The Russian Air Force has received the first four Ka-52 Alligator (Hokum-B) multi-role attack helicopters.
The Russian Air Force has received the first four Ka-52 Alligator (Hokum-B) multi-role attack helicopters.
The Ka-52 is a twin-seat derivative of the Ka-50 Hokum-A attack helicopter, and is designed primarily for reconnaissance and target designation purposes. It is comparable with the U.S. AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.
The helicopter is armed with 30-mm cannon, Vikhr (Whirlwind) laser-guided missiles, rockets, including S-24s, as well as bombs. The helicopter is also equipped with two radars, one for ground and one for aerial targets, and a Samshite nighttime-daytime thermal sighting system.
The helicopter features a two-man crew, maximum take-off weight of 10,800 kg (23,810 lb), two Klimov TV3-117VK turbo-shaft engines, cruising speed of 270 km/h (168 mph), combat range of 545 km (339 miles) and service ceiling of 5,500 m (18,000 ft).
Photo: Russian Air Force personnel watch a Ka-52 helicopter take off
Photo: Russian Air Force personnel watch a Ka-52 helicopter take off
The helicopter is capable of destroying ground and air targets in all weather conditions, day and night.Photo: Pilots leave the cockpit of the Ka-52 helicopter
For improved pilot survivability the Ka-52 is fitted with a K-37-800 ejection seat. Before the rocket in the ejection seat deploys, the rotor blades are blown away by explosive charges in the rotor disc and the canopy is similarly jettisoned.
The Russian Armed Forces will receive about 30 Ka-52 helicopters by 2012.
