Revealing details about the Ka-52 helicopter that is 'causing a storm' of the Russian army

Russia's Ka-52 Alligator combat helicopter is a serious threat to enemy troops, writes the US news site Business Insider.

Ka-52 - chiếc trực thăng ‘gây bão’ của quân đội Nga

Ka-52 Alligator - the powerful helicopter of the Russian army. (Source: TASS)

"Russian Ka-52 helicopters have become a headache for the Ukrainian military during the summer counteroffensive in southern Ukraine. In June, the British Ministry of Defense said Moscow had increased its attack helicopter force and the following month said the helicopters had arrived and "become one of the most influential weapons in the conflict zone," the article said.

Western officials and intelligence experts say the ATACMS air defense systems being delivered to Kiev will force the Russian command to withdraw operations and vulnerable military facilities away from the front line. However, it should be noted that despite the new military supplies to Ukraine, the Ka-52 still poses a significant threat.

The Ka-52 Alligator is the world's only mass-produced combat helicopter with an ejection seat system. In addition, the helicopter has an armored cabin. These two factors, combined with a redundant control system with two crew members, make the Ka-52 the safest helicopter in the world.

The Kamov Ka-52 Alligator helicopter began development in 1994; the first Ka-52 version was unveiled in 1997 and entered serial production in 2008. However, due to budget constraints, the helicopter was only produced on a small scale. By 2012, only 30 helicopters had been delivered to the Russian armed forces. By 2017, the Russian military had 90 of these helicopters, and by 2020, this number had reached 127. The Ka-52 has been exported to Egypt, and Algeria is said to have ordered 12.

The Ka-52 uses a battlefield combat management system that can exchange data with Ka-52 helicopters or other helicopters in the combat area, performing tasks as an airborne command post for a group of helicopters through the ability to detect targets and coordinate the attack activities of each helicopter in the group.

The helicopter is equipped with a side-mounted 30mm cannon, 6 external attachment points allowing to carry various weapons such as Vikhr, Vikhr-M anti-tank missiles, Igla-V air-to-air missiles, rocket launchers and bombs.

When performing anti-tank and anti-armor missions, the Ka-52 can carry 12 Vikhr missiles with a range of up to 10km and can penetrate thick armor, capable of defeating even the best protected main battle tanks.

The Kamov Ka-52 Alligator costs about $16 million and is being used extensively by the Russian military in special military operations in Ukraine.

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