In order to combat the advanced main battle tanks that the West delivers to Ukraine, Russia deployed the newest attack helicopter, the Mi-28NM, equipped with Ataka missiles.
Following the announcement that Ukraine will get several contemporary tanks from the West, including Challenger 2 and Leopard from Kiev’s European allies and Abrams tanks from the US, Russia is contemplating a countermeasure.
Moscow will not logically “sit and wait” and will instead act as soon as there are rumors that Ukraine is receiving fresh shipments of military hardware.
In fact, on January 14, a few days before the choice to send tanks to Kiev, an improved Mi-28NM helicopter was found in Ukraine. Nearly 5 years ago, this variant was employed for the first time in battle in Syria.
Russia has ordered approximately 100 Mi-28NM helicopters, thus it is apparent that the country is pleased with the product. Up until 2027, they are anticipated to go into operation. However, the 9M120 anti-tank guided missile, also known as the Ataka, was found aboard a Mi-28NM early in Ukraine.
“After being “fire tested” in Syria, the Mi-28NM helicopter underwent some changes. It will therefore be able to function in actual combat situations and grow to be the Russian air force’s most potent attack helicopter at this time, according to Vadim Kozyulin, a professor at the Russian Academy of Military Sciences, who spoke on the news website rbth.com.
The Mi-28NM sports a brand-new cabin and bulletproof armor that can withstand 12.7mm rounds. For both pilots, the risk of fatality is reduced because to the bulkheads between crew members. 20mm bullets won’t penetrate the fuselage armor.
For the first time ever, the pilot and operator/navigator of a helicopter are two different crew members. The crew may parachute out of the aircraft in an emergency at an altitude of over 100 meters, and thanks to specific gadgets in the driver’s seat, jet lag is reduced at altitudes below 100 meters. Separately, the pilot’s emergency launch mechanism is also engaged.
High-precision weapons and a new artificial intelligence-based control system are used by the Mi-28NM (AI). The Mi-28NM has a payload capacity of 2,300 kg, which can accommodate a variety of weaponry, including a 30 mm Shipunov 2A42 gun, 9M120 Ataka anti-tank missile, 9M39 Igla missile,…
Under the wing of a Russian Mi-28NM helicopter in Ukraine, a 9M120 Ataka missile was found. The Russian Air Force particularly values it for its extended range of up to 25 kilometers. State tests and actual fighting with the 9M120 Ataka have taken place in Syria.
Inertial, satellite, and optical navigation are all incorporated in the 9M120 Ataka. Tanks, armored personnel carriers, and self-propelled anti-tank guns are among the heavily armored combat vehicles that the missile is specifically designed to deal with. to use tanks to combat Western aid to Ukraine. Russia has the capacity to enhance missile production.
As noted by Professor Kozyulin, the helicopter’s arsenal also consists of “drones that “commit suicide”: “The Mi-28NM approaches a specific region and discharges one or more drones under the direction of a helicopter. The team directs and oversees the destruction when an enemy target is found.”
The Mi-28NM can fly in both manual and automatic modes and function in any weather. Dual control, which allows the navigator to control the helicopter in the event of a pilot’s disability or death, is one of the significant upgrades for Mi-28NM pilots. Such a mechanism was absent from the Mi-28N’s previous iteration.
For the delivery of 98 Mi-28NM attack helicopters to the Russian military from 2020 to 2027, the Russian Helicopter Corporation stated in 2019 that it has secured a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense.
On December 30, 2022, the first two attack helicopters from the modified Mi-28NM project were handed over to the Russian Armed Forces.
