Russian Ka-52 helicopter sets record for deflecting enemy missiles

During a special military operation, a Russian Ka-52 attack helicopter set a record by avoiding 18 anti-aircraft missiles in one take-off with the help of the Vitebsk complex, a military source said.

Trực thăng Ka-52 lập kỷ lục làm chệch hướng tên lửa đối phương

Ka-52 helicopter of the Russian Air Force. (Source: Sputnik)

"Currently, the record for helicopters avoiding attacks from man-portable air defense missile systems (MANPAD) during one takeoff is 18. A Russian Ka-52 helicopter deflected such a number of missiles during one sortie thanks to the Vitebsk active defense complex," Sputnik 's source said.

The source added that the helicopter returned to base undamaged. "That is why helicopter pilots call the Vitebsk complex the 'egg of immortality'. The external equipment protruding from the helicopter's fuselage looks like a bird's egg, and the defense complex itself has repeatedly saved the lives of pilots who were often targeted by enemy fire," the source said.

The Vitebsk active defense complex automatically detects anti-aircraft missile launches aimed at helicopters using ultraviolet sensors and calculates their coordinates. Then the jamming complex's suppression station blinds the homing head of the attacking missile, causing it to lose its target. The Vitebsk can suppress both electro-optical and radio homing heads.

The Vitebsk complex also includes infrared countermeasures: the Vitebsk complex will release thermal decoys to neutralize the infrared homing heads of enemy air defense missiles.

Source