Mil Mi-24,Mi-25, Mi-35 [Hind] Akbar (original) (raw)

Mil Mi-24 is a twin-engined combat helicopter intended for close support of ground forces, destruction of armored targets and transportation of persons or cargo. The Mi-24 is not a direct counterpart to the American AH-64 Apache, since unlike this and other Western attack helicopters it is also capable of transporting up to eight troops. As a combination gunship and troop transport, the Hind combat helicopter has no direct NATO counterpart.

Design

The combat helicopter is a flying infantry fighting vehicle, which blends features of both transport and attack helicopters. Soviet pilots called the aircraft 'letayushiy tank' or flying tank. Another common nickname is 'Krokodil' (Crocodile) - due to the helicopter's camouflage and fuselage shape. A characteristic feature of the Mi-24 is a load cabin connected with the flight-deck, which is 2.83 m long, 1.46 m wide and 1.2 m high. It is capable of accommodating up to armed 8 troops; they can fire from their small arms fixed in mountings on side windows which can be opened. The cabin is accessible by a vertically opening clamshell door on each side of the fuselage.

The development of the helicopter commenced in mid-1960s based on the dynamics, power units and other components of the Mi-8. Other components of the airframe came from the Mi-14 Haze, a shore-based, navalized version of the Mi-8 'Hip' with a float bottom and ASW equipment. The Hind went from drawing board in 1968 to first test-flights in less than eighteen months. The first prototype, still with TV2-117 engines, flew in September 1969. First models were delivered to the armed forces for evaluation in 1970. The Mi-24A (Hind-B) did have a number of problems - lateral roll, weapon sighting problems, and limited field of view for the pilot. A heavy redesign of the aircraft front section solved most of these problems. Mi-24A (Hind-A) is the first version, in serial production since 1972. The Mil Mi-24 is a large combat helicopter gunship and low-capacity troop transport operated from 1976 by the Soviet Air Force, its successors, and over thirty other nations.

The Mi-24 was the first helicopter to enter service with the Russian Air Force as an assault transport and gunship. Additional missions include direct air support, antitank, armed escort, and air to air combat. The helicopter was used extensively in the Afghanistan War, becoming the "signature" weapon of the conflict. The Russians have deployed significant numbers of HINDs in Europe and have exported the HIND to many third world countries.

Its design is a classic one with a five-bladed main rotor and three-bladed tail rotor. The core of the aircraft was taken from the Mil Mi-8 (NATO reporting name "Hip"), two top mounted turboshaft engines driving a mid-mounted 17.3 m five-blade main rotor and a three blade tail rotor. The engine positions give the aircraft its distinctive double air intake. The five-blade main rotor is mounted on top of fuselage midsection, while short, stubby, weapon-carrying wings are mounted at the fuselsage midsection. It is powered by TV3-117 engines (2 x 1638 kW). The two turboshaft engines are mounted above body midsection with two round air intakes located just above the cockpit and exhaust ports on the sides of engines. The Hind A fuselage consists of a large, oval-shaped body with a glassed-in cockpit, tapering at the rear to the tail boom. The swept-back tapered tail fin features a rotor on the right on some models, with tapered flats on a boom just forward of the fin. The flight control system uses conventional helicopter style flight controls with positive mechanical linkage, hydraulic boost, and a limited authority automatic flight control system (designed to improve helicopter stability and control as well as reduce pilot workload).

External stores are mounted on underwing external stores points. Each wing has three hardpoints for a total of six stations. A representative mix when targeting armor formations would be eight AT-6 ATGMs, 750x 30-mm rounds, and two 57-mm rocket pods. The aircraft can store an additional ammunition basic load in the cargo compartment in lieu of carrying troops. Armored cockpits and titanium rotor head able to withstand 20-mm cannon hits. Every aircraft has an overpressurization system for operation in a NBC environment.

Weapon hardpoints are provided by two short mid-mounted wings (which also provide lift), each offering three stations. The load-out mix is mission dependent; the Hind can be tasked with close air support, anti-tank operations, or aerial combat. The body is heavily armored and the titanium rotor blades can resist impacts from 12.7 mm rounds. The Hind has only three known vulnerable points: the turbine intakes, the tail rotor assembly, and an oil tank inexplicably but conveniently located beneath the red star on the fuselage. The cockpit is overpressurized to protect the crew in NBC conditions. It is equipped with a hydraulically retractable tricycle type landing gear with a twin-wheel nose unit.

The Mi-24/25 is primarily an attack helicopter, but may also be outfitted for other missions. As a transport it can carry up to eight passengers. In the transport/cargo role it can not only carry internal loads but is capable of external sling loads up to 3,000 pounds. In the air ambulance role, the Mi-24/25 can carry four stretchers and one attendant. The Mi-24/25 cockpit areas and cargo/passenger areas are sealed, environmentally controlled, over pressurized with the airflow chemically/biologically filtered. The aircraft may be equipped with additional internal fuel tanks to extend the range/endurance of the Hind.

The helicopter has a wing with a span of 6.536 m, which can relieve the tail rotor by up to 30 per cent in higher speeds. The HIND's wings provide 22% to 28% of its lift in forward flight. In a steep banking turn at slower airspeeds, the low wing can lose lift while it is maintained on the upper wing, resulting in an excessive roll. This is countered by increasing forward airspeed to increase lift on the lower wing. Because of this characteristic, and the aircraft's size and weight, it is not easily maneuverable. Therefore they usually attack in pairs or multiple pairs, and from various directions.

The HIND is never employed individually -- always in sections of two and where possible in flights of six. The HIND has been used for air to air training. The Russians use balloons as air to air targets for the HIND. Unlike fixed wing aircraft the HIND lives in the helicopter flight environment and can maintain firing parameters on other helicopters for much longer periods of time than the fixed wing. Clutter from terrain flight background or flares will usually distract portable ground fired SAM-7 missiles and the STRAGGER cannot track a target moving much faster than a tank. However, a transport helicopter with a HIND on its tail is a "dead duck."

The core of the aircraft was derived from the Mil Mi-8 (NATO reporting name "Hip"), two top-mounted turboshaft engines driving a mid-mounted 17.3 m five-blade main rotor and a three-blade tail rotor. The engine configuration gave the aircraft its distinctive double air intake. Original versions have an angular greenhouse-style cockpit; Model D and later have a characteristic tandem cockpit with a "double bubble" canopy. Other airframe components came from the Mi-14 "Haze". Two mid-mounted stub wings provide weapon hardpoints, each offering three stations, in addition to providing lift. The load-out mix is mission dependent; Mi-24s can be tasked with close air support, anti-tank operations, or aerial combat.

The body is heavily armored and can resist impacts from .50 caliber (12.7 mm) rounds from all angles, including the titanium rotor blades. The cockpit is an even more heavily armored titanium tub and can resist impact from 37mm cannon rounds. The cockpit and crew compartment are overpressurized to protect the crew in NBC conditions.

Considerable attention was given to making the Mi-24 fast. The airframe was streamlined, and fitted with retractable tricycle undercarriage landing gear to reduce drag. The wings provide considerable lift at high speed, up to a quarter of total lift. The main rotor was tilted 2.5° to the right from the fuselage to counteract dissymmetry of lift at high speed and provide a more stable firing platform. The landing gear was also tilted to the left so the rotor would still be level when the aircraft was on the ground, making the rest of the airframe tilt to the left. The tail was also asymmetrical to give a side force at speed, thus unloading the tail rotor.

A modified Mi-24B, named A-10, was used in several speed and time to climb world record attempts. The helicopter had been modified to reduce weight as much as possible, and among the measures used was to remove the stub wings. The speed record over a closed 1000 km course set on August 13 1975 of 332.65 km/h still stands. As does many of the female specific records set by the all female crew of Galina Rastorgoueva and Ludmila Polyanskaia.[5] On 21 September 1978 the A-10 set the absolute speed record for helicopters with 368.4 km/h over a 15/25 km course. The record stood until 1986 when it was broken by the current record holder, a modified Westland Lynx.

As a combination gunship and troop transport, the Mi-24 has no direct NATO counterpart. While some have compared the UH-1 ("Huey") as NATO's direct counterpart to the Mi-24, this is inaccurate. While UH-1s were used in Vietnam to ferry troops, and were used as gunships, they were not able to do both at the same time. Converting a UH-1 into a gunship meant stripping the entire passenger area to accommodate extra fuel and ammunition, making it useless for troop transport. The Mi-24 was designed to do both, and this was greatly exploited by airborne units of the Soviet Army during the 1980-1989 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The closest Western equivalent was the Sikorsky S-67 Blackhawk, which used many of the same design principles and was also built as a high-speed, high-agility attack helicopter with limited troop transport capability; it, like the Mi-24, was also designed using many components from an already existing product, the Sikorsky S-61, itself a close approximation to the Mi-8/Mi-14. The S-67, however, was never adopted for service. Another relatively close western equivalent is the US MH-60L Direct Action Penetrator, a special purpose variant of the UH-60 Black Hawk which is capable of mounting a variety of weapons on its stub wings, including AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and Hydra 70 rockets, in addition to being able to carry up to 14 troops. The MH-60L is also similar in size compared to the Mi-24, but is more utility biased, lacks armor and can carry more troops and payload.

Variants

Mi-24 Hind Variants

Its NATO reporting name is Hind and variants are identified with an additional letter. The export versions, Mi-25 and Mi-35, are denoted as Hind D and Hind E respectively. Versions D and above include a characteristic tandem cockpit with a "double bubble" canopy. Nearly all of the older HIND A, B and C variants have been upgraded or modified to the HIND D or E standard.

V-24 (Hind) - The first version of this helicopter, were twelve prototypes and development aircraft. One such prototype was modified in 1975 as A-10 for successful speed record attempts (having reached 368km/h) with wings removed and faired over and with inertia-type dampers on the main rotor head.
Mi-24 (Hind-A) - Other early versions were the armed assault helicopter, which could carry eight combat troops and three crew members. It could also carry four 57-mm rocket pods on four underwing pylons, four 9M17 Falanga (AT-2 Swatter) anti-tank missiles on two underwing rails, free-fall bombs, plus one 12.7-mm machine-gun in the nose. The Mi-24 (Hind-A) was the first production model.
Mi-24A Hind BMi-24A (Hind-B) - The Hind-A was followed up by the second production model the. Both the Mi-24 and Mi-24A entered Soviet Air Force service in 1973 or 1974. Lacks the four-barrel 12.7mm machine gun under the nose.
Mi-24U (Hind-C) - Training version without any armament.
Mi-24D (Hind-D) - The most common variant, a purer gunship than the earlier variants, the first to include the electronics for Anti-tank guided missiles 9M17 Falanga (AT-2 Swatter). The Hind D fuselage features nose modification with tandem bubble canopies, and a chin-mounted turret. Mi24D (Hind-D) is significantly re-designed version of the Mi-24A. It entered service in 1976. The Mi-24D has a redesigned forward fuselage, with two separate cockpits for the pilot and gunner. The re-modelled two-seated cockpit has a tandem seating with the gunner/pilot sitting in front, the pilot/commander in the rear seat which is raised. The cockpit has characteristic bulging canopies. An undernose turret contains a four-barrel 12.7 mm 9A624 machine gun with up to 1470 rounds. Optional weaponry is mounted on four underwing pylons. It can consist of 4 UB-32 pods (with 32 57 mm S-5 rockets each), 4 x 100 or 250 kg bombs, or 2 x 500 kg bombs, or the same number of napalm dispensers. An air-to-surface launching system for four 122 mm rockets can also be used. On wingtips there are tube-launchers for two pairs of 9M17P anti-tank missiles (Falanga system). Older Mi24 HIND-D combat helicopters were being replaced with the new AT-6 SPIRAL-equipped HIND-E, which has greater standoff range and the freedom to maneuver after launching its missile.
Mi-24DU - Small numbers of Mi-24Ds were built as training helicopters with doubled controls. Mi-24DU training version of Mi-24D is without the undernose gun turret.
Mi-24E - Environmental research version.
Mi-24K (Hind-G2) : Army reconnaissance, photo-recon, and artillery observation helicopter. Has a camera in cabin, gun, rocket pods, but no targeting system.
Mi-24N - In February 2000 it was stated that modified Mi-24N (Hind) attack helicopters with radar had been ordered by the Russian Defense Ministry. At that time the Russian military hoped that several Mi-24Ns would be fully operational in several months. Nevertheless as of February 2003 there were still no night-capable attack helicopters deployed in Chechnya. As of 2005 the Army had received only several Mi-24N helicopters, equipped with thermal imaging devices.
Mi-24N - proposed pilot's cockpit upgrade, proposed by Russkaya Avionika, features two MFI-68 displays. The lower on replaces a mechanical map plotter and the upped one replaces the standard S-17V gunsight.
Mi-24P (Hind-F) - The gunship version, which replaced the 12.7mm machine-gun with a fixed 30-mm cannon. The fixed twin gun cut the turret profile, and empty weight to 8,200 kg, while boosting maximum gross weight to 12,000 kg.
Mi-24PM - upgraded Mi-24P using same technologies as in Mi-24VM.
Mi-24PN - The Russian military has selected this upgraded Mi-24 to be their primary assault helicopter. The PN version has a TV and a FLIR camera located in a dome on the front of the aircraft. Other modifications include using the rotor blades and wings from the Mi-28 and fixed rather than retractable landing gear. Modernization of Mi-24 helicopters is underway, and as of early 2004 eight modernized Mi-24 had been adopted in the army aviation and plan on eventually upgrading all of their Mi-24s.
Mi-24PS - Civil police or para-military version.
Mi-24RKR (Hind-G1) - NBC reconnaissance model, which is designed to collect radiation, biological and chemical samples. It was first seen during the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Also known as the Mi-24R, Mi-24RR and Mi-24RKh (Rch).
Mi-24V (Hind-E) - Later development led to the Mi-24V which was first seen in the early 1980s. Mi-24V (Hind-E) is another improved version, a development of Mi-24D. The major change consists in the upgraded and more efficient SHTURM - V missile system with 9M114 (AT-6 Spiral) radio-guided anti-tank missiles launched from two pairs of cylindrical pods mounted on wingtips. Twelve of those missile are mounted on six wing pylons. Also added were B-8V rocket pods for 20 80 mm S-8 rockets, UPK-23-250 pods with two-barrel Gsh-23L and 250 rounds, GUV9A universal pods which can carry a 30 mm 9-A-800 automatic grenade launcher, or one 12.7 mm 9-A-624 four-barrel machine gun and two four-barrel 7.62 mm 9-A-622 machine guns. It was equipped with TV3-117V engines with improved height characteristics and optional exhaust mixer boxes to cool exhaust gasses, and auxiliary fuel tanks with a capacity of 450 litres.
Mi-24VM - upgraded Mi-24V with updated avionics to improve night-time operation, new communications gear, shorter and lighter wings, and updated weapon systems to include support for the Ataka, Shturm and Igla-V missiles and a 23 mm main gun. Some sources suggest Mi-24VM designation will apply to Mi-24V or Mi-24VP after upgrade, and Mi-24PM to upgraded Mi-24Ps. Others maintain that the PM suffix applies only to aircraft which retain fixed 30 mm cannon associated with Mi-24P. Other internal changes have been made to increase the aircraft life-cycle and ease maintenance. A full-size mock-up Mi-24VM (Mi-35M for export) had frequently been presented at air shows since 1994. It was, however, only in February 1999 that flight tests of the Mi-24VM prototype began at the Mil Design Bureau airfield at Panki on the outskirts of Moscow. During nearly thirty years of incremental development of the Mi-24 it had grown heavier and heavier, and its flying qualities and performance worsened progressively. The modernized Mi-24VM is nearly 1,300lb (600kg) lighter than Mi-24V with an empty weight of 17,720lb [8,040kg], compared with the latter's 18,998lb [8,620kg]). It has shortened stub wings, a fixed undercarriage and the main and tail rotors have been replaced with lighter units 'borrowed' from the Mi-28N helicopter. The new main rotor increases the thrust by some 660lb (3kN). The Mi-24VM was expected to operate until 2015, but development was halted in favor of th less ambitious and less expensive Mi-24PN.
Mi-24VN - proposed all-weather day/night capability, has proved to be rather difficult and its achievement is still some way off. The first option and probably the most obvious, consisted of transferring some of the systems used on the new Mi-28N to the Mi-24VN.
Mi-24W - Polish designation for the Mi-24V.
Mi-25 - The export version of the Mi-24D HIND D.
Mi-35 - the export version name.
Mi-35P - The export version of the Mi-24P. Mi-35P helicopter is a modification of the Mi-35 helicopter. It differs in armament composition. Instead of the built-in flexible machine-gun unit, caliber 12.7, mm a two-barrel gun unit, caliber 30 mm, is installed.
Mi-35PN - Upgraded helicopter created on the basis of the serial Mi-35P helicopter in order to provide round-the-clock accomplishment of combat missions, to enhance firepower and improve its tactical-technical characteristics. The helicopter is fitted with a 9S475N observation-sight subsystem with a laser range meter and a missile direction finder and an up-to-date airborne radio electronic equipment complex.
Mi-35PM - Upgraded helicopter is created on the basis of the serial Mi-35P helicopter in order to provide round-the-clock accomplishment of combat missions, to enhance firepower and improve its tactical-technical characteristics. The helicopter is fitted with a 9K113K round-the-clock guided weapons complex, which includes an OPS-24N observation-sight system, and an up-to-date airborne radio electronic equipment complex.
Mi-35U - Unarmed training verion of the Mi-35.
Mi-35M - Upgraded helicopter created on the basis of the serial Mi-35 helicopter in order to provide round-the-clock accomplishment of combat missions, to enhance firepower and improve its tactical-technical characteristics. Much more up-to-date Mi-35M model was adopted in the Armed Forces in 2006. The helicopter is fitted with a 9K113K round-the-clock guided weapons complex, which includes an OPS-24N observation-sight system, and an up-to-date airborne radio electronic equipment complex. In 2005 within the scope of interstate relations with Latin-American countries a contract on supplying to Venezuela a batch of helicopters consisting of eight Mi-35M and one Mi-26T was signed. This agreement was a result of negotiations on a project of purchasing Russian helicopters by Venezuela for forming a fast response helicopter battalion which will include 33 helicopters: twenty Mi-17V-5, ten Mi-35M and three Mi-26T. Rostvertol officials say the Mi-35M's new rotor system, which is taken from the prototypes of