All news

Defense contractor delivers over 20 strike helicopters to Russian troops in 2019

According to Rostec director, the corporation fully meets the Defense Ministry's needs for modern combat helicopters
Mi-28NM combat helicopter Sergei Bobylev/TASS
Mi-28NM combat helicopter
© Sergei Bobylev/TASS

MOSCOW, December 26. /TASS/. Russian Helicopters Group (part of the state hi-tech corporation Rostec) has fulfilled its 2019 defense procurement plan and delivered over 20 attack helicopters to the troops, the Group’s press office reported on Thursday.

"The Russian Helicopters Group of the state corporation Rostec has delivered over 20 strike helicopters to the Defense Ministry of Russia, thus implementing the 2019 defense procurement plan in full. The combat helicopters have passed delivery/acceptance tests and entered service with the Aerospace Force," the press office said in a statement.

As Rostec Industrial Director for the Aviation Cluster Anatoly Serdyukov said, the corporation fully meets the Defense Ministry's needs for modern combat helicopters. Specially, Ka-52 ‘Alligator’ reconnaissance and strike helicopters, Mi-35M transport/attack rotorcraft and Mi-28N and Mi-28UB gunships arrived for the troops in 2019.

"Besides, the latest Mi-28NM ‘Night Hunter’ combat helicopters were delivered for the first time and we will manufacture 98 such gunships for the Defense Ministry by 2027," the press office quoted Serdyukov as saying.

The new ‘Night Hunters’ considerably differ from the Mi-28N baseline version by their design, the Russian Helicopters Group said.

Specifically, the helicopter features a modified fuselage, upgraded engines, an auxiliary powerplant, a new avionics suite, advanced armament and inter-operability with drones and ground-based command posts.

Also, the Progress Aircraft Company is carrying out experimental design work on order from the Defense Ministry to upgrade the Ka-52 gunship: the helicopter will feature an increased range capability for target detection and identification and a broader set of armament.