On the territory of Ukraine, Ka-52 helicopters were used for the first time for their intended purpose - to destroy armored vehicles and ground fortified points. As expected, the results were excellent.
On Tuesday, March 15, the Russian Defense Ministry published a video of the destruction of military equipment and manpower of the Armed Forces of Ukraine by Russian Ka-52M helicopters of the army aviation of the VKS. The footage shows that the Ka-52 strikes from a 30-mm aviation cannon, destroying a military truck and a 122-mm howitzer "Acacia".
"Also, an air strike destroyed the firing position of 122-mm self-propelled artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," the Russian Defense Ministry said. In addition, the crews of the Ka-52, acting in pairs, launched missiles at ground targets.
The leadership of the army aviation could not appreciate the Ka-52 for a long time. And initially it was planned to use it as a flying gunner of Special Operations Forces. He had to identify enemy targets, and then direct ground forces and assault aircraft at them. For some reason, it was not considered as a combat helicopter capable of solving independent tasks.
However, the use of the Ka-52 in Syria has shown that it is an excellent fighter. Having assessed in detail the experience of combat use of the Alligator, the Ministry of Defense gave the task to deeply modernize the car, taking into account the experience of fighting in Syria. The industry has completed the task.
Alligators of the latest modernization version, the Ka-52M, are participating in combat operations during the implementation of a special military operation in Ukraine. This is the only combat army helicopter in the world with a coaxial rotor scheme. This scheme allows you to realize unique maneuverable characteristics, providing a number of advantages over the machines of the classical scheme with a carrier and compensating tail rotor. In particular, in flight, the "Alligator" can turn around its axis 360 degrees, fly sideways and even tail forward.
It has the best vertical climb characteristics in the world - more than 20 meters per second. The cabin is armored. The Ka-52 is the only helicopter in the world with ejection seats. Crew: 2 people - the pilot and the weapons operator, but both can control the car.
The armament of the rotorcraft is especially impressive. This is a rapid-firing gun 2A42 caliber 30 mm with a total reserve of 470 rounds, located on the starboard side. Initially, the gun was created for the BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle, but it perfectly fit into the design of the rotorcraft. The designers managed to place its main part exactly in the center of gravity of the Ka-52M, which ensured maximum stability when firing, since the gun is practically not subject to vibration.
No domestic, let alone foreign combat helicopter can compare with the accuracy of the Ka-52M cannon fire. For example, when firing at a range of four kilometers, the shells fly without scattering in an even chain and fall into the "top ten".
Which was demonstrated in the footage provided by the military department. The Ka-52M hit targets from a distance at which it is invulnerable to enemy air defenses.
On an external suspension, the helicopter is capable of carrying up to 2000 kg of combat load. These are guided and unguided missiles, bombs, as well as containers with cannon weapons.
The "Sturm-WU" complexes with the "Attack" missile guided by a laser beam are used as anti-tank systems.
And - a more powerful "Vortex". This missile has a powerful tandem cumulative warhead with an armor penetration of 900 mm. At night, the missile is guided at a range of up to 8 km, during the day - up to 10 km. The missiles are supersonic, which allows you to fire at several ground targets at once.
For the first time, the Whirlwind missiles were tested in a combat situation during a counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus. The launch was made from the predecessor of the Alligator, the Ka-50 Black Shark helicopter. From a range of more than two kilometers, a guided missile flew into the window of a camouflaged militant base.
The Ka-52M is equipped with the Argumentum-2000 aiming system and the SUO-806R weapon control system. Television and thermal imaging surveillance cameras, as well as a laser sighting system are placed in a ball case under the nose.
The strongest side is the presence of an active protection system of the helicopter from missiles with infrared homing heads L370 "Vitebsk".
"Alligators" have been entering the army since 2011, they are produced at the Progress airline in the city of Arsenyev. In 2020, the Ministry of Defense announced its intention to purchase more than a hundred Ka-52M.
Sergey Ptichkin