the next generation Mi-28 assault helicopter (also is built at the Rostov-based company), increases the flight altitude up to 5,000 meters. Similar to Mi-24PN, the upgraded Mi-35 has new engines and enhanced armor. Although Mil designers have initially equipped the aircraft with the Russian navigation and fire control systems, foreign avionics can also be installed upon customer request. [Previously, the Mi-35M designation was applied to an export counterpart of Mi-24M / Mi-24VM / Mi-24PM `Hind-E' - Upgraded night-capable version of Mi-24/35 designed to meet the latest air mobility requirements of the Russian Army. Modernization of Mi-24(35) type helicopters, the Mi-35M is an upgraded Mi-24 featuring the Mi-28's rotors and transmission, a twin barrel 23mm cannon and 91K114-9 Ataka advanced anti armor missiles, Sextant Avionique of France avionics and displays and Thomson-TTD Chlio FLIR ball.]
Mi-24PN Night-Capable Upgrade : (P - gun (pushka), N - night)
The Russian military has selected the upgraded Mi-24PN to be their primary combat helicopter. The PN version has a TV and a FLIR camera located in a dome on the front of the aircraft. Other modifications include using the rotor blades and wings from the Mi-28 and fixed rather than retractable landing gear. The Russians received 14 Mi-24PNs in 2004 and plan on eventually upgrading all of their Mi-24s.
Upgrade of Mi-24P combatant helicopter into Mi-24PN version (P - gun (pushka), N - night) is performed at "Rostvertol" plant (Rostov-on-Don). The Mi-24PN is a continuation of the Mi-24VM program, a prototype of which carried out its first flight in 1999. THe Mi-24VM was more ambitious, but too expensive for the Russian Army. Mi-24PN is equipped with Raduga-III, a night observation sight system, integrated into a Zarevo infrared imager. The sight system includes a TV channel, a laser range finder, an azimuth finder's optical and mechanical unit, and a stabilizer. The new equipment enables a crew to acquire and identify targets at night and destroy them by firing both unguided and guided missiles. The helicopter also has an integrated radio electronics unit BREO-24 with multifunctional LCD?s, and GPS. More than 3.5 thousand Mi-24's of different versions were manufactured by defense industry of the USSR and Russia, including some 600 helicopters of Mi-24P series.
In February 2004 five upgraded Mi-24PN transport-combat helicopters were handed over to the RF Ministry of Defence. A commission of the Russian Air Force General Staff flew to Rostov-on-Don on 04 February 2004 to sign for the first five Mi-24PN?s, modernized combat helicopters. According to Colonel Alexander Drobyshevski, chief communications officer of the Russian Air Force, the helicopters were modernized by ?Rostvertol?, the Rostov company commissioned by the Russian Defense Ministry to carry out the modernization of Mi-24P gunship helicopter into Mi-24PN, a night-time combat helicopter designed to conduct operations under all weather conditions.
"Airmen have waited for this excellent chopper for a long time. The army aviation will significantly boost its battlefield efficiency by using this new equipment . The state test flights showed excellent performance characteristics of the machine. We're hoping to get more such helicopters in the future ," said Drobyshevski. The helicopters will enter service with the 4th Russian Air Force and Air Defense Army stationed in Northern Caucasia.
After an official commissioning by the Russian MOD of upgraded Mi-24PNs, some news media cast doubt on the national upgrade programme of the Russian Air Force helicopter fleet. They use unproved and dubious statements to describe the efficiency of new equipment and systems installed in upgraded battle ships. Of no small importance in the upgrade program is efficiency and cost. In this respect, the upgraded machines have advantages over existing compatibles in that their combat efficiency increased by the factor of 1.7 with low costs involved. And as a result of an overhaul reconditioning and upgrading the helicopter gets a full TBO of 1,000 hours/7-year service.
Unauthoritative is the "expert opinion" on the definition "night capability". Quote: ". a conventional combat helicopter cannot be turned to a "night-capability" aircraft by fastening the cumbersome night vision oculars to the pilot". The night vision goggle (ONV-1) are normally used by pilots at low levels. Moreover, they are comparable with western makes and those used by the French and American armies. The Mi-24PN is fitted with a navigational system and digital displays, a thermal-image sighting system designated ZAREVO that provide for a round-the-clock deployment of all weapons carried as well as a single-helicopter flying at low levels of maximum 50 metres.
