The machine is capable of destroying enemy objects while being outside the air defense strike zone, said Vitaly Shcherbina, chief designer of the "Combat Helicopters" program of the National Center for Helicopter Construction named after M. L. Mil and N. I. Kamov
MOSCOW, May 18. /TASS/. The latest Mi-28NM combat attack helicopter has become a breakthrough development. This was stated in an interview with TASS by the chief designer of the "Combat Helicopters" program of the M. L. Mil and N. I. Kamov National Helicopter Center (part of the Russian Helicopters holding company of the Rostec State Corporation") Vitaly Shcherbina.
"The Mi-28NM is, so to speak, a completely different helicopter, both in terms of the ideology of use and the technologies used in the design, it can rightfully be considered a new generation helicopter or a breakthrough helicopter compared to the base model. The Mi-28NM on-board weapons can detect and destroy enemy objects around the clock and all-weather, while being outside the air defense strike zone, " he said.
According to him, the modern helicopter defense system allows you to successfully defend against attacks by ground and air defense systems of the enemy, while the on-board communication system has network-centric capabilities. "The installed complex of communication and telecommunications facilities will allow helicopters to interact in a group, operate in air-ground communication networks, implementing network-centric methods of controlling weapons on the battlefield, that is, in a timely manner, without delay, to receive information about the enemy and their troops in a closed jamming mode," Shcherbina added.
The appearance of the upgraded "Night Hunters" is significantly different from the basic version of the helicopter. The Mi-28NM has acquired a new fuselage shape, upgraded engines and auxiliary power plant, a new avionics system, and advanced weapons. In connection with the installation of a new observation and sighting system, the layout of the forward part of the fuselage, on which the equipment for interfacing with unmanned aerial vehicles is located, has been changed.
When upgrading the Night Hunter, the designers of the Mil and Kamov NTSV also took into account the experience of developing the combat training Mi-28UB. In the front cockpit of the new helicopter, a second set of controls is installed. In addition, the crew cabin was upgraded. The commander and the pilot-operator will now receive information about the environment and the operation of all the systems of the machine in a larger volume and in a more accessible form, which will increase the situational awareness of the crew, facilitate interaction and increase the speed of decision-making in a complex combat situation.
