https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mil_Mi-28
The Mil Mi-28 (NATO reporting name "Havoc") is a Russian all-weather, day-night,
military tandem, two-seat anti-armor attack helicopter. It is a dedicated attack
helicopter with no intended secondary transport capability, better optimized
than the Mil Mi-24 gunship for the role. It carries a single gun in an undernose
barbette, plus external loads carried on pylons beneath stub wings.
In 1972, following completion of the Mil Mi-24, development began on a unique
attack helicopter with transport capability. The new design had a reduced
transport capability (3 troops instead of 8) and omitted the cabin, to provide
better overall performance and higher top speed. Improved performance was
important for its intended role fighting against tanks and enemy helicopters and
covering helicopter landing operations. Initially, many different designs were
considered, including an unconventional project with two main rotors, placed
with engines on tips of wings (in perpendicular layout); and in one similarity
with the late 1960s-era American Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne attack helicopter
design, with an additional pusher propeller on the tail. In 1977, a preliminary
design was chosen, in a classic single-rotor layout. It lost its similarity to
the Mi-24, and even the canopies were smaller, with flat surfaces.
The Mi-28 is a new-generation attack helicopter that functions as an air-to-air
and air-to-ground partner for the Mi-24 Hind and Ka-50 Hokum. The five-blade
main rotor is mounted above the body midsection, and short, wide, tapered,
weapon-carrying wings are mounted to the rear of body midsection. Two turboshaft
engines in pods are mounted alongside the top of the fuselage with downturned
exhausts. The fuselage is slender and tapers to the tail boom and nose. It
features a tandem, stepped-up cockpits and a cannon mounted beneath the belly,
with non-retractable tricycle tail-wheel type landing gear. This
energy-absorbing landing gear and seats protect the crew in a crash landing or
in a low-altitude vertical fall. The crew is able to survive a vertical fall of
up to 12 m/s. The Mi-28 has a fully armoured cabin, including the windshield,
which withstands impact by 7.62 and 12.7mm armor piercing bullets and 20mm shell
fragments.
Role
Attack helicopter
National origin
Soviet Union/Russia
Manufacturer
Mil
First flight
10 November 1982
Introduction
15 October 2009 (Mi-28N)
Status
In service
Primary users
Russian Air Force
Algerian Air Force
Kenya Air Force
Iraqi Air Force
Produced
Number built
126
Unit cost
The Russian Army received the first Mi-28 prototypes for testing in 2004. It
received the first serial production Mi-28N in 2006, which then joined two
prototype helicopters for army trials. The aircraft entered service in 2006. It
has entered service under the name of "Night Hunter" (Russian: ?????? ???????).
A squadron of Mi-28Ns from Torzhok took part in a joint army exercise in Belarus
in June 2006.
The Russian Air Force had 24 Mi-28s in service in February 2011.
The Russian Defense Ministry will procure up to 60 Mi-28UB training versions by
2020. The version will speed up and improve pilot training. Four to six Mi-28UBs
will be purchased for every unit that operates the Mi-28N. In 2013, it was
reported that the Mi-28N was to replace the Mil Mi-24 in the Russian Armed
Forces by 2015, however by 2016, Russian Air Force still operates a large number
of Mi-24 and Mi-35 helicopters, including being deployed for combat in Syria.
During the Battle of Palmyra in 2016, Russian Aerospace forces' Mil Mi-28
supported the Syrian Arab Army in their advance towards the city. On 12 April
2016, a Russian Mi-28 crashed in Syria, killing both crewmen.
Specifications (Mi-28N)
General characteristics
Crew: Two: 1 pilot (rear), 1 navigator/weapons operator (front)
Length: 17.91 m (58 ft 9 in)
Rotor diameter: 17.20 m (56 ft 5 in)
Height: 3.82 m (12.5 ft (150 in))
Empty weight: 7,890 kg (17,400 lb)
Loaded weight: 10,500 kg (23,150 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 11,700 kg (25,800 lb)
Performance
Maximum speed: 324 km/h (175 knots, 201 mph)
Cruise speed: 265 km/h (145 knots, 164 mph)
Range: 435 km (234 nmi, 270 mi)
Combat radius: 200 km (108 nmi, 124 mi) ; with 10 min loiter and 5% reserves
Ferry range: 1,105 km (595 nmi, 685 mi)
Service ceiling: 4,950 m (16,250 ft)
Rate of climb: 13.6 m/s (816 m/min, 2,677 ft/min)
Power/mass: 0.31 kw/kg for TV3-117 ()
Hovering ceiling: 3,600 m (11,811 ft)
Armament
horizontal fire)
Hardpoints: Two pylons under each stub wing to mount bombs, rockets, missiles,
and gun pods. Main armament configurations include: 16 Ataka-V anti-tank
missiles and 40 S-8 rockets, Or
16 Ataka-V anti-tank missiles, and 10 S-13 rocket, Or
16 Ataka-V anti-tank missiles, and two 23 mm Gsh-23L gun pods with 250 rounds
each.
Other ordnance: 9K118 Sheksna, 9A-2200, and 9M123 Khrizantema anti-tank
missiles, 8 Igla-V and Vympel R-73 air-to-air missiles, 2 KMGU-2 mine dispensers
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