The real armed helicopter was born in the 1950s The former Soviet Union was named "Mi-4 Hound". Since then, armed helicopters have been an indispensable and important equipment in modern warfare. They can cover ground troops in combat, attack ground armor, and carry aviation cannons, rockets and missiles. , can form strong fire coverage, and armed helicopters are also the natural enemies of modern main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles. At the same time, most armed helicopters now have multi-purpose capabilities, whether they are the navy, army, air force, or special operations forces Will be equipped.

In this issue, we will take stock of the six most powerful armed helicopters in the world for the military fans, among which the Russian model has the most.

1. AH-64 "Apache" armed helicopter (USA)

An armed helicopter developed by the United States in the late 1970s, it is also one of the main armed helicopters of the US military, the West and NATO. The "Apache" made its first flight in September 1975, and was officially equipped with the US military in 1986. With its excellent performance, rich practical experience, and outstanding record, it has been one of the world's advanced armed helicopters to this day. , and the "Apache" armed helicopter has also derived AH-64A, AH-64B, AH-64C, AH-64D and AH-64E as overseas versions.

The power system of the "Apache" armed helicopter:

It is equipped with two T-700-GE-701 turboshaft engines produced by General Dynamics. The maximum flight speed is 365 kilometers per hour, the power is 1510 horsepower, and it can be overloaded to 1698 horsepower, and continues to output for 30 minutes.

If one of the engines is damaged during combat, the remaining one can continue to work with 1,723 horsepower to ensure that combat missions can continue.

Later in the 1990s, there were 604 "Apache" AH-64A models. The engines were replaced with T-700-GE-701C enhanced engines, and the horsepower was increased to 1800, which can be increased to 1940 horsepower after overloading.

Weapon system part of the "Apache" armed helicopter:

One ​​M-216 type, 19-unit 70mm "Sea Serpent" rocket launcher nest, or M-260 type 7-unit 70mm rocket launcher can be mounted on both sides of the wing. Ejection launch nest. In addition to rockets, a set of 4-unit AGM114 "Hellfire" anti-tank missiles are also mounted on both sides.

The front of the nose is equipped with an M-260E1 30mm single-barrel chain gun, which is derived from the M242 25mm cannon on the M2 "Bradley" infantry fighting vehicle. Come, the rate of fire is 625 rounds per minute, the muzzle velocity is 808 meters per second, and the ammunition reserve is 1,200 rounds. It can fire M789 high-explosive armor-piercing dual-purpose anti-personnel rounds, which can target weak parts of light armored vehicles and main battle tanks. To carry out damage, it can also launch LW-30 high-explosive armor-piercing dual-purpose ammunition, which can kill soft targets on the ground.

The "Apache" armed helicopter is equipped with the world's most advanced observation system and fire control system. The driver's position also has an AAQ-11 pilot night vision system, and the gunner also has a dedicated Optical aiming instruments, daytime TV projectors, and laser calibration instruments, etc.

The "Apache" armed helicopter has a combat strength that cannot be ignored in modern warfare, especially in the Afghanistan War, the Kosovo War, and the Iraq War. All have very outstanding performances.

2. Ka-52 "Alligator" armed helicopter (Russia)

The Ka-52, evolved from the Ka-50 armed helicopter, made its first flight in June 1997. It was officially equipped with the Russian Army Aviation Force in 2011, and the Ka-50 and Ka-52 52 all use coaxial counter-rotating twin rotors and side-by-side two-seats. This design is completely different from the "Mi" series armed helicopters, and this double-row seat method has also been applied to the Su-34 fighter-bomber.

Compared with the previous Ka-50 armed helicopter, the Ka-52 has been optimized in terms of combat equipment, electronic equipment, and the number of weapons and ammunition carried. The most important thing is that the Ka-52 The overall performance and combat capability of the armed helicopter can compete with the world's most powerful "Apache" AH-64 armed helicopter.
The power system of the Ka-52 armed helicopter:

It is equipped with two TB3-117BM turboshaft engines, each with a power of 1660 kilowatts and a maximum flight speed of 350 kilometers per hour. The two engines are located far apart. Because it takes into account the risk of being hit by one ammunition at the same time and two engines during combat.

