Reports indicate that Russia recently lost an Mi-28N attack helicopter, the second most advanced helicopter in its arsenal after the Ka-52 Alligator.
16th Confirmed Helicopter Downing
Russian military bloggers have expressed concerns that the pilots did not survive.
This loss marks the 16th confirmed helicopter downing based on available wreckage images, and it’s a significant hit to Russia’s limited fleet of advanced helicopters, of which only around 100 were in service before the war.
The Mi-28N, known as the “Night Hunter,” is one of Russia’s three modern attack helicopters, alongside the Ka-52 Alligator and the Mi-35, according to WP.
Development began in the 1980s, but the Mi-28N wasn’t introduced to the Russian Air Force until 2006, achieving full service status in 2009. Its design features a narrow-body attack frame with a tandem cockpit setup for two pilots, similar to the American AH-64 Apache.
Only 30 operational units.
The helicopter is equipped with a 30mm 2A42-2 cannon mounted at the front and additional weaponry on four pylons, which can carry rocket pods or anti-tank guided missiles, including the 9M120 Ataka with a range of up to 6 kilometers.
The Mi-28N can carry a maximum anti-tank load of 16 missiles, as well as additional fuel tanks, electronic warfare pods, and 9K333 Verba air-to-air missiles for self-defense against other helicopters.
Equipped with advanced detection systems, including an electro-optical targeting unit with thermal and laser range-finding capabilities, the Mi-28N can track up to ten targets and simultaneously engage two.
However, with ongoing losses and the common practice of “cannibalizing” parts from damaged units, the Russian Mi-28N fleet may currently consist of as few as 30 operational units.
To enhance capabilities, Russia has deployed Mi-28Ns in tandem with Ka-52 helicopters, which have better defensive systems like the L-370P2 Vitebsk. Together, these aircraft create a formidable pair on the battlefield, though their numbers continue to dwindle.
