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New sight to boost Ka-52M attack helicopter’s night-fighting capabilities — source

The KA-52M design features the best technical solutions

MOSCOW, October 28. /TASS/. A new sighting system will boost the combat potential of the Ka-52M attack helicopter and enable it to effectively use weapons at night, a source in the domestic defense industry told TASS on Friday.

"The Ka-52M helicopter’s combat efficiency will be substantially enhanced through an upgraded sighing system that will boost its capabilities of employing armaments at night. The range of the upgraded sight’s target detection and identification thermal imaging channel has been doubled," the source said.

The improvements were prompted by the experience of employing the Ka-52 helicopter in Syria where the gunships mostly operated at night, he added.

During their operation in the Syrian Arab Republic, Ka-52 assault helicopters employed Vikhr anti-tank missiles with a maximum striking range of 8 km. The helicopter’s upgrade will make it possible to use new guided munitions, the source said

"Work is underway to install a Safar radio station and extend the range of Vikhr missiles to 10 km," he added.

TASS has no official confirmation of this information yet.

A TASS source said on September 2 that the modernized Ka-52M attack helicopter was tested during the special military operation in Ukraine. The source also earlier said that the state trials of the upgraded combat helicopter were set to be concluded in October 2022.

Ka-52M helicopter

The Ka-52M is an upgraded version of the Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter. As the gunship’s designers say, the Ka-52M missile armament has been standardized with the weapons suite of the Mi-28NM helicopter, another state-of-the-art Russian attack gunship, which has helped increase its striking range considerably. The Ka-52M is also furnished with a new phased array radar station and longer-range missiles. The upgraded gunship prototype performed its debut flight on August 10, 2020.

The KA-52M design features the best technical solutions: a longer-range gyro-stabilized optoelectronic target acquisition and identification system, a new digital drive to increase the gun’s aiming accuracy, new chassis wheels with disc breaking gear and enhanced wear resistance aircraft tires.

According to the data of a TASS source, the Ka-52M will feature network-centric capabilities to operate in conjunction with unmanned aerial vehicles and interact with other helicopters and aircraft. The Ka-52M has also received an improved defensive aide suite against all advanced man-portable air defense systems and new ballistic protection.