All news

Russian attack helicopters provide aerial backing to land troops during Zapad-2017 drills

While drilling aerial reconnaissance skills, the pilots conducts nap-of-the-earth flights at set intervals and distances

LUZHSKY GROUND /Leningrad region/, September 17. /TASS/. Attack helicopters of Russia’s Western Military District provided air support to ground troops and hit more than 20 maneuver enemy targets during the Zapad-2017 (West-2017) drills, the district’s press service said on Sunday.

"As part of the Zapad-2017 joint strategic exercises, crews of Mi-28N and Ka-52 attack helicopters drills the skills of aerial reconnaissance, delivering missile strikes at land-based targets and backing land troops at the Luzhsky training ground," the press service said.

While drilling aerial reconnaissance skills, the pilots conducts nap-of-the-earth flights at set intervals and distances.

Apart from that, the helicopters launched unguided missiles and used onboard weapons to hit more than 20 targets imitating armored vehicles, artillery positions, strongholds and other facilities of the maneuver enemy.

A large-scale exercise Zapad-2017 began in Russia and Belarus on September 14. The drills are held at three proving grounds in Russia and six in Belarus involving 12,700 troops (7,200 Belarussian and 5,500 Russian), about 70 warplanes and helicopters, up to 680 ground vehicles, including about 250 tanks, 200 artillery pieces, multiple rocket launchers and mortars and ten warships.

The main purpose of the exercise is to improve the compatibility of command and control centers, test new documentation and let commanders of all levels practice planning and control of operations on the basis of experience gained in the latest military conflicts.

The exercise will last till September 20.