M -28 attack helicopter

According to the Russian “Air Port” Web site on May 20 reported that the Russian Air Force deputy chief Oleg – Barmin Major General announced: The Russian Air Force by 2015 will be approximately 400 new military helicopters, most of them MiG-28N, cards and rice -8 -52 helicopter modified. Barmin said: “We buy all the military helicopters, night fighting capability will have all the helicopters are for portable rocket defense capabilities.” Moreover, Russia is stepping up development of the fifth generation of advanced combat helicopter.

Why the Russian air force to begin mass Dress

Russian Air Force Commander Alexander Zelin said the Russian Air Force plans to purchase new helicopters, allowing the army in the plains and mountains and all-weather military operations, the two helicopters will have installed a new digital airborne avionics equipment, which will improve the air force 2 times. After the reorganization of the Russian military industrial complex to solve the military’s access card installed and -52 m-28N helicopter mission, that makes the two helicopters had also entered the Air Force service opportunities. At the same time, its fleet of attack helicopters and Mi m -24 -26 heavy transport helicopters will also be modernized in the 2011 modification. The purpose of the implementation of the plan is to create a strategic cluster of Army Aviation combat. Such a powerful attack with air power not only independent implementation of the combat missions, but also the implementation of special operations for the other to provide strong support for the strong sector. The new equipment will be the Russian special forces helicopter base and the mountain air mobility operations forces a major force.

Some analysts have pointed out that although the Russian military had previously announced a number of procurement in 2015, dozens of cards -50 “Black Shark” and the card -52 “alligator” armed helicopters to equip its air force, but from the Russian air force commander said the latest news of view, both the number of expensive purchases of helicopters may not fully meet the requirements of the Russian military. After a long pause, the card -50/52 production activities in 2006, was finally able to restart. Although both advanced and m-28N helicopter defeated in the competition, not a Russian Army Aviation’s main battle equipment, but they have effectively been selected as the Russian Special Forces fire support model, and has become Russia Air Force procurement models.

In the past decade, the plight of the Russian economy has led to an updated weaponry too slow. It is estimated that, based on the status of the Russian Air Force, at the same time a year to purchase 40 new helicopters to fill the old model helicopter retired vacuum. However, in the post-Soviet Russian economy has been in a depressed state, so, in fact, the Russian Air Force combat capability of the armed helicopter has been in decline. While Russia’s two major helicopter manufacturers in the same time the development of the fourth generation of armed helicopters, but because of limited funding for the Russian air force, can not afford to purchase a large number of them, so that the two armed helicopters, although the aviation industry has been the hot products but has not been a de facto Russian Air Force orders.

Active duty Air Force helicopter in Russia, about 50% of the fighter aircraft nearly 15 ~ 20 years old, 20% of the fighter aircraft is 15 years old, 30% of the fighter aircraft age of 10 to 15 years, less than 1% of the warplanes Machine age of 5 years. In other words, Russia’s most active-duty helicopters, the structure exists because of aging, electronic equipment behind, facing a long military age embarrassing accident-prone situation. A report even said that the Russian Air Force in the 21st century, still in use 70 years of the 20th century the production of helicopters, to illustrate this point.

Since President Putin came to power, although the Russian economy dependent on energy exports picked up, but difficult to restore the peak of the Soviet period. Putin later and now the administration of President Medvedev since the Russian economy, although there are many problems, however, was similar to revive Russia’s dream of world power is no hesitation, therefore, several years, the fact that the Russian military on the technology and equipment have made great progress.

Early last year the Russian government announced the implementation of the reform program of the Russian cut, plans to reduce the amount of the 2012 general members to 1 million, the reform program in the country faced no small resistance. In early May of this year, Russia held at the Red Square military parade ceremony, attracting worldwide attention, a lot of shows with the Red Square parade of new Russian weapons and equipment, in particular a large number of sophisticated weapons and new conventional weapons, appearance, just wanted to tell people: Russia “strengthening the military,” determined not to change, “Mape combination” plan developed by the Russian military reform will not change Russia’s ability to build a world-class military, Russia’s power status is to restore Russia’s great power images can not be ignored.

Russia’s Interfax News Agency reported May 20 that the Russian Air Force will buy all the helicopters are used in combat, may participate in night combat, all helicopters are equipped with anti-aircraft missiles against ground protection system. If the quantity and quality of these very considerable time to join the Russian Air Force helicopter is expected that by 2015 40% of Russian military helicopters will be updated or improved, it will no doubt after the Russian aviation industry and the restructuring of the Russian Air Force’s low altitude attack, play a significant role in promoting.

Inspiration on the development of China’s army aviation

Although the Chinese army aviation unit has been achieved by the tactical transport type to attack by the implementation of the land attack mission to the implementation of the coastal reefs, is composed of a single batch of a single large formations of aircraft flying to the flying direction of the change, but the level of equipment and operations Comparing to other advanced countries, is still relatively backward. A large number of other developed countries, basic equipment and medium-sized private armed helicopters, and equipment are our main products modified by transport helicopters, in addition to the introduction of a limited number of light helicopters dedicated “gazelle”, the majority can only be regarded as armed transport helicopter. So, in fact, the offensive capabilities of Army aviation in China is also very limited, and our military needs a new strategy there is a gap. The development needs of our military at this stage from the point of view, is the need to greatly strengthen the army and air force in the armed helicopters equipped with the ratio mentioned above, in particular rice-28N, -52, etc. card sized powerful special attack helicopters. At present, China has developed a number of helicopters equipped group, has completed the “from scratch” changes. The next step will be to achieve “from there to the superior” changes again, that requires great efforts to equip a large number of private armed helicopters, to achieve dramatically improve the combat effectiveness of Army aviation.

In fact, these two types of armed helicopters in Russia have vigorously promote foreign countries, but even though Russia was on the performance of two types of armed helicopters publicity hype, but they did not own the actual equipment units, and thus its credibility compromised . This time the Russian equipment, if large quantities of these models, not only the Russian military has been assured of the performance models. Moreover, by actual test, it will dispel the doubts of other countries want to purchase, which is a means of Russian products. The procurement of two helicopters by the military, not only rescued two Russian helicopter manufacturing enterprise development dilemma, but also for the two companies more than a decade of R & D programs of these two models marked a more satisfactory conclusion. Otherwise, these models would make sense to the huge R & D, will lose access to a new generation of Russian military helicopters update opportunities.

The large-scale procurement of the Russian Air Force, for its own helicopter industry is of great significance. If China’s army aviation helicopter can also be a large number of purchases made will be China’s helicopter industry’s strong support, but also to promote our helicopter manufacturing technology level. The technology improved, it will also promote the growth of the helicopter industry, basic materials and aviation industries. Can be said that the relationship between the two are complementary, the entire aviation manufacturing will benefit from it. If a single technical level of domestic limited grounds to challenge the domestic aviation manufacturing R & D capabilities, self-developed products will lose the opportunity to practice and challenges. Only by constantly improving aviation innovation, R & D capabilities, the introduction of absorption and innovation capacity, ongoing scientific and technological own products and continuous improvement, to achieve a new round of air in the field by leaps and bounds.

Tags: helicopter, military helicopter, Russian Military