Ukraine's heli fleet: Unconventional tactics against drones
Ukrainians are using their Mi-24/35 helicopters in a rather unconventional way, serving as drone hunters. One unit reportedly has at least 19 successful shootdowns. Here's how the Ukrainians achieve this.
As journalist Łukasz Michalik from Wirtualna Polska reported, Ukrainians are deploying the Mi-24 helicopters received from Poland and the Mi-35 helicopters from the Czech Republic to hunt drones. This is largely due to a shortage of appropriate anti-tank weaponry for these machines and the necessity to counter numerous Shahed drones approaching from various directions.
Helicopters travelling at speeds exceeding 300 km/h are significantly more effective than, for instance, soldiers in pickups, capable of monitoring vast areas. This capability, when combined with F-16 aircraft and Mirage 2000, significantly bolsters Ukrainian defence against drone and cruise missile strikes.
Mi-24/35 helicopters - "devil's chariots" in an unusual role
The Mi-24 helicopters have been in mass production since 1973 and have undergone numerous modifications since then, including the Mi-24V variant, known internationally as the Mi-35.
During its debut in Afghanistan, the Mi-24 earned nicknames such as "flying tank" and "devil's chariot" from the mujahideen due to its formidable armour and powerful armament. This helicopter is notable for its substantial weight for an attack helicopter, weighing 13 metric tonnes. In comparison, the AH-1Z Viper has a maximum weight of 9 metric tonnes.
Notably, the Mi-24 helicopter's crew is seated in a "titanium bathtub," offering effective protection against small arms fire and shrapnel. This is particularly useful in combating Shahed drones, as shrapnel from a drone explosion can be hazardous even hundreds of metres away.
WKM YaKB-12.7 - the main anti-drone weapon of the Mi-24/35
Depending on the version, the helicopter is armed with a four-barrel large-calibre machine gun YaKB-12.7 of 12.7×108 mm calibre, with a firing rate of 4,000-5,000 rounds per minute, or a twin-barrel GSh-30-2 cannon with a 30 mm calibre, in addition to various weapons on four pylons.
In Ukraine, these helicopters have often been seen with S-8 unguided rocket pods, bombs, or anti-tank missiles, but now the primary armament is the machine gun or cannon, with an effective range of several hundred metres.
