“Night Hunter” Mi-28N is equipped with a 30mm cannon, Ataka-V anti-tank missile, Igla-V air-to-air missile, and 122mm S-13 rocket…; This is one of the best attack helicopters of the Russian army.
Equipped with powerful firepower, precision attack, and wide range, Mi-28N helicopters often work closely with special forces and Russian paratroopers in combat operations.
Mi-28N helicopters are suitable for ground attacks or escorting Russian military convoys in hot spots.
Many times, Mi-28N carried out the “free hunting” tactic on the battlefield, which Russia has been very successful in Syria.
These helicopters often fly at night.
Mi-28N’s night vision system allows pilots to see motor vehicles, including pickup trucks, at a distance of more than 15 km.
Thermal imaging optical glass enables clear target detection in the dark.
It was the night vision goggles fitted on the Mi-28N that helped the pilots stick to the target, the car was destroyed by an anti-tank guided missile.
The pilot said that the choice of weapon depends on the specific situation and the tactical features of the target.
The 80mm and 120mm Rockets are used to hit relatively large target areas, due to the explosive warheads that break the pieces with a large area of damage.
For targets such as fire posts, armored tanks, and armed vehicles, pilots use “Sturm” and “Attack” missiles due to their high accuracy and ability to hit moving targets.
Combat helicopters rarely use 30mm automatic cannons due to their close range and risk of being hit by anti-aircraft fire (guns or MANPAD missiles) from the ground.
The Mi-28 attack helicopter was developed by the ML Mil Helicopter Factory in Moscow to replace the Mi-24, serving as anti-tank and fire support for the army.
In 1996, on the basis of the Mi-28, the Mil Factory began to research and manufacture a variant capable of day and night combat Mi-28N nicknamed “Nochnoi Okhotnik”, ie “Night Hunter” (NATO call it) is Night Havoc – Night Destruction).
Mi-28N is a helicopter with a lower cost than similar foreign helicopters and has low operating costs.
Mi-28N can perform the following tasks: find and destroy enemy tanks-armor, and life force; destroy solid targets and large-area targets; lay mines; search and destroy ships; engage with the enemy’s fast and low-altitude aircraft; destroy slow-flying targets both day and night, in all weather conditions.
In May 2006, the first batch of Mi-28N was handed over to the Russian Air Force and in September 2006, this force was officially tested before handing over to combat units.
The propeller of the MI-28N is manufactured from composite, which can withstand 30 mm shells. Due to the reduction of gears of the gearbox, the driving force for the propeller increases.
Improved propeller shape, equipped with an electronic engine control system. In particular, the MI-28N is equipped with a synthetic avionics system, allowing day and night attacks, in all weather, including hurricanes of 7 and 8 at different low altitudes.
The MI-28N’s cockpit is armored, with a special windshield that allows protection against 7.62 mm, 12.7 mm bullets, or 20 mm shell fragments.
The protection system in the cockpit helps the crew to survive in the event of a malfunction during the landing process or being shot down at low altitude by the enemy.
MI-28N can carry a variety of weapons, rockets, and guided missiles, which can be mentioned as 30mm fast-firing cannons, Shturm, Akata anti-tank missiles, or Igla-V air-to-air missiles.
MI-28N’s main armament is 16 radio-guided Ataka hypersonic missiles with high anti-interference ability, with a range of up to 8 km.
Mi-28N can carry 80 80 mm S-8 rockets, 20 122 mm S-13 rockets, or 2 240 mm S-24B rockets, and 8 Igla infrared self-guided air-to-air missiles.
In addition, Mi-28N is also equipped with 2 hanging tanks UPK-23-250 fitted with 23 mm GSh-23L cannon (250 rounds), 2-4 KMGU-2 barrels containing mines and sub-bombs, ZB-500 incendiary bombs. , 250 and 500 kg bombs, passive anti-missile defense systems.
Analysts say that the power of the Mi-28N attack helicopters is very respectable, they can completely be in the same row on the power chart of attack helicopters in the world.