In order to improve the survival rate, steel plate protection is also installed near the engine, as well as a dust and sand prevention device to prevent sand or foreign matter from entering the engine and causing unnecessary failures. An infrared suppressor is also installed at the exhaust port to reduce the level of infrared radiation from the engine.
Weapon system part of Ka-52 armed helicopter:

There are 4 weapon racks on both sides of the fuselage, which can install 4 B-8 rocket launch nests. The launch nest can carry 80 S-8 rockets, and can also be installed 12 laser-guided, air-to-ground dual-purpose missiles with a range of 8,000 to 10,000 meters can also penetrate 900 mm thick steel armor and can effectively deal with ground armor. The two short wings are also equipped with jamming devices, which can interfere with the enemy's infrared tracking missile's attack direction, interfere with the locking position, and trigger jamming bombs at close range.

The Ka-52 does not install a cannon on the front of the nose like a traditional armed helicopter, but its cannon is installed on the right side of the bottom of the fuselage. A 2A42 Type 30mm cannon with 280 rounds of ammunition.

In addition to these, in response to different combat environments, the fuselage can also be equipped with AA-8 "Moth" or AA-11 "Archer" air-to-air missiles, VB-23 type in advance 57mm rocket launcher nest, or FAB-50 aerial bomb, it can be said that the firepower of the Ka-52 armed helicopter is very fierce.

The Ka-52 armed helicopter also uses a large number of composite materials, and its appearance can absorb radar echoes, reducing the chance of being discovered by enemy radar. It is also protected by armor materials around and at the bottom of the fuselage. The Ka-52 is basically armed to the teeth.

In addition to Russia's own use of this type of helicopter, the Ka-52 "Alligator" helicopter is also exported to Kazakhstan, Belarus, Azerbaijan and other regions.

3. AH-1 series armed helicopters (USA)

An armed helicopter developed by the United States in the mid-1960s and entered service in 1967. The initial model participated in the Vietnam War. Its main job at that time was to provide fire support for ground troops and to attack enemy ground armor. From research and development to the present, the AH-1 series of armed helicopters has been continuously improved and derived into a variety of different models, including the AH-1Z "Viper", AH-1W "Super Cobra", AH-1F, etc., in addition to the US military In addition to being still in use, it is also used in Turkey, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Arabia and other regions.

The power system of the AH-1 series armed helicopters:

AH-1F type, equipped with An AVCO T53-L-703 turboshaft engine with a power of 1,300 kilowatts and a maximum flight speed of 277 kilometers per hour.

AH-1W type,It is equipped with two T700-GE-401 engines with a power of 1,300 kilowatts, and the maximum flight speed is 352 kilometers per hour.

AH-1Z type,It is equipped with two T700-GE-401C enhanced turboshaft engines with a power of 1350 kilowatts. The maximum flight speed is 378 kilometers per hour and can adjust the dive. speed and regular flight speed.

Weapon systems of the AH-1 series armed helicopters:

All models are equipped withM197 3-tube 20mm Gatling "Vulcan" The machine gun has an ammunition reserve of 1,500 rounds and a rate of fire of 750 rounds per minute. It can also adjust 16 rounds of burst fire to accurately strike a single armored target.

Weapon parts on both sides of the fuselage:

AH-1F type,A 14-tube 70mm rocket launcher is installed on both sides, and 4 infrared pursuit missile launchers are mounted on both sides, carrying a total of 8 missiles.

AH-1W type, hang 1 on each side of the fuselage 19-tube LAU-61A 70mm rocket launcher, which can launch Hydra 70 rockets. Depending on the For combat missions, a 4-unit LAU-10A rocket launcher can be mounted on both sides of the fuselage, which can launch 127 mm "Zuni" rockets and carry a total of 8 rounds of ammunition.

In long-range operations, it can also carry BGM-71 towed missiles, AGM- 114N Hellfire missiles, and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.