So, the money was spent for the benefit of both the army and defence capability in general. And once the pilots have been trained at Torzhok, the Mi-24PN will be added to the arsenal of the Fourth Air Force and Air Defence Army deployed in the Northern Caucasia, so repeatedly to the press colonel-general V. Mikhailov, the Air Force commander-in-chief.
In 2004, deliveries of Mi-24PN and Mi-8MTKO upgraded helicopters continued. "Army Aviation has recently received Mi-24PN and Mi-8MTKO upgraded helicopters for operation. Further deliveries of this type helicopters for Air Force are planned for this year", - said General Vladimir Mikhailov, Air Force Commander, in his interview to "Interfax-AVN" agency. "But because of lack of funds, there is no possibility to perform mass re-equipping of Army Aviation. In such conditions, the special emphasis is laid on helicopter fleet upgrade with the purpose of its combat potential and flight safety improvement. At present, round-the-clock application helicopters Mi-8MTKO, Mi-24PN and others are being delivered to military units", - Commander said.
Mi-24PN upgraded transport-combat helicopters intended for accomplishing of night missions began to come on inventory of Russian Air Force, informed "Interfax - AVN" General Lieutenant Alexander Zelin, Aviation Chief, Deputy Air Force Commander. "Several Mi-24PN helicopters came on inventory of Air Force by now. Preparation of flight staff for these machines has begun", - said A. Zelin. According to him, "4th Army of Air Force and Air Defense which is located in North Caucasus Region will be provided in the first place". Deputy Air Force Commander characterized helicopters of this type as "combat machines with expanded abilities, improved precision characteristics able to destroy targets effectively round-the-clock". "Foreign Customers have been already interested in these helicopters", - stated A. Zelin.
The test batch of five Mi-24PN assault helicopters modernized by Rostvertol in Rostov-on-Don was tested in the 344th Army Aviation Pilot Training Center in Torzhok. The first military unit to receive production versions of the improved Mi-24PN in 2005 was the 487th Separate Helicopter Regiment in Budyonovsk near Chechnya.
The Mi-35PM and Mi-24PN abbreviations were in use at the stage of experimental works. At that stage there were several Mi-35 modified versions with various Russian avionics, new rotor system and new VK-2500 engines. By 2005 there were only two versions: Mi-24PN that was being delivered to operational units, and Mi-35M export version. The Mi-24PN is equipped with a fixed gun mount and standard rotor system and is rated for operations at night. The Mi-35M configuration has a moving gun mount installed in the fore section, type of sight and rotor system different from those of the Mi-28N. The Mi-35M is adapted for operation under conditions of elevated humidity, high temperature and high mountains. The use of "night hunter" rotor system makes possible to improve its performance in the operations under the above conditions. Depending on the received order, the Mi-35M can be delivered to the Russian Armed Forces and the Mi-24PN for export. Such example is available: contract has already been signed and the Mi-24PN helicopters were supplied to Uganda.
In mid-September 2004, Russia announced that the Mi-28N attack helicopter was ready for series production and that first metal would be cut at the Rostov-on-Don plant very soon. The first production model helicopter was to be flown in mid 2005 and, in the second half of that year, was to be delivered to the Russian Air Force. At that time, by 2008 (2010 by some estimates), 50 Mi-28N helicopters were expected to be in service. By 2008, however, it looked like only 10 of the Mi-28N would be in service by 2010. Ultimately, the Russian Air Force was reported to want 300 Mi-28Ns by 2012, at which point the current force of modernized Mi-24PN helicopters was to gradually be withdrawn from service.

In IAF

The IAF currently operates two Mi-25/35 Helicopter Squadrons (No.104 Firebirds and No.125 Gladiators) and has a requirement for at least another unit. SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) reports that 15 helicopters of this type were ordered from Kyrgyzstan in 1994 and were delivered by 1995. The designation is uncertain (Mi-25 or Mi-35) and are apparently second-hand/re-furbished helicopters.

The first unit to fly the Mi-25s was No.125 Helicopter Squadron, "The Gladiators", raised in November 1983. This was followed by No.104 Squadron, "Pioneer Rotarians aka Firebirds", in 1990.

Specifications