Russian MI 28 havoc The Mil Mi-28 (NATO reporting name of "Havoc") was a product of the Cold War designed as an anti-tank attack platform similar in scope and function to the American Hughes AH-64 Apache series. As in the Apache, the Mi-28 featured an armored tandem-seat, stepped cockpit for a pilot and weapons officer, a chin-mounted turreted cannon and wingstubs along the fuselage sides for various munitions options - rockets and anti-tank missiles. The Mi-28 system was on the drawing boards by early 1980 and flew in head-to-head competition trials with the Kamov-inspired single-seat, twin-rotor Ka-50 design. Though the eventual loser in the trials, the Mi-28 was still accepted for continued development and entered serial production in 1987 as the "Mi-28A" - being formally debuted to the public in the Paris Air Show of 1989. Though production for the initial mark did not last long (primarily due to its daytime-only operational status), the system was evolved in the Mi-28N day-night attack system (identified by the addition of a radome over the main rotor mast). Development of this new breed was slow as priority was still handed to the Ka-50 series and defense budgets were terribly slashed after the fall of the Soviet Empire in 1991. However, due to the fall of the Soviet Union, the much-limited Ka-50 series began giving ground to the multi-role qualities of the Mi-28 which eventually superseded the Ka-50 as the standard Russian attack helicopter in the post-Cold War world. The proved more adaptable to the ever-changing conditions of the modern battlefield of the time, were more conventional in their two-crew arrangement and were less expensive to produce in the numbers required. After the protracted development of the new day-night Mi-28N ("Night Hunter"), an official introduction to the inventory of the Russian Air Force service occurred on October 15th, 2009. The Mi-28 and Ka-50 have since been fielded side-by-side, interestingly both now representing the Russian standard attack helicopter. The Russian Army received their first Mi-28Ns in 2006 as a replacement for their aging Mi-24 Hinds in the dedicated attack role. The Havoc features a distinct elongated nose design which houses the required electronics suite. The crew of two (pilot in rear with the gunner in front) sit in tandem in a fully-armored framed cockpit capable of handling small arms fire up to 14.5mm in nature. The pilot (rear) benefits from the use of an advanced helmet-mounted display. Interestingly, piloting controls are not made redundant in the aft cockpit in an effort to promote strict concentration from either crewmember in his respective cockpit. Power is derived from 2 x Klimov-brand turboshaft engines driving a five-blade main rotor and a four blade tail rotor (facing starboard) while generating 2,200 horsepower each. Interestingly enough, despite its classification of "attack helicopter", the Mi-28 Havoc features a three-person passenger compartment just aft of the main cockpit (similar to the larger Cold War-era Mil Mi-24 "Hind" series helicopters). However, this compartment is intended moreso as a rescue feature for downed airmen than for the transporting armed combatants into battle. Base armament of the helicopter is a powered underslung 30mm Shipunov 2A42 Autocannon in a chin mounting while wingstubs provide four hardpoints for anti-tank missiles, rocket pods and gunpods as required. The Havoc can, therefore, engage soft and hard targets at ease. The undercarriage is fixed and consists of two main landing gear legs at front and a tail wheel at the rear. Overall design includes the forward-set armored cockpit, engines fitted high amidships, a long-running empennage housing the tail rotor shaft and a vertical tail fin capping the end of the aircraft. PRIMARY Focus Model: Mil Mi-28N (Havoc) Origin: Russia Manufacturer: Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant - Soviet Union / Russian Helicopters - Russia Service Entry: 2009 Production Total: 126 Crew: 2 STRUCTURAL Length: 55.81 ft (17.01 m) Width: 56.43 ft (17.20 m) Height: 15.42ft (4.70 m) Weight (Empty): 18,960 lb (8,600 kg) Weight (MTOW): 25,353 lb (11,500 kg) POWER Powerplant: 2 x Klimov TV3-117VMA turboshaft engines developing 2,200 horsepower each while driving a five-bladed main rotor and four-bladed tail rotor. PERFORMANCE Maximum Speed: 199 mph (320 kmh; 173 kts) Maximum Range: 684 miles (1,100 km) Service Ceiling: 19,029 ft (5,800 m; 3.6 miles) Rate-of-Climb: 2,680 feet-per-minute (817 m/min) ARMAMENT Hardpoints: 4 Armament Suite: STANDARD: 1 x 30mm Shipunov 2A42 cannon in chin mounting. American apache 64 The Apache is a twin-engined army attack helicopter developed by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing). It entered service with the US Army in 1984 and has been exported to Egypt, Greece, Israel, the Netherlands, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the UK. "The Apache was first used in combat in 1989." The US Army has more than 800 Apaches in service, and more

• published: 07 Apr 2016
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