Mil Mi-28 Night Hunter

The Mil Mi-28 (NATO reporting name: "Havoc", GV Devastation) Is a two-seat Russian Combat helicopter.

Description
The attack helicopter Mil Mi 28N Night Hunter is the definitive version of the model Havoc, produced for the open competition in the early 80s by the Soviet government for a new combat helicopter to replace the Mil Mi 24 Hind antitank missions and so can be counter the sophisticated battle tanks (tanks) of NATO. But this competition was won by advanced Kamov Ka-50 Hokum, as described in this blog (See table of contents). However, the development of the Mil Mi-28 has continued but with less priority and that new versions with significant enhancements in performance, avionics and weapons capabilities were being offered to the Russian military. On November 14 guideline, 1996, a prototype of the latest version of the Mil Mi-28 trained for combat at any time, day or night made its first flight and the production version made its first flight in April 2004. Now, this advanced version, known as the Mil Mi-28N was nicknamed Nigth Hunter, in reference to his ability to attack at night. The Mil Mi-28N combat helicopter is the treat that as of now. The Mi-28 has a more conventional design than its competitor Ka-50 and its propeller broken tail has a configuration similar to that found in X in Apache combat helicopter, the United States. This feature allows a reduction of noise of the tail rotor. Because it is a heavy combat helicopter, the screen is a feature that could not be forgotten in the design of Mi-28 and in his case, this screen is capable of sustaining impacts of projectiles of caliber 12.7 mm (.50) and 20 mm grenades, specifically in the area of the cabin.

Eletronics
The Mi-28 is equipped with a millimeter wave radar mounted on the propeller, just like the Apache Longbow radar. This radar, an N-025-280 Almaz in ability to detect a ground target 10 km away and guided missile AT-9 Spiral 2 against them. Below the nose of the Mi-28 is a turret targeting system TOR, a sensor with FLIR (thermal imaging camera) used for target designation and navigation, a TV camera, and a laser target designator used to guide laserguiados missiles mounted on a turret with sliding door. As can be seen the suite of sensors Mi-28 is the most complete providing a navigation capability and designation of targets fantastic.

Performance
This powerful helicopter can reach a top speed of 300 km / h, thanks to its two engines Klimov TV-3-117KM with 2500 hp each. This engine is a version of the engine used in Kamov Ka-50 Hokun, with improved potency. These engines also show a rate of climb in the order of 820 m / min, which can be considered an excellent performance when compared to helicopters of the same class. This rate of increase is double that achieves the similar American AH-64 Apache Longbow.

Armament
The offensive capability of real flying tank could be classified as "shameful." The weight of arms can exceed 2300 kg. Can be transported a combination of 16 anti-tank missiles that could be the AT-6 Spiral (9K114 Shturm) with a range of 6 km and guided by radio, or the missile AT-9 Spiral 2 (9M120 Ataka V) at 6 km range and guided by radio. The advantage of the AT-9 is to be more accurate and destructive against armor. 2 pods of rockets of various calibers and the 80 and 122 mm the most common. The Mi-28 is armed with a 2A42 30 mm cannon with controlled rate of fire of 900 rounds per minute with a charger and 300 cartridges. The speed of the grenade on the muzzle of the gun is 1000 m / sec. This gun is the most powerful ever installed on a helicopter, can destroy the light and medium armor and cause serious damage to a tank MBT. The Mi-28 is in use in the Russian military with 16 units already delivered but expects that number to rise to 300 units in the coming years and that 50 units would be delivered by 2010.

Variants

 * Mi-28A: First prototype with a conventional three-bladed tail rotor. First flight 1982
 * Mi-28A: Improved prototype for a planned series. With more modern Avionics and TV-3-117VM Engines, each with 2200 hp. First flight 1988th
 * Mi-28N: night combat and all-weather version. Equipped with mastmontiertem FH-01 Arbalet MM-Radar, FLIR and Night vision device. Take-off weight 11,500 kg, 2350 kg weapons load. Retrofitted with TV3 117WMA-SB3 Engines with 2,500 hp. Armed with up to 16 Tank missile Type AT-9. First flight 1996th
 * Mi-28E: Export version of the Mi-28A.
 * Mi-28L: Export version of the Mi-28A for use in desert regions.
 * Mi-28NAe: In 2004 introduced export version of the Mi-28N for North Korea.
 * Mi-28NE: Export version of the Mi-28N.
 * Mi-28D: Simplified export version of the Mi-28N-radar and without MM FLIR. Presented at the Aerosalon 2005 Le Bourget.

Specifications

 * Propulsion: Klimov engines 2 TV-3-117KM with 2500 hp
 * Maximum speed: 300 km / h.
 * Cruising speed: 265 km / h.
 * Range: 435 km, 1100 km with external tanks.
 * Vertical Rate of Climb: 820 m / min.
 * Load factor: +3 Gs
 * Maximum altitude: 5800 m.
 * Armament: A 2A42 30 mm cannon, 16 AT-6 Spiral missiles or AT-9 Spiral 2 (Ataka) tank, 2 pods with 20 rockets of 80 mm or cocoons of five 122 mm rockets, grenade launchers cocoons, Dispensers submunitions KMGU -2.