MOSCOW, Dec 14 - RIA Novosti. Deliveries of the latest Ka-52M combat helicopters to the troops will go in parallel with the tests, which are scheduled to be completed in 2022, a source in the military-industrial complex told RIA Novosti.
The contract between the Russian Helicopters Holding and the Ministry of Defense for the supply of 30 Ka-52M helicopters was signed at the Army-2021 exhibition.
"It is expected that in 2022 the helicopter will receive the letter "O1", meaning the end of the tests. That is, the process is parallel, both tests and deliveries will be carried out at the same time," the agency interlocutor said.
He recalled that now two Ka-52MS have been transferred to the Ministry of Defense, they are being tested.
"Everything that the Ministry of Defense has set as a technical task (technical task - ed.), everything is done, the tests are successful," the source said.
The upgraded Ka-52M helicopter is being developed based on the results of the use of the basic version of the Ka-52A Alligator machine in Syria. The first flight of the prototype machine took place in August 2020. It is planned to complete state tests of the new reconnaissance and attack helicopter in 2022.
The Ka-52M received a new sighting and navigation system, a radar with an active phased array antenna, reinforced landing gear, an expanded range of weapons, including the Ataka missiles (4-6 km range), the Vortex (8 km), and the Vortex-M (10 km).