Thursday, July 03, 2014

The world is burning news. Iraqi Shiite Army receives Mi-28NE Attack Helicopters.


via Janes...
Iraq has taken delivery of its first batch of Mil Mi-28NE 'Havoc' (Night Hunter) attack helicopters, as well as additional Mil Mi-35M 'Hind' assault helicopters, Russian state media announced on 2 July.
The first three Mi-28NE helicopters and four new Mi-35M helicopters arrived in-country aboard Antonov An-124 'Condor' transport aircraft, a military-diplomatic source reportedly told the ITAR-TASS news agency.
The report continued that all the helicopters had been delivered in a combat configuration, and were fully night-vision capable. According to Rostvertol figures recently seen by IHS Jane's , the Iraqi Army Aviation Command, which is part of the Iraqi Army and operates all the country's military helicopters, is set to receive a final total of 15 Mi-28NEs and 28 Mi-35Ms. Four of the latter are already in service.
The Mi-28N/Mi-28NE is an all-weather day-and-night anti-armour and anti-personnel attack platform that has only recently entered service with the Russian armed forces.
Similar in appearance to the Boeing AH-64 Apache, the Mi-28N is equipped with a mast-mounted, 360 o -scan, millimetre-wave radar, as well as a nose-mounted forward looking infrared (FLIR) turret. The tandem cockpit is heavily armoured to provide a high level of ballistic protection for the two crew members, and its two TV3-117VMA turbo-shaft engines provide added redundancy should either be hit by ground fire.
The Mi-28NE's weapons package includes: an under-nose, turret-mounted 2A42 30 mm cannon (with 250 rounds in side-mounted boxes); 9M114 Shturm (AT-6 'Spiral') or 9M120/9M121F Vikhr/Ataka-V (AT-12 'Swinger') air-to-surface missiles; 9M39 Igla-V (SA-16 'Gimlet') and R-73 air-to-air missiles; S-8 and S-13 rockets; and UPK-23-250V 23 mm gun pods.

The arrival of the Mi-28NEs and additional Mi-35Ms will provide an added boost to the Iraqi government's efforts to combat the Islamic State.
I remember the threat briefs we got on these helicopters (before your time young ones....look up CIA Briefs on Soviet Threat Weapons).  They were thought to be the Russian version of the Apache and a pure ground support platform.  The KA-52 was thought to be a dog fighter that would be an air to air platform to take out our attack helicopters (one of the reasons why the Super Cobra originally received Sidewinders...and of course the threat from fighters too)

Regardless.  This helicopter is a beast!

It might be similar to the Apache but its bigger and more heavily armored and armed.

Additionally it supposedly carries a pretty intense electronics suite for a helicopter and should serve the Shiite's well in their fight against the Sunni's (I have changed my designation of the "Iraqi Army"....This is a civil war and once again we're getting in the middle of a fight).

8 comments :

  1. Whats the point ?
    The Iraqi Army is just going to abandon these choppers in their shed just like they have to all their other equipment. Unless Russian pilots or trained Iranian Revolutionary Guard Air Branch Pilots are flying that thing, its another piece of equipment that will be Bought and Paid for by the Iraqi's but end used by the ISIS. If the ISIS can find pilots who can.

    Other than that, it is a nice helicoptor.

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    1. Yup, it's not worth sending top-notch equipment to then. As Sarabvir said, there is a big change of the Iraq army dudes run and leave these helicopters (and the su-25s) to ISIS

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  2. Apparently ISIS are crucifying their own now for being too moderate........

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqoJwKGEZi4

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  3. >> checks encyclopedia

    Load: 230 tons. That's a lot of helicopters.

    Well, if you Americans don't need friends to such a degree that you feed your friends to your other friends...

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  4. This should be interest to say the least. The Russians get to put their hardware right next tour Apache in real world combat for side-to-side comparison. This is better than the Paris Air Show. Also as Business Insiders point out http://www.businessinsider.com/the-us-is-sending-apache-helicopters-to-iraq-2014-7. We will have to de-conflict air space with the Russians, Iraqis and Iranians to avoid fratricide. Time to create a new Multi-National Task Force Joint Operation Center and common ATO?

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  5. Solomon the Mi-28N/NE doesn't have a radar. Only the Mi-28NM will finally have the Almaz N-025/E radar. Along with duel controls of Mi-28UB with it's new energy absorbing seats replacing the old energy absorbing seats. New lighter bullet proof glass.(same protection as the old)

    And finally a defence suite on par with the Ka-52's. Might also have more powerfull engines. And also there is talk of being in development of fire and forget ATGM missiles for the Mi-28. Though about fire and forget missiles I wouldn't hold my breath. Ka-52 still didn't get it's (due to being to expensive)

    Anyway Mi-28NM will be a beasty. Unfortunately still be behind the Ka-52 since it's upgrade is even more impressive.

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  6. Mi 28 can take 2 or 4 passenger i believe...

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  7. Russian Defense ministry getting another latest combat training helicopter named as "Mi-28UB".It has a dual control system with full functional of an attack helicopter.Russian defense planning to get nearly 45 and 67 Mi-28's in to their defence sector.Mi-28UB can fly at a maximum speed of 300km/h with a cruise speed of 270km/h.Addition of this combat training helicopter will be the boost for Russian defence.

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