The updated Russian attack helicopter Mi-28NM "Night Hunter" will take part in the flight program of the MAKS-2021 international aerospace show, which will take place in July in Zhukovsky near Moscow.

This was reported by the press service of Rostec.

"The modernized Night Hunter will take part in a group flight of Russian helicopter technology, and will also perform a demonstration flight program with elements of complex aerobatics applicable in real air combat," the state corporation's website says.

"In a difficult combat situation"

As noted by experts interviewed by RT, by demonstrating the flight capabilities of the Mi-28NM at the upcoming international exhibition, Russia expects to attract the attention of potential foreign customers.

Moscow has included the countries of the Middle East, Africa and Asia in the list of top-priority potential buyers of the "Night Hunter".

On May 18, the Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov spoke about this, quoted by the press service of the Russian Helicopters holding.

As the head of the department explained, Moscow intends to promote an improved export version of the helicopter to the international market, it will integrate technical solutions implemented in the modernized Night Hunter.

“The developments on the Mi-28NM in the future will be implemented in its export version, which is of great interest both to our traditional customers, such as the countries of the Middle East, Africa and Asia, and new potential partners, because (current -

RT

) export the version of the helicopter has already confirmed its high reliability, ”Manturov said.

As a military expert, retired colonel Viktor Litovkin, predicts in an interview with RT, the success of the updated export modification of the Mi-28NE will, of course, be predetermined by the high tactical and technical characteristics of the modernized model, the deliveries of which are planned to the Russian Aerospace Forces until 2027.

In total, the army aviation of the Aerospace Forces should receive 98 new "Night Hunters".

The first batch was delivered to the military last year.

The production of the Mi-28NM is deployed at the Rostvertol enterprise (Rostov-on-Don).

The updated "Night Hunter" is quite different from the basic version of the helicopter.

The rotorcraft has a different shape of the nose of the fuselage due to the installation of a new surveillance and sighting system, which, in turn, houses the equipment for interfacing with the UAV.

The drone performs the target designation function for the helicopter or is directly controlled by the navigator.

  • Exhibition model of reconnaissance and attack helicopter Mi-28NM

  • © Russian Helicopters

In addition, the Mi-28NM is notable for enhanced protection against the destruction of enemy ammunition, the latest strike weapons, on-board equipment and a power unit.

In February 2021, in an interview with TASS, the director for international cooperation and regional policy of Rostec, Viktor Kladov, called the Mi-28NM an "incredible machine" capable of performing combat missions at any time of the day and in adverse weather conditions, while showing the highest maneuverability.

“It (Mi-28NM. -

RT

) has the best flight performance in this class of helicopters.

It has an expanded range of guided and unguided weapons, increased range of detection and destruction of targets, modern avionics, which greatly simplifies the work of the crew, "said Kladov.

In addition to traditional means of destruction, which the basic version of the helicopter is equipped with, the modernized Mi-28NM can use the first in our country multifunctional air-to-air / air-to-surface helicopter missile with a homing head.

The characteristics of this ammunition were not disclosed.

However, as follows from open data, the new missile has an increased range, which allows the crew to strike from a safe distance for themselves, that is, outside the range of the enemy's air defense systems.

Another important feature of this weapon is the ability to destroy air, land and sea targets.

The arsenal of the Mi-28NM includes a powerful anti-tank guided missile "Chrysanthemum-M" with a two-channel guidance system.

It is capable of destroying armored targets at a distance of up to 10 km in complete absence of visibility, as well as penetrating armor over 1 m thick.

Also, recently, the "Night Hunters" family has received the opportunity to use modernized "Attack" guided missiles with a laser guidance system and aerial bombs weighing up to 500 kg.

Domestic designers paid great attention to the equipment of the Mi-28NM cockpit.

It is protected from being hit by armor-piercing bullets and shells of up to 20 mm caliber.

