The production of Russian helicopters has been growing at an impressive rate in recent years. So, if in 2007 102 helicopters were built, then in 2009 - 183 machines, and in 2010 - 214 pieces of equipment. This year, the Russian Helicopters Corporation plans to manufacture 267 helicopters, and the plan for 2012 envisages overcoming the milestone of 300 aircraft. Previously, the industry mainly produced helicopters for civilian or export orders, now more and more helicopters are used by domestic aviation.
Takeoff start
The first noticeable deliveries of helicopters for the needs of the Air Force began a couple of years ago. Since 2007, about fifty new transport and combat helicopters have been delivered to the regiments in the Leningrad Region and the North Caucasus. Also, more than thirty attack helicopters have been upgraded for combat at night.
However, the operation to force Georgia to peace in the summer of 2008 revealed a number of shortcomings in the Russian army - questions were also revealed regarding the helicopter fleet. In this regard, it was decided to dramatically increase the supply of new helicopters, otherwise after a while there would be nothing to fight even with Georgia.
The new state armaments program pays great attention to helicopters. The Russian army will receive more than 100 vehicles in 2010 alone. For example, there are only about 50 aircraft. It should be noted that this number of helicopters is a record since the collapse of the USSR. In the future, the number of deliveries will be about 120-160 helicopters per year. For 2011–2020, it is planned to supply about 1,500 helicopters to the troops. The formation of about 18 brigades of army aviation of army and district subordination is envisaged. Each of the brigades will be equipped with 64 transport-combat and combat units. Airborne and airborne assault formations will acquire their helicopter units, which will dramatically increase their flexibility and mobility.
"Black Shark" is replaced by Ka-52
In 1995, the single-seat Ka-50 Black Shark helicopter was put into service. But during the operation of this aircraft, excellent in flight characteristics, including during the period of hostilities in Chechnya, not only the advantages, but also the disadvantages of a single-seat vehicle were revealed.
Therefore, it was decided to launch serial production of the new Ka-52A two-seater attack helicopter - Alligator. This helicopter, which was created on the basis of the Ka-50, has the same excellent flight characteristics, it is well armed and protected. The Russian army's need for the Alligator is over 150 aircraft - 36 helicopters have already been ordered. According to the Progress plant, the enterprise is capable of producing up to two such machines per month.
To date, the first 8 serial "Alligators" have already been transferred to the Russian aviation. Recently, four Ka-52A of them arrived in the village of Chernigovka, in Primorye, at a second-class airbase. Delivering machines to linear parts that are relatively close to the plant is a correct and old tradition. New cars break down more often, sometimes require revision, and they are mastered with errors. In this regard, engineers from the enterprise often have to visit combat units. According to existing plans, all the pilots of the airbase in Chernigovka will transfer to Alligators by the end of 2012. Perhaps a group from the airbase will be based in the South Kuriles.
Main power
The main attack helicopter in the Russian army is the Mi-28N - "Night Hunter". This combat helicopter has excellent armor, is well equipped with thrust and is capable of carrying a large combat load. The armament of the helicopter consists of a 30-mm cannon, 16 Ataka-V anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) with a range of 6 to 10 km, air-to-air missiles, unguided missiles, bombs and cluster bombs.
The Mi-28N was officially adopted in 2009. Now 16 helicopters are produced per year, and the plans are to increase the output to 20–25 helicopters. At present, the "Night Hunter" is available at the air bases in Korenovsk and Budennovsk and at the air center in Torzhok. The machines are practicing tactics for group and individual applications, and take part in exercises. The total number of Mi-28Ns is already more than forty units, and the needs of aviation until 2020 are 400 helicopters.
The Mi-28N, thanks to a complex of onboard equipment, can use weapons and fly at night in difficult weather conditions. True, the radar station, which is scheduled for installation, has not yet appeared on production vehicles. It is planned that the radar station on the "Okhotnik" will be installed only after 2 years. The Mi-28N will receive both a new optoelectronic system and a new airborne defense complex. The helicopter with all the innovations will be named Mi-28NM. Its deliveries are expected in a couple of years.
Forever young Mi-8 and others
But the lion's share of deliveries is taken not by shock, but by transport-combat and transport vehicles. A new modification of the Mi-26T2, the heaviest transport helicopter in the world, is currently being tested. Along with this, "Rostvertol" is carrying out an intensive overhaul of the Mi-26s, which are present in the troops, many of which have been "idle" for many years.
The troops are intensively supplied with new modifications of the "forever young" Mi-8. Recently, 10 Mi-8s entered the Korenovsk air base. The helicopter, equipped with new on-board equipment and engines, is quite satisfactory for the Russian military and other consumers. True, in a few years, a new, deep modernization of the Mi-8M will replace the current series on the assembly line.
It is expected that in five years a new high-speed (up to 450-500 km / h) combat vehicle should appear - its development is simultaneously being carried out by the OKB im. Mil and Kamova.
The most belligerent aviation
Army aviation is the most "belligerent" component of the Russian Air Force. Helicopters bear the brunt of military labor in every military conflict. They strike, and transport reinforcements, and land tactical assault forces, and take out the wounded, and conduct reconnaissance, and set up hindrances. The share of army aviation in the total mass of combat missions in most of the conflicts of recent decades is usually 60–75%.
