Ka-52 in Russian Air Force

The Ministry of Defense has agreed on the cost of the upgraded Ka-52M helicopters. The new attack helicopters will cost over 1 billion rubles each.


The Russian military department will pay 1 billion 75 million rubles for each copy of the modernized Ka-52M helicopter. At the same time, it is specified that this is the cost of the helicopter itself, it does not include ammunition, ground equipment, spare parts and other accessories.

According to Izvestia , in fact, the cost of the new modernized Ka-52M is very close to the price for one Su-30SM multipurpose fighter, which costs 1 billion 187 million rubles, but is significantly lower than the price for one Su-35S (2 billion 287 million rubles) and Su-57 (more than 3 billion rubles).

It is emphasized that the cost of about $ 15 million per helicopter is only for the Russian army, the Ka-52M will be exported at a much higher price. Considering that the Mi-8 and Mi-15 are exported at $ 30 million per helicopter, the attack Ka-52M will be much more expensive. At the same time, it is noted that the cost of the Russian helicopter is significantly lower than that of American or European counterparts. A similar American Apache is not sold for less than $ 115 million.

The first contract for the supply of the modernized Ka-52M was signed in August this year. Under the agreement, Russian Helicopters will supply 30 new attack helicopters to the Defense Ministry during 2022-2023. In total, the military intends to receive more than a hundred Ka-52Ms by 2027, previously a figure of 144 units was called.

The Ka-52M attack helicopter was developed taking into account the operation of the Ka-52 helicopter in Syria, as well as the proposals of the flight and engineering personnel who participated in the battles. Unlike its predecessor, the Ka-52 helicopter, the modernized Ka-52M received enhanced booking, a new airborne defense system and new weapons.

https://topwar-ru.translate.goog/187724-minoborony-soglasovalo-stoimost-modernizirovannogo-vertoleta-ka-52m.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=nui

Ka-52M

Ka-52 with the new "smart" rocket pod

GarryB wrote:Interesting that the 30mm cannon shell belts seem to have a belt of one type of ammo and the front belt seems to be a mixed belt with every second round having a red tip.

The 2A42 cannon is dual feed so you could therefore select between one belt and the other... I wonder what the mixed rounds are...

Tracer

Some hovering/flying

NOTE: by the appearance of this article it would seem that the Army Aviation squadron in Armenia has replaced it's Mil.24V with Ka-52's.

Young pilots of the Erebuni Air base of the Southern Military District (SE), stationed in Armenia, have started flying in high-altitude terrain.

The servicemen underwent additional training to perform flight tasks in simple and difficult weather conditions in flat and mountainous terrain under the guidance of experienced instructors.

During the introductory course, the servicemen worked out various elements of piloting: take-off, hovering, approaches and movements near the ground, vertical descent, landing and landing over a military airfield.

Upon completion of the special course, the pilots passed tests, passed certification and received admission to perform independent flights and combat training missions in mountainous terrain.

Also, specialists of the engineering and technical staff of the compound have prepared reconnaissance and strike Ka-52 and amphibious transport Mi-8MTV-5 helicopters for winter operation.

From the beginning of the winter training period and after the flight of aircraft that have undergone routine seasonal maintenance, pilots will begin performing exercises according to the combat training program, performing various tasks for their intended purpose.

https://function.mil.ru/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12396198@egNews

GarryB wrote:Just looking at their arms catalogue for 30mm cannon shells for the Havoc and Hokum, the red tipped rounds are HEI and the all black rounds are AP.

The AP might be AP or APT, but being mixed with HEI means they are not APDS or APFSDS or they would not be mixed belts.

The way they are laid out may just be for display. If it's anything like the original Ka-50, then it had two belts to dual feed the cannon, one AP, the other HE, and they were switched via a control on the weapons console.

Ka-52 attack helicopters will enter service with the Central Military District for the first time in 2022

YEKATERINBURG, January 24. /TASS/. The Central Military District (TsVO) will for the first time receive a squadron of new Ka-52 attack helicopters by the end of 2022. This was reported to journalists by the commander of the Central Military District, Colonel-General Alexander Lapin.

"By the end of the year, in order to strengthen the combat power of the army aviation brigade stationed in the regions of the Urals, we plan to receive a squadron of new Ka-52 attack helicopters. This will be the first unit in the military district armed with this type of modern helicopters," he said.

The Ka-52 "Alligator" helicopter can provide reconnaissance of targets, target distribution and hardware target designation. The Ka-52 is equipped with visibility reduction devices, an electronic protection system and active countermeasures. A counter-rotating pair of propellers in parallel allows it to quickly maneuver into tight spaces to take advantage of an attacking position. The Ka-52 has a high crew security, modern automated systems to facilitate piloting, and is also easy to maintain on the ground.

https://tass-ru.translate.goog/armiya-i-opk/13504087?_x_tr_sl=ru&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en

Crashed Ka-52 outside Kiev.

walle83 wrote:Crashed Ka-52 outside Kiev.

I thought the ka-52 had Vitebsk DIRCM. Why wasn't this one equipped?

lyle6 wrote:Countermeasure dispensers run out eventually, I guess.

Flares are of reduced effectiveness against modern IIR seekers. Russia has fully functional DIRCM since the late 2000s, but doesn't install them on its attack helicopters. This is handicapping yourself.

limb wrote:

lyle6 wrote:Countermeasure dispensers run out eventually, I guess.

Flares are of reduced effectiveness against modern IIR seekers. Russia has fully functional DIRCM  since the late 2000s, but doesn't install them on its attack helicopters. This is handicapping yourself.

How do you know it's not installed? How does it look?

Regular wrote:

limb wrote:

lyle6 wrote:Countermeasure dispensers run out eventually, I guess.

Flares are of reduced effectiveness against modern IIR seekers. Russia has fully functional DIRCM  since the late 2000s, but doesn't install them on its attack helicopters. This is handicapping yourself.

How do you know it's not installed? How does it look?

If it was installed, it wouldn't have been shot down by any IR manpad. The damage on it was done by a proximity fuse of a manpad.

Regular wrote:

limb wrote:

lyle6 wrote:Countermeasure dispensers run out eventually, I guess.

Flares are of reduced effectiveness against modern IIR seekers. Russia has fully functional DIRCM  since the late 2000s, but doesn't install them on its attack helicopters. This is handicapping yourself.

How do you know it's not installed? How does it look?

They look like these little optical complexs around the helicopter.  Only newer Ka-52's built in the last 5 years or so got them. Any Ka-52 prior didn't get them as integrating them would require either serious work or pods which kinda is pointless.

So if these are older units, they won't have the countermeasures besides flares.

DIRCM is really expensive. Only makes sense on select aircraft which go into hot zones.

lancelot wrote:DIRCM is really expensive. Only makes sense on select aircraft which go into hot zones.

Well this was clearly a hot zone...