To enhance the security of the pilots, the "Night Hunter" is equipped with an onboard laser suppression station, developed by the concern "Radioelectronic Technologies" (KRET).

The product creates false targets for enemy missiles aimed at a helicopter by means of a laser.

In the Mi-28NM, the situational awareness of pilots has been significantly improved, which became possible thanks to the installation of new avionics.

Thus, the crew of the updated "Night Hunter" uses improved night vision devices and a highly effective sighting, flight and navigation system, which differs from the previous models by the presence of "increased speed" computing facilities.

"The commander and the pilot-operator will now receive information about the environment and the operation of all systems of the vehicle in a larger volume and in a more accessible form, which will increase the situational awareness of the crew, facilitate interaction and increase the speed of decision-making in a difficult combat situation," the materials emphasize. Rostec.

Syrian experience

As the senior test pilot of the Mil and Kamov National Center for Helicopter Engineering (NCV) Sergey Maslov told RIA Novosti in an interview with RIA Novosti, the designers paid great attention to the ergonomics and comfort of the crew's workplaces when modernizing the Night Hunter.

“This helicopter makes it much easier for the pilot to navigate in the dark than on the previous model.

The car has become much more serious in digital terms, which imposes certain requirements on the flight crew.

All the new capabilities of the helicopter need to be known and understood in order to effectively use them in battle, "Maslov said.

According to the test pilot, NTsV specialists continue to work on improving the Mi-28NM.

According to him, on the improved version of the helicopter, which will retain the current name, a new carrier system will appear, which will increase the speed, range and altitude of the aircraft.

  • The Mi-28N helicopter strikes at the positions of the terrorists near Palmyra

In addition, in the coming years, the Mi-28NM will be produced with improved VK-2500P engines developed by UEC-Klimov (St. Petersburg).

The power unit has an improved automatic control system and a protection complex that restores the normal operation of the motor after stopping in the event of force majeure.

The combat experience gained in Syria played an important role in the modernization of the Night Hunter.

As the director of the Russian Helicopters holding, Andrei Boginsky, said earlier, the designers took into account the “wishes of the pilots” and the experience gained as a result of using the helicopters “in real operations”.

From the reports of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation it is known that both the basic version of the "Night Hunter" and the modernized machine were used in the Arab republic.

The attacks were carried out on various targets of terrorist groups.

According to Viktor Litovkin, the combat use in the Syrian operation has made a significant contribution to the improvement of avionics and electronic computing systems.

The Mi-28NM, according to the expert, is better able to select targets and distribute them more optimally between the crews of rotary-wing aircraft.

The key advantages of the helicopter Litovkin called the security of the crew, high-quality radars, long-range and more accurate means of destruction.

"An important innovation is that the Mi-28NM control system is now integrated into the network combat control system and, as a result, the machine can work with ground troops, aircraft, drones, reconnaissance and strike complexes, and the computing center of the operation headquarters," Litovkin emphasized.

The flight qualities of the updated "Night Hunter", according to the expert, allow him to fly at extremely low altitudes and suddenly appear in front of the enemy, taking advantage of the terrain.

Litovkin considers the modernized Russian Ka-52M Alligator to be the only serious competitor for the Mi-28NM.

This point of view is shared by the Honored Pilot of the Russian Federation, Major General Vladimir Popov.

In an interview with RT, he expressed confidence that the designers of the NTSV Mil and Kamov managed to develop "one of the world's best cars in its class."

The expert believes that the high combat qualities of the Mi-28NM are provided by a wide range of weapons, a modern aerobatic system, a digital control system, as well as the ability to perform tasks with the same efficiency at any time of the day.

“The uniqueness of this machine lies in its ability not only to deliver unexpected blows to the enemy. The Mi-28NM can conduct aerial reconnaissance, provide target designation or aerial adjustment of artillery weapons and various strike forces of the Aerospace Forces. On the whole, Russian designers have put in this helicopter very great opportunities and prospects for further development, "Popov summed up.