October 31, 2007:
Russia has
decided to replace its 250 Mi-24 helicopter gunships with 300 of the more
recent Mi-28s. The Mi-24 is a twelve ton chopper based on the Mi-8/17
transport. The U.S. did the same thing with the AH-1, developing it from the
UH-1 "Huey." But rather than adopt the two seater (one pilot behind the other)
approach of the AH-1 and AH-64 Apache, the Mi24 could still carry troops or
cargo in the back, and was not as nimble as the AH-1. The 11 ton Mi28 looks
more like the AH-64. That's because, by the end of the 1960s, the Russians
realized that the AH-1 design was superior.
For several years, there has
been intense completion, to decide which of its two new helicopter gunship
designs (the Ka-50 and Mi-28N) to standardize on. The latest decision is
supposed to settle the matter. About 50 Mi-28s are to be bought in the next
three years, with all 300 in service five years after that.
The Mi-28N is a more capable
helicopter, costing about the same as the earlier AH-64A ($15 million each).
But the Ka-50 is not only cheaper, but quite a good design as well. The
Russians know that their weapons sell much better when a rock bottom price is
offered.
The Mi-28N "Night
Hunter" is an all weather; night attack version of the 1980s era Mi-28A,
with added FLIR (night vision sensor), night fighting optics and a two man
crew. The basic Mi-28 is a 11.6 ton helicopter that can carry 1.6 tons of
rockets and missiles. The aircraft also has a 30mm cannon. The cockpit for the
two man crew is armored, and the helicopter has missile countermeasures (chaff
and flares), GPS, head up display, laser designator and other gadgets. The
Mi-28N has a top speed of 300 kilometers an hour and a one way range of 1,100
kilometers. It can carry up to 16 anti-tank missiles (with a range of up to
eight kilometers). The helicopter can also carry 80mm rockets, bombs or fuel
for additional range. The Mi-28 has been around in small quantities for two
decades, but the Mi-28N is the most advanced model, on a par with the American
AH-64D gunship (which is a little lighter.) The first version of the Mi-28N was
shown in 1996, although the manufacturer, Mil, wasn't ready to offer for sale
until 2004.