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A new version of the Mi-28UB “Night Hunter” - a modern attack helicopter - will be transported to Russia’s air base in Syria in the coming weeks. The war machine’s manufacturers are keen to test its modified armor and missiles on the front line. A military industrial source told RBTH this: “Russian Helicopters [corporation] strengthened the helicopter’s front armor and enhanced its ‘brains.’ ” So in the very near future, an advanced version of the “battle bird” will be carrying out search and destroy missions against ISIS in the Middle East. One of the chopper’s new features gives full control...

Russia’s Mil Mi-28N “Night Hunter” (NATO reporting name: Havoc or Havoc-B) attack helicopter took to the skies for the first time on November 14, 1996. Nineteen years later, the attack helicopter joined the Russian air task force in Syria, which is fighting militants of the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra organizations (outlawed in Russia) on the invitation of Syrian authorities. In particular, the Russian Defense Ministry posted a video on its official channel in the YouTube, showing a Night Hunter helicopter destroying terrorists’ armor. Russia is currently developing the helicopter’s new modification, Mi-28NM, taking into account the Syrian experience. As...

The latest, upgraded, version of Russia’s Mi-28H “Night Hunter” helicopter gunship will be virtually invulnerable to enemy fire, Zvezda TV reported. Even though it looks much like its predecessor, the Mi-28NM “Super Hunter” boasts the latest and most innovative materials available and is armed with the most advanced active defense systems money can buy. The “Super Hunter” is also equipped with circular-view radar previously installed on export models only. However, according to the makers of “Super Hunter”, the NO25E radar offers a notable improvement over even the export-oriented unit. Another thing making the souped-up Mi-28NM so special is its unique...

MOSCOW --- The prototype of the newest Mi-28NM (M stands for upgraded, Modernizirovanny) combat helicopter has been delivered to the Lyubertsy-based flight-test center of the Moscow Helicopter Plant named after M. Mil (a subsidiary of Russian Helicopters holding), according to open sources. Hence, the flight trials of the rotor-wing aircraft will likely take place in the Moscow Region. The Rostov Helicopter Plant (Rostvertol, a subsidiary of Russian Helicopters holding) produced the demonstrator in 2015. Mi-28NM is known to be equipped with new above rotor-based N025 radar and advanced rotor blades to increase the helicopter’s maximum flight speed. The chin-mounted weapon...

The Iraq defense ministry reported that Mil-28N attack helicopters received recently from Russia played an important part in the recent recapture of Fallujah and Ramadi from Islamic State or Daesh. Iraq is the first export customer for the Mi-28NE, having bought 15 of them as part of a package worth more than $1billion that was agreed in 2012, and that also included 28 Mi-35 attack helicopters. Iraq received the first of 11 factory-standard Mi-28NEs in 2014. The remaining four are improved Mi-28NME night-fighting versions additionally equipped with a mast-mounted radar and dual flight controls, for two pilots in tandem seating...

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to the report, the Rostvertol plant, which is part of the Russian Helicopters company, delivered 14 Mi-26 heavy cargo helicopters in 2012-2014 and six of these helicopters in 2015, and the plant has foreign orders for upgraded Mi-26T2 helicopters in 2016-2018. "Mi-28NE attack helicopters and multirole Mi-35M helicopters are in constant demand on the internal and external markets: about 140 units were delivered in 2012-2014, and 28 helicopters were delivered in 2015. The expected volume of deliveries for 2016-2018 may amount to over 120 helicopters," the report, obtained by RIA Novosti, reads. The Mi-28NE is a...

The Mi-28 attack helicopter was developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War as an answer to America's AH-64 Apache. Nicknamed "Havoc" by NATO, it was designed to kill NATO tanks and armored vehicles. As such, the Havoc needed to be able to take hits—even to the cockpit—and keep flying. Despite the similarity between the Havoc and the Apache, we're pretty sure that American helicopter designers didn't test the Apache's armored cockpit by shooting machine guns at it—with people inside. Yes, as the video shows, Soviet designers actually put a person inside a mock Mi-28 Havoc, then fired a...

A Russian Aerospace Forces Mi-28N Havoc helicopter crashed near the city of Homs in Syria, killing both pilots, the Russian Defense Ministry’s press service reported Tuesday. "According to a report from the crash site, the helicopter was not shot down, the press service's statement said." The crash occurred at 22:29 GMT on Monday. “Two crewmembers were killed. The bodies of the dead pilots were removed [from the crash site] during search and rescue operations and are currently at the Hmeymim Airbase." According to the ministry, the reasons behind the crash are yet to be determined. A task force has been...

Russia can ramp up its military presence in Syria “in hours” if need be, Vladimir Putin has said in an apparent warning to anyone considering taking advantage of his decision to withdraw forces from the country. Mr. Putin made the comments as he addressed more than 700 servicemen who have completed tours of duty in the Kremlin on Thursday afternoon. […] The comments are bound to fuel suspicions about the true nature of the Russian withdrawal in Western capitals. Despite declaring the mission over, Mr. Putin has previously made clear that substantial garrisons will remain in Syria at the Hmeymim...

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia will deliver 40 Mi-28NE attack helicopters to Algeria in line with a bilateral contract, Interfax news agency said on Friday, quoting a source in Russia's arms exporting bodies. The Mi-28 helicopter, dubbed "Night Hunter" by the Russian military, is said by arms experts to be among the best in the world in its class. It is capable of carrying out missions day and night and in most adverse weather conditions. The Mi-28NE modification is equipped with a dual-control system, which allows to fly the helicopter both from the pilot's cockpit and from the cockpit of the...

