Attack helicopter
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Apparently the Mil Mi-28 Havoc attack helicopter's design was not as successful as the Ka-50 Hokum
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Despite its reported defeat by the Ka-50 Hokum, Mil received an order for a small batch of the Mi-28 Havoc combat helicopters from the Russian armed forces and continues to actively market the type. Currently a total of 24 Mi-28N attack helicopters are in service with the Russian Army. Some sources report that the Mi-28 is also in service with Kenya. In 2013 Iraq ordered 10 of these helicopters, while Algeria 42.
The first of four prototypes made its maiden flight on 10 November 1982. The third and fourth prototypes were completed to Mi-28A standard with uprated engines exhausting via downward-inclined diffusers. The fourth production-standard prototype also had a moving, gyro-stabilized, undernose electro-optical sensor turret and wing-tip pods carrying electronic counter measures and chaff dispensers.
The Mi-28 has a conventional helicopter gunship layout with the pilot in the rear and gunner in front. It is armed with a 30-mm trainable cannon housed in a turret under the nose. Twin 150-round ammunition boxes are co-mounted to traverse, elevate and depress with the gun itself. A total of 300 rounds are carried. The gun is identical to that of Russian BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle and uses the same ammunition. This gunship can also carry two pods with 80-mm unguided rockets and 16 anti-tank guided missiles.
It is claimed that this helicopter can not be defeated by a single short-range anti-aircraft missile. Crew compartment is well armored. It withstands hits from 12.7-mm armor-piercing rounds and 20-mm HE-FRAG rounds.
The Mi-28's cockpit is compatible with night vision goggles; the pilot has a head-up display and one CRT on which TV imaging can be displayed. The primary sensor package comprises the optical sights and laser rangefinder in an undernose turret. The crew are protected by energy-absorbing seats and an emergency escape system allows the crew to escape safely by parachute. A hatch in the port side, to the rear of the wing, gives access to the avionics compartment and a space large enough to accommodate two or three passengers during a combat rescue.
In 1994 Russian army funding allowed modification of the first Mi-28A prototype to Mi-28N configuration. This introduced a mast-mounted MMW Kinzhal V or Arbalet radar, composite rotor blades, forward-looking infra-red, an electronic flight instrumentation system cockpit, improved armament options including Igla air-to-air missiles and uprated TV3-117VK engines. The Mi-28N made its first flight in April 1997. Production commenced in 2005. Deliveries of the Mi-28N attack helicopters to the Russian Army began in 2006. However officially it was accepted to service only in 2013.
The Mi-28NE Night Hunter is an export version. Iraq ordered 10 of these attack helicopters. Algeria ordered 42 of these helicopters.
Mi-28UB is a combat trainer helicopter. It is based on the Mi-28N. It can be used for pilot training, however this helicopter retains full combat capability.
Mil also proposes a variant of the Mi-28 for support of amphibious naval assaults.
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