After: The Russian tank T-90, NATO generals’ terror , Putin’s “Juggernaut” tank
Russian Aircraft Carrier Preparing to Enter Mediterranean in Summer………..
While the world’s eyes are once again fixed on the Russia-Syria liaison, Vladimir Putin brings into field the Ka-52 “Alligator”, the “flying tank”, new marvel of the Russian deployment as third generation flying armoured vehicle.
During April of this year the Russian aircraft proved to be an effective combat helicopter in hitting the formations of the Islamic State (IS) in the battle to free the Syrian city of al-Quraytin, with noteworthy technological capabilities.
At the side of Assad a certainly complex scenario developed on a geopolitical level but that allowed Putin and his Defence to bring in field some of the best technological improvements being tested. A kind of weaponry “showroom” which till yesterday would have been only “science fiction”.
Now we want to find out what are the strengths of the Ka-52 helicopter.
The Alligator is a combat helicopter developed by a project of the Kamov Design Bureau. It is a modified version of the Ka-50 gunship with ability to attack armored ground targets or engage low-speed aircraft threat.
Surely this aircraft has great strategic impact, appears as slim but heavily protected, the presence of numerous weapons mounted outside the vehicle does not leave space for imagination on its offensive capabilities.
Like many other Russian weapons systems before the Ka-52, there is a great attention to the impact as psychological deterrence, a sort of destabilization of the enemy that for the moment seems have well worked in Syria.
Just the deployment of this combat helicopter in Syria is an opportunity to test the technological innovations mounted on it. Of a particular relevance are the protectors of the Elettronic Warfare KRET Vitebsk, able to ensure to the machine an almost total protection.
In sceneries increasingly characterized by the use of technologically advanced weapons, having a system that can recognize the kind of threat and respond appropriately to it, could make the difference between the accomplishment of the mission or the objective loss.
The electronic warfare system Vitebsk allows the Ka-52 to “see” in a range of several hundred kilometers which kind of threat is present and what is moving on the ground and in the third dimension. It’s able to determine who or what is pointing the helicopter engaging the threat with a missile to neutralize it.
It is not strange that in an overcrowded theater like Syria a friendly force targets the Ka-52 instead of a hostile force: the designers have thought of that too. The missile capable of destroying the threat can be make deviate from the original objