti-aircraft missile systems, tanks and enemy artillery - at the range of ATGM "Whirlwind", "Shturm" or "Attack". It is expected that the airborne group of the DCKD will also include Ka-29TB transport and landing helicopters, capable of carrying out missions for the transportation of personnel. The numerical strength of the air group on one DVKD was also named - 8 Ka-52K helicopters and 8 Ka-29TB helicopters.
Based on the declared flight range, the Ka-52K strike will be able to inflict fire damage on the enemy located on the shore, beyond the range of coastal anti-ship missile systems, which will provide the necessary combat stability to the amphibious convoy immediately before the landing.
It is necessary to say especially about actions against sea targets. It is assumed that Ka-52K helicopters will be able to use the main anti-ship weapon of helicopters - the Kh-35 anti-ship missile, which is a standard weapon for Ka-27 and Ka-28 helicopters and is capable of striking ships and vessels with a displacement of up to 5 thousand tons.
Anti-ship missiles X-35 in flight. Photo from the site
The Kh-35 rocket in the "helicopter" version has a weight of 610 kg, which corresponds to the permissible load on the internal pylons of Ka-52 helicopters. Based on the permitted maximum load, the Ka-52K helicopter is able to carry at least two such missiles, and accordingly - to hit targets at a distance of up to 260 km. In this case, the strike capabilities of the Ka-52K will be determined not only by the presence of anti-ship missiles on board, but also by the means of lighting the situation integrated with it - by the Ka-31 AWACS helicopters or by the currently available space systems of marine reconnaissance and target designation. This variant of using the Ka-52K will significantly enhance the "anti-ship" capabilities of the DVKD.
The "Helicopter - DVKD" system seems to be clear and understandable. The place of the Ka-52K in it is determined to be quite worthy and significant. The situation will look quite different if, nevertheless, France, as it now declares (December 2014), does not hand over the built ships to Russia.
Will the Ka-52K helicopter find a place in the Russian Navy's weapons system?
I answer right away - there is!
Initially, the DCCDs were focused on the Pacific region, where Russia has unresolved territorial disputes with Japan, as well as on the Arctic, the significance of which is understood today by everyone. In the design of the DVKD, intended for Russia, even structural changes were introduced regarding the reinforcement of the hull in order to give the ship the ability to navigate in the ice conditions of northern latitudes. Two DVKDs ("Vladivostok" and "Sevastopol") were oriented, first of all, to ensure control over the islands of the Kuril ridge - which are the stumbling block in the Russian-Japanese political dialogue. The four large landing ships available at the Pacific Fleet (Oslyabya, Peresvet, Nikolay Vilkov and Admiral Nevelskoy) are badly worn out and, as a result, are not fully capable of maneuvering fleet amphibious formations on the Kuril Islands. To be more precise, due to the small number and wear and tear of the large landing craft, the 155th brigade and the 3rd marine regiment of the Pacific Fleet have limited opportunities for operational maneuver. It is no coincidence that in this regard, the Air Defense Forces are constantly conducting exercises on the transfer of troops to the islands, not only with the help of a large landing craft, but also with the help of aviation (including civilian), as well as civilian ships. It is clear that the Kuril Ridge delimits the exclusive economic zone of the Sea of Okhotsk (recognized by the international community at the beginning of 2014) and therefore. is an object of heightened interest - both ours and the Japanese (with whom we have no peace treaty). But the Sea of Okhotsk is a shelf, it is a fish, it is a huge resource potential. From all that has been said, it follows that the Kuril Islands should remain ours at any cost. And the presence of two DVKDs, capable of carrying up to a battalion of marines, radically changed the balance of forces in the region. Especially if there is an air group on board these DVKDs, capable not only of "working along the coast", but also able to fight enemy ships (X-35 missiles).
And now it has become known to us that DVKD will not come to the Pacific Fleet. Shortly before the official ceremony of transferring the Vladivostok DVD to the Russian Navy, due to the changed geopolitical realities, Vladivostok received a new place of registration (or, if you prefer, a “home port”) - the Russian city of Sevastopol. As part of this article, I will not talk about the military significance of Sevastopol - this is clear to everyone without me. We just admit that in the current situation, Vladivostok is more needed there. Together with the aviation group, which, by the way, uses the ship as a temporary refuge, with its main base on the coast.
In Soviet times, when there were two handsome aircraft carriers at the Pacific Fleet - "Minsk" and "Novorossiysk", at the Pristan airfield, near Romanovka, the 311th separate ship assault aviation regiment was based, armed with vertical takeoff and landing aircraft Yak-38. The 710th separate shipborne anti-submarine helicopter regiment was based in Novonezhino, which was armed with Ka-25, Ka-27 helicopters and their modifications. These regiments "lived" on the "ground", and their "flying representatives" were on the ships only for the duration of the ship's combat service missions. So under the DVKD in Primorye, a separate shipborne helicopter regiment was to be formed, which were to include the Ka-52K and Ka-29TB helicopters. Today, obviously, we can only talk about this in the plane of fantasy.
And so Hollande announced the impossibility of transferring the Vladivostok DVDKD built in Saint-Nazaire to Russia.
What do we end up with? As a result, the Vladivostok crew is preparing to leave home, economists consider the damage, lawyers prepare claims, and the first Ka-52K with serial number 01-01 is preparing to be transferred for flight tests at this time. Be that as it may, Kamovites intend to bring the helicopter to the letter "O", recommending it for adoption.
So, Ka-52K without DVKD.
In a situation where there is no DVKD, the naval Ka-52K does not lose its combat capabilities. In the same Pacific region, he will be able to adequately serve on the same Kuril Islands, providing the grouping of Russian troops with his strike capabilities. Yes, it remains an excellent attack aircraft, capable of working against ground targets, but at the same time it is also capable of working against surface targets - with the help of Kh-35 anti-ship missiles, pushing further from the coast the lines of fire on enemy ships. The military operation of Ka-52 helicopters has shown its ability to operate for a long time in isolation from the main bases, which means that, for example, having the main base at the Burevestnik airfield, Ka-52K units or pairs can be dispersed across all the islands of the Kuril ridge, and calmly fly over the sea, annoying the Japanese "neighbors" with their presence.
Also, nothing prevents the use of the Ka-52K from warships with helipads, for example, from the same Pacific anti-submarine "admirals" pr. 1155, which do not have a "long anti-ship arm" in their armament.
So, the Ka-52K project is quite relevant without the French DVKD. And, in addition, today another shipborne version of the Alligator is being born in the depths of the developer. The new helicopter, which is based on the Ka-52K, will not have strike weapons. He will even be deprived of an automatic cannon. It will be a long-range radar patrol helicopter. On the sides of the hull, as well as in front and behind, fixed HEADLIGHTS will be installed (in contrast to the movable antenna of the Ka-31 helicopter), which, together with a ceiling of five kilometers, will allow the new helicopter to illuminate the surface situation at a distance of more than 290 kilometers. And this, in turn, will make it possible to give the ship groupings of the Russian Navy even greater combat stability.