AH-1Z type, has a larger weapon rack space. Each side can carry 8 AGM-114A "Hellfire" anti-tank missiles or 16 AGM-114F "Hellfire" anti-ship missiles. In addition, 19 70mm rocket launchers can be mounted on both sides. Bomb types also include white phosphorus bombs, LUU-2A illumination bombs, MK77 incendiary bombs, smoke screen bombs, anti-personnel bombs and high-explosive bombs.

In addition, the "Longbow" millimeter wave radar can also be installed on the right wing tip of the fuselage It can launch all-weather AGM-114L missiles and is also equipped with advanced AP Kilowatt S70mm laser-guided rockets.

The empty weight of the AH-1F type is 2993 kg, and that of the AH-1W type The empty weight is 4953 kg, and the empty weight of the AH-1Z is 5580 kg. Taken together, among the AH-1 series armed helicopters, the AH-1Z "Viper" is the strongest.

4. Mi-28 "Havoc" armed helicopter (Russia)

The Mi-28 armed helicopter was developed by the Mili Design Bureau in the former Soviet Union in the early 1980s. It first flew in 1982 and was officially equipped with the Soviet Army Aviation Force in 1987. In 1995 Years later, based on the original basis of the Mi-28, the Mi-28H and Mi-28N were derived, which have been used as one of the main equipment of the Russian Army Aviation Force to this day, and have been continuously improved over the years.

Power system of Mi-28 armed helicopter:

It is equipped with two TV3-117 turboshaft engines manufactured by the Klimov Design Bureau. The maximum flight speed is 350 kilometers per hour, and the two engines are far apart. A bulletproof steel plate is installed nearby, and the engine air inlet also has a deflector to prevent sand and foreign matter from entering the engine. It is also designed to be waterproof and anti-freezing to increase the helicopter's survival rate.
The main fuel tank can carry 1,900 liters of fuel inside, and 4 auxiliary fuel tanks can be mounted externally, each of which can hold 600 liters of fuel.
Weapon system of Mi-28 armed helicopter:

An improved 2A42 30mm cannon is installed on the front of the nose, with an ammunition capacity of 600 rounds. It is the same as the artillery on the BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle. Air-to-ground attack, or air-to-air attack, with a rate of fire of 300 rounds per minute.

16 AT-6 wireless guided anti-tank missiles or two 20-round 80mm rocket launchers can be mounted on both sides of the wings. The new model Mi-28 can also be mounted It carries 16 AS-14 anti-tank missiles, has a range of 800 meters to 6,000 meters, and can accurately hit the target. In addition to these, you can also choose 130mm large rockets and 8 air-to-air missiles according to the mission.

The avionics system part includes fire control radar, forward-looking infrared system, optical targeting system, Doppler automatic navigation system, day and night mode system and gun missile fire control system. The fuselage is equipped with a radar sensor that can detect the incoming and distance position of enemy missiles, and can automatically trigger or manually trigger the infrared jamming system.

In terms of actual combat, the Mi-28 "Havoc" has multi-purpose capabilities and can strike at ground armored targets and buildings more accurately. Its combat capabilities are better than those of the Mi-24 "Female" at the time. "Deer" is more advanced and has stronger rapid response capabilities and deployment capabilities.

5. "Tiger" armed helicopter (EU)

An armed helicopter jointly developed by Germany and France in the 1980s. It had a successful test flight in 1991, entered military service in 2003, and became one of the most common armed helicopters in the European Union and Australia. As a NATO camp, in addition to being equipped with the "Apache" AH-64, the second type is the "Tiger" armed helicopter. The most used ones are especially Germany, France, Spain and Australia.
Power aspects of the "Tiger" armed helicopter:

Install two MTR309 turbine engines with a power of 1285 horsepower, with a maximumflight speed of 322 kilometers per hour. In order to better protect the driver, if the engine is shot, even after all the lubricating oil leaks, it can continue to operate for 30 minutes, ensuring that the pilot has sufficient time to make an emergency landing on the ground, and the fuel tank adopts a self-sealing design. If the fuel tank After being shot, the impact of the explosion can be reduced through the gas buffer of the internal device, which has a relatively high safety factor.

