Russia confirms loss of Mi‑28 helicopter after Ukrainian strike
Russia has lost another one of its helicopters. A Mi-28 was taken down in an encounter with a Ukrainian drone, which struck the aircraft on August 6 in the Kursk region. According to the Aviation Service on its Facebook channel, Russia has confirmed the loss of the crew. The pilot of the aircraft was reportedly killed, and the navigator was injured. What is known about Mi-28 helicopters?
On Tuesday, August 6, at approximately 11 AM ET, Russia lost at least two helicopters. Among them was a Ka-52 and the aforementioned Mi-28 attack helicopter. Videos and images from the impact indicate that a drone struck it in the rear fuselage. The attack is most likely the work of Ukrainian soldiers from the M2 Special Operations Center of the SBU.
Russia loses more helicopters
The Mi-28 (NATO code "Havoc") is a Russian twin-seat attack helicopter built in a tandem arrangement. This means the navigator or co-pilot sits directly behind the pilot. The machine was developed because the Russians wanted their own equivalent of the globally renowned American Apache helicopters.
Design work on the Mi-28 began in the early 1980s, and the first prototype flew in 1982. However, the program for these helicopters was discontinued as Russian authorities chose the Ka-50 to serve as the Russian army's light combat helicopter. The program was resumed in 2008 when the Russians began working on the Mi-28N.
The Mi-28N version was introduced to the Russian army in 2009. It differs from its prototype in that it installs a radar in an oval housing above the main rotor, among other things. The machine also has a thermal camera and a laser rangefinder. Interestingly, the Mi-28N is powered by two Klimov TV3-117VMA-SB3 engines (each with 3,350 HP), produced by the Ukrainian company Motor Sich until 2016. However, in 2016, they were replaced by another Russian engine - the WK-2500.
The Mi-28N has a length of over 56 feet, a height of almost 13 feet, and its rotor diameter is 56.4 feet. The maximum take-off weight of the helicopter is estimated at 25,353 pounds, and the maximum payload it can carry is 5,181 pounds. This Russian attack helicopter can move at speeds exceeding 186 mph, and its range is approximately 286 miles. The primary armament of the Mi-28N is the 2A42 30 mm automatic cannon.