KA-52 via Fedor Leukhin/Wikicommons Russia says that its pullout from its air base in Syria will be complete in just two or three more days, but it is leaving behind a more potent attack helicopter force than what was ever there before. Both the Mi-28 and the KA-52 attack helicopters have been spotted around the base within the last 24 hours. Here’s why the Kremlin is upping its combat helicopter capability just as it is pulling its fixed wing fighter and attack aircraft. Mi-28s in action. Photo credit Yevgeny Volkov/wikicommons Throughout Russia’s military involvement in the Syrian conflict it has...

Russia says that its pullout from its air base in Syria will be complete in just two or three more days, but it is leaving behind a more potent attack helicopter force than what was ever there before. Both the Mi-28 and the KA-52 attack helicopters have been spotted around the base within the last 24 hours. Here’s why the Kremlin is upping its combat helicopter capability just as it is pulling its fixed wing fighter and attack aircraft.

Helicopters came into being after the major wars of the 20th century were fought. The helicopter had neither the altitude nor speed to work in either of the world wars fought in the last century. But the helicopter has come into its own, with a number of advantages over attack jet aircraft, as a means of battle support. Historic insight The Soviet Union built two attack helicopters in the 1980Â’s. Two Soviet design bureaus, Mil and Kamov, built them as a counter to the American AH-64. Test results till the end of the 80s showed the single-seater Ka-50, built on...

Night Hunter: An all-new combat helicopter January 17, 2012 Vladimir Podymov, Military-Industrial Review Mi-28N, also called the Night Hunter, may have lost the Indian tender, but is brimming with ambitious plans to upgrade this all-season combat machine and conquer new markets The global market for helicopter machinery is one of the biggest in both the civil and military segments, and customers are very demanding. A striking example of the fierce competition in this market is the Indian defence ministry’s recent international tender for 22 attack helicopters. Although New Delhi is Russia’s strategic partner in military and technical cooperation, India gave...

Rosvertol seeks Algeria Mi-28 export deal Russia's Rosvertol attack helicopter producer said on Monday it is in talks with Algeria over exports of its Mi-28NE for delivery from 2012-2017. "A commercial proposal has already been sent [to Algiers] and discussions will begin this year," Rosvertol General Director Boris Slyusar said. "We hope to sign a contract for delivery in 2012-2017." Rosvertol is the attack helicopter arm of the state-owned Russian Helicopters holding company. If successful, the deal will be the second export sale of the night-capable Mi-28NE, which is currently being introduced to the Russian armed forces. Venezuela ordered 10...

Mi-28 helicopter gunship crashes in south Russia A Mil Mi-28 Night Hunter attack helicopter crashed in southern Russian region of Stavropol injuring two crew members, a police source told RIA Novosti. The crash took place at 10.40 am Moscow time on Tuesday [07.40 GMT], three kilometers from the village of Praskovye in the Budyennovsk district. "According to preliminary information, the engine gearbox broke and the crew decided to carry out an emergency landing," the source said. "The aircraft crashed cabin-first into the ground." The injured crew members, one of whom was knocked out in the crash, were hospitalized. The Mi-28N...

US, Russia in race for IAF attack choppers deal Manu Pubby Posted online: Sat Jun 26 2010, 04:00 hrs New Delhi : The US and Russia will face off for the deal to supply the Indian Air Force crucial attack choppers after two major competitors from Europe pulled out citing technical reasons. The mainstay attack helicopters of the two countries will arrive in India within two months and will be put through several rounds of gruelling tests. What has left many surprised is that Eurocopter’s Tiger and Agusta’s A129 Mangusta have pulled out of the estimated $600 million contest and...

MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti military commentator Ilya Kramnik) - A Turkish military delegation has come to Russia to discuss the possible acquisition of Mi-28 attack helicopters. This is not the first time the two countries have discussed cooperation. In the 1970s and the early 1980s, Turkey bought 32 used AH-1P/S Cobra attack helicopters in the United States and later upgraded them to the AH-1F specifications. The Turkish army still has 23 AH-1P/S Cobras. However, Turkish military authorities started thinking about replacing them in the mid-1990s. During the subsequent tender they considered several models of combat helicopter, including the Ka-50-2 Erdogan, a...

ROSTOV-ON-DON, April 21 (RIA Novosti) - The first six Mi-28N Night Hunter attack helicopters have been delivered to Russia's North Caucasus military district, a military source said on Tuesday. "The first six Mi-28N helicopters have been put in service with combat units [in North Caucasus]," the source told RIA Novosti, without specifying the schedule for further deliveries. The Mi-28N is the latest modification of the Mi-28 attack helicopter, manufactured by the Rostvertol plant in southern Russia. It has been designed to conduct hunter-killer missions against main battle tanks, helicopters, ground forces, and armor in any weather conditions. The Night Hunter...

New Russian Mi-28NE Attack Helicopter Offered For Export (Source: Rostvertol; issued Nov. 17, 2006) The Rostov Helicopter Production Complex Rostvertol plc is showing the export version of a new Russian attack helicopter Mi-28N at the Airshow China-2006 held in China. “The Rostvertol is active in the serial-production programme for the Mi-28NE. This aircraft is already known in many countries as the Night Hunter. Its NATO designation is Havoc. Today, we are offering the Mi-28NE for the supply to China and other countries”, Vadim Barannikov, deputy director-general of Rostvertol said. He told that last September acceptance tests were completed of a...