MOSCOW, October 21. /TASS/. Russia's upgraded version of the Mi-28N combat helicopter will be armed with extended range guided anti-tank missiles, the general designer of the Machine-Building Design Bureau, Valery Kashin, has told TASS.
"The design bureau is in the process of upgrading the Ataka and Khrizantema missiles, capable of identifying, tracking and eliminating targets at a longer distance, especially for the Mi-28NM helicopter," Kashin said.
When upgraded, the helicopter will acquire the capability to use the missiles round the clock and in any weather, including poor visibility.
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"The onboard missile control system is being upgraded, too, to suit the parameters of the new missile," Kashin said.
A defense industry source has told TASS that the Ataka missile’s range will be increased from six kilometers to eight, but said nothing about the parameters of a new Khrizantema missile.
Work on a new Night Hunter model began in 2009. The experimental sample made its maiden flight in early October. The manufacturer - Helicopters of Russia - will deliver the first batch of helicopters in 2018.
The new configuration of the Mi-28N helicopter will have a fundamentally new radar, 360-degree panoramic vision and other equipment boasting enhanced capabilities to use high accuracy weapons.