The export-oriented modification of the Mi-28NM Night Hunter two-seat reconnaissance and attack helicopter will receive guided missiles of the Chrysanthemum complex.

General designer of the Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau (KBM) Valery Kashin said this in a comment to TASS on the sidelines of the EDEX 2021 international arms exhibition.

"This weapon will be used on the Mi-28NM helicopter after the completion of the KUV (guided weapon complex. -

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)

flight test complex

as part of the helicopter ... The Chrysanthemum complex uses standard serial missiles for combat helicopters," Kashin said.

"Significant and major improvements"

Moscow views the Mi-28NM as a product for potential deliveries to the countries of the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

As the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov said in May, the export version of the vehicle will integrate technical solutions that have already been implemented in the "Night Hunter", modernized for the Russian Aerospace Forces.

“The developments on the Mi-28NM in the future will also 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 -

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

The improved "Night Hunter" differs from the base helicopter in the outlines of the nose of the fuselage - a new surveillance and sighting system is installed there, on which the equipment for interfacing with the UAV is located.

It is believed that the drone will perform the target designation function for the helicopter or be directly controlled by the navigator.

"The Mi-28NM machine has undergone significant and serious improvements, including flight performance," said the head of the Russian Helicopters holding Andrei Boginsky (now heads the Irkut corporation -

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).

The advantages of the modernized "Night Hunter" include enhanced protection against enemy ammunition, increased maneuverability, modern electronic equipment, increased target detection range, a wider range of guided and unguided weapons.

The arsenal of the Mi-28NM includes a number of new ammunition.

Among them is the Chrysanthemum anti-tank guided missile.

According to TASS, we are talking about a product under the code 9M123M (Chrysanthemum-VM complex), which is the most powerful Russian-made anti-tank guided ammunition in its class.

This missile, as an integral part of the Night Hunter's arsenal (in the Mi-28NE version), was demonstrated to the general public at the Army-2018 international military-technical forum.

It was noted that the range of the 9M123M is about 10 km.

The rocket can be used in any weather, day and night.

Detailed characteristics of the 9M123M are not publicly available.

  • Helicopter Mi-28NM

  • © JSC Russian Helicopters

Experts believe that the 9M123M is an ammunition modified by KBM specialists for use with rotary-wing vehicles.

The work was carried out on the basis of the 9M123 supersonic missile, which is part of the arsenal of the Chrysanthemum-S ground anti-tank complex.

According to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, this system is designed to destroy tanks, low-tonnage surface targets, low-flying aircraft, defensive structures, manpower in shelters and in open areas.

According to the materials of the High-Precision Complexes holding (which includes the KBM), the 9M123 ammunition is made according to the normal aerodynamic configuration.

"In the tail section of the rocket, the hardware and the drive of the rocket rudders are located, which are located in front of the nozzle block and are located perpendicular to the axis of the nozzles," the company's website says.

The length of the 9M123 is 2.3 m, the mass in the transport and launch container is no more than 62 kg, the minimum firing range is 400 m, and the maximum is at least 5 thousand m.

9M123 is equipped with a tandem cumulative warhead under the index 9N146-1, which provides penetration of armor up to 1000-1100 mm thick behind ERA.

The rocket can accelerate to about 650 m / s, and the speed of its cumulative jet reaches the order of 10-11 km / s, which makes it possible to guarantee hitting a tank, and under certain conditions, pierce it through and through. 

The ground installation is capable of firing up to four missiles per minute.

9M123 guidance is carried out automatically using a radar station (radar) or in a semi-automatic mode using a laser.

“It is important that the Chrysanthemum has two guidance channels.

The laser provides high accuracy, but is not yet sufficiently resistant to precipitation, fog, clouds and other weather conditions.

At the same time, there is no interference for the radar guidance system.

Supersonic speed also gives serious shock advantages, especially when hitting air targets, "military expert Alexei Khlopotov emphasized in a commentary on RT.

"Chrysanthemum-S" received high marks from the RF Ministry of Defense.

According to the department, the complex can fire simultaneously at two targets and counteract the interference posed by the enemy.

In addition, a platoon of Chrysanthemum-S complexes in the amount of three combat vehicles is capable of successfully repelling an attack by a tank company (14 units), destroying at least 60% of targets, according to the materials of the Ministry of Defense.

"Increase in combat potential"

According to Aleksey Khlopotov, by integrating the 9M123M into the Night Hunter's arsenal, the Russian military and KBM specialists have simplified the solution of logistics and ammunition supply issues.

“In fact, the Army Aviation and Ground Forces received a unified ammunition.

I don't think there were any problems with its development, ”the expert argues.

According to the analyst, the 9M123M will be placed on the external sling of the Mi-28NM in the same launch containers as the Vikhr and Attack missiles.

If necessary, the improved "Night Hunter" will be able to lift up to 12 9M123M ammunition - six from each side, Khlopotov says.

  • Nomenclature of weapons of the "Night Hunter"

  • RIA News

  • © Vitaly Belousov

He recalled that the Chrysanthemum missiles are adapted to engage ground and air targets.

Thus, as Khlopotov noted, the Mi-28NM is able to strike helicopters, drones and low-flying aircraft.

"Chrysanthemum" unambiguously gives the "Night Hunter" a new quality.

The helicopter can already stand up for itself against air opponents.

The increase in the combat potential of the vehicle naturally makes it more attractive to foreign customers and increases its export potential, ”Khlopotov believes.

Dmitry Drozdenko, editor-in-chief of the Arsenal of the Fatherland Internet portal, expressed a similar point of view in an interview with RT.

In his opinion, the more diverse the range of weapons that a helicopter can use, the higher its combat qualities and the more interesting it is for buyers.

“The logic is that in a theater of war there are completely different conditions, and ideally it is better to use weapons that are appropriate for each specific case.

For Chrysanthemum, for example, large targets like tanks, artillery complexes, engineering structures, where enemy firing points are located, are more suitable, ”says Drozdenko.

From his point of view, the installation of Chrysanthemum missiles will give the Mi-28NM additional advantages in range and target destruction speed.

Drozdenko believes that after the launch of the ammunition, the helicopter crew can change their position (the principle of "fire and forget") and reach a new firing line.

“The use of the Chrysanthemum with the Mi-28NM requires the installation of additional equipment on the helicopter suspension, but, in my opinion, this is not critical.

What is really important is that the "Night Hunter" is evolving, turning into a self-sufficient combat unit in the theater of operations, into a vehicle capable of firing at both land and air targets, "Drozdenko summed up.