In Russia, work continues on the creation of promising helicoptersIn mid-September of this year, the 120th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding Soviet aircraft designer Nikolai Ilyich Kamov was celebrated.
His name is forever linked with the history of Russian helicopter industry.
Nikolai Kamov belonged to a galaxy of designers who are rightfully called the founders of our aviation. Over 50 years of work, Nikolai Kamov has created a number of coaxial helicopters, starting with the baby Ka-8 and ending with heavy machines such as the Ka-22 rotorcraft and the Ka-27 ship helicopter.
Rotorcraft with the letters "Ka" on board fly not only in Russia, but also in many countries of the world
In honor of the anniversary of the outstanding aircraft designer, a solemn meeting was held at the National Helicopter Center "Miles and Kamov" JSC. All speakers highly appreciated the contribution of Nikolai Ivanovich Kamov to Soviet and Russian helicopter construction, flowers were laid at the monument to the aircraft designer. Also, as part of the celebrations, a restored Ka-15 helicopter was demonstrated.
A scientific and technical conference dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the birth of Nikolai Kamov was held at NCV Mil and Kamov JSC. It heard about 50 reports on the problems of the domestic helicopter industry.
The name of the helicopter "Lamprey" flashed in the messages of several speakers. At the same time, it was not said what this car is, its characteristics were not announced.
Let's try to fill this gap.
COMMISSIONED BY THE NAVYInformation about the development of "Lamprey" first appeared in August 2015.
On the sidelines of the International Aerospace Salon in Zhukovsky, the Chief of Naval Aviation of the Russian Navy, Major General Igor Kozhin, said that Kamov JSC should present a new helicopter by 2020.
The vehicle will be designed to detect, track and destroy enemy submarines. The new deck helicopter should replace the Ka-27 helicopters in the Navy, which have been in service with the fleet since the 1980s.
Kamovtsy had to solve a difficult task. A number of special requirements were imposed on the marine helicopter. For example, a car should land and take off in pitching conditions. The aerodynamics of the deck helicopter and its control system are markedly different from the army model.
Also, a marine helicopter must withstand the effects of salt fog. Strict anti-corrosion requirements are imposed on the materials from which it is made.
In addition, for the purposes of anti-submarine warfare, it is necessary to develop a lowered hydroacoustic station (GAS), a magnetometer, equipment for working with radio hydroacoustic buoys (RHAB) and data transmission for interaction with anti-submarine warfare forces (PLB) for the new helicopter. As well as depth charges, anti-submarine torpedoes, anti-ship missiles and much more.
The helicopter is created according to the Kamov scheme, that is, with two coaxial screws. It is assumed that the Minogue helicopters will go to the fleet in anti-submarine, transport and amphibious versions.
In August 2016, Sergey Mikheev, the General designer of Kamov JSC, said that it would take about 10 years for the development work on the Lamprey (Ka-65). According to him, the command of the Russian Navy "confirmed the need to develop a new generation helicopter."
According to the developer, the Lamprey will be a universal machine, "quickly transformed into various applications." The weight and size characteristics of the Ka-65 will not differ significantly from its Soviet predecessor.
"Sooner or later, the replacement of the Ka-27 is necessary, and this replacement will just be the Lamprey helicopter. Its task is to combine the functions that were implemented on the Ka–27," the materials of Russian Helicopters say.
ALL-WEATHER UNIVERSAL HELICOPTERThe Ka-65 will be a completely new car.
The armament of the Lamprey will be unified with modern models. The time of marine helicopters with a narrow specialization has passed. According to domestic experts, the appearance of a multifunctional deck vehicle will reduce the cost of a serial sample and the cost of operating helicopters in the military.
Also, the possibility of creating an unmanned version of the Ka-65 by order of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation is not excluded.
This approach, which assumes a bet on universality, fully corresponds to modern realities. This is the implementation of the so-called modular principle, which allows, depending on the task, to install the appropriate on-board equipment and weapons on the machine.