In addition, the "Tiger" helicopter also has the ability to prevent nuclear explosions, chemicals, pollution, and electromagnetic pulses. In order to reduce infrared signals, the engine exhaust port is equipped with The cooling device and the exhaust port facing upward can reduce the locking probability of infrared missiles.

Weapons of the "Tiger" armed helicopter:

Both cannons and external weapons have a modular design, and different specifications of equipment can be selected according to different combat missions.

A 12.7mm 4-barrel rotary machine gun can be installed in front of the nose, orGIAT M781 30mm single Tube cannon. On both sides of the fuselage, 22 SNEB-type 68mm rockets, French-made Mistral twin air-to-air missiles, HOT3 anti-tank missiles, or Spike-ER anti-tank missile, and cooperated with the advanced fire control system, has a high hit rate.

No matter what model of "Tiger" armed helicopter, it will be equipped with a SMAF "God of Hell" observation instrument and integrated infrared charge-coupled element. There is also a 30×40 degree infrared detector on the front of the nose, with all-weather capabilities. Ability, the fuselage itself can also reduce the probability of infrared locking. It is called the most powerful armed helicopter in Europe, but because it is a joint venture product, the cost of the "Tiger" armed helicopter is higher than that of the "Apache".

6. Mi-24 "Hind" armed helicopter (Russia)

An armed helicopter with troop transport capabilities developed by the former Soviet Union in the early 1960s was called the "Hind" by NATO. It made its first flight in September 1969, and was finally finalized in 1971. It was officially equipped with the Soviet Army Aviation Force in 1973, and subsequently derived There are 6 different models of A, B, C, D, E and F. In addition to being used by the Soviet Union at that time, they were also exported to Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, South America, Eastern Europe and other regions. From the 1960s to the present day, more than 1,000 "Hind" armed helicopters are still in service with the Russian army, and a small number are in service with the Ukrainian army.

The Mi-24 "Hind" is different from normal armed helicopters. Its biggest feature is its large fuselage size and the ability to transport troops. In addition to driving the combat compartment, there is a crew member in the middle. The cabin can accommodate 10 combat soldiers, which not only allows for high-intensity combat, but also has the combatant transportation capabilities of a multi-purpose helicopter, but the risk factor is also very high.

Power aspects of Mi-24:

It is equipped with two TV3-117 turboshaft engines with a maximum power of 1640 kilowatts. The flight speed is 335 kilometers per hour. And on the outside of the engine, an 8 mm thick quenched protective steel plate is installed to prevent engine accidents during non-combat operations.

The main fuel tank is designed inside the fuselage behind the cabin and can carry 1875 liters of fuel , a soft fuel tank is also designed inside, which can carry 1,000 liters of fuel. In different combat environments, it can also carry four auxiliary fuel tanks, each of which can carry 500 liters of fuel.

Mi-24 weapon system:

Mounted on both sides of the wingUB-32 type or S-5 type 57 mm Rocket launch nest, each rocket nest carries 32 S-24 rockets, and two missile launchers are mounted on both sides, which can launch "Flyswatter" anti-tank missiles and AA-11 "Archer" air-to-air missile.

A doorGSH-30-2 30mm machine is installed on the front of the machine head Cannon, early models also used a 12.7mm 4-barreled rotary machine gun.

In addition to these, the Mi-24 also has bombing capabilities. The wings can also carry 10 100kg aerial bombs, or 4 250kg and 2 500kg large aerial bombs.

Although the avionics system is a bit rough and crude, there are also high-frequency radio stations equivalent to those in the West.Radar altimeter, blind flight instrument equipment, ballistic computer, and automatic driving capabilities. Not counting ammunition and personnel, the empty aircraft weighs 8.5 tons, which is equivalent to a heavy armed helicopter, plus it has the ability to transport troops , and heavy firepower, comparable to a "flying infantry fighting vehicle."

The six armed helicopters in this issue will be introduced to you here. If you think there are any errors in the content of this issue, we hope that you can give us some suggestions for improvement. I would like to know more. For more, please remember to pay attention and we will continue to update you in the next issue.