According to the United Instrument-Making Corporation, the electronic equipment of the Lamprey will be compatible with automated systems of command and control of troops and combat.
Back in 2016, the specialists of the Scientific and Production Enterprise "Flight" (Nizhny Novgorod) created a noise-resistant communication complex for the Ka-65. It uses broadband channels, provides transmission of video recordings and data received from radar stations. As expected, the product will increase the level of efficiency of information transmission at all stages of the flight.
It is also known that "Lamprey" will receive a turboshaft power plant TV7–117VK developed by JSC "Klimov" (St. Petersburg). Upgraded versions of the Mi-28 and Ka-52 reconnaissance and attack helicopters are equipped with this engine. The take–off power of the TV7-117VK powerplant reaches 3000 hp (the Ka–27 powerplant has 2225 hp). In emergency (afterburner) mode, the engines develop a power of 3750 hp.
Obviously, the Lamprey engine will be more powerful and most likely more economical than the Ka-27. An indicator of 3000 hp suggests that the new helicopter will have improved speed characteristics.
It is planned to install a new generation communication system on the new helicopter, providing voice communication, video transmission, radar data and navigation. The new communication complex implements packet data exchange in digital form, broadband radio communication channels, new methods of anti-interference, which increases the speed of information transmission, range and quality of communication.
The number of external antennas is kept to a minimum. In particular, the Aist-62 antenna system will be integrated into the airframe of the helicopter.
NOT ALL THAT GLITTERS IS GOLDDespite the outstanding characteristics of the Lamprey, many domestic experts claim that this project has a dead-end concept.
The new helicopter should replace the Ka-27/M/PS and Ka-29 machines. But the Navy builds ships according to projects where the overall characteristics for the Ka-27 helicopter are laid down.
The concept of the Ka-27 helicopter has already exhausted itself, because it came out of the Ka-25 predecessor helicopter (for comparison, the Ka-25 weighed 6 tons, and the Ka-27 weighed 10 tons). At the same time, the layout of the Lamprey is larger in size than the Ka-27, because the length and diameter of the screw are taken like the Ka-52, so that production is unified.
It turns out that most single-based ships will not be able to receive the Lamprey. And if you focus on the dimensions of the Ka-27, you will not be able to get improved performance. In addition, even more powerful engines will not improve the tactical and technical characteristics of the helicopter, because the engines and gearbox make up a third of its weight.
It is also unclear why it is necessary to install such a powerful engine on the Lamprey. After all, the Mi-38 uses a TV7–117V engine with a capacity of 2,800 hp, but this helicopter has a maximum take-off weight of 4 tons (that is, almost a third) more. It can carry 30 landing troops – against 16 on the Ka-29. It would be more correct to choose not the most powerful engine at 2500 – 2800 hp, but the most economical.
In the distant future, the Lampreys will be able to enter the aviation group of universal amphibious assault ships (UDC) 23900 Ave. Each such UDC will be able to carry up to 16 helicopters of different types, including transport-combat, amphibious and shock.
In the future, a decision may be made to build an aircraft carrier – and such a ship will also not do without multi-purpose helicopters.
IT WON'T BE LONG TO WAITOn November 28, 2014, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation signed a contract with the Kamov Design Bureau to create a promising marine helicopter for the Russian Navy.
In 2016, it was announced that the Ka-65 would enter the army in 10 years – that is, by 2026.
At the beginning of 2020, the management of the Russian Helicopters holding company approved the terms of reference with the military. And in the summer of the same year, within the framework of the International Military-Technical Forum "Army-2020", it signed an agreement for the development of a technical project for the future helicopter.
In September of the same year, the general director of the Russian Helicopters holding, Andrey Boginsky, said that the first prototype of the newest Minogue helicopter, being developed on behalf of the Russian Navy, would take to the air in 2025.
It is then that the separation from the ground and the "hanging" of the prototype "Lamprey" will occur. Well, we will look forward to this event if nothing happens during this time!
Valery AgeevValery Vladimirovich Ageev is a historian of aviation and cosmonautics, a journalist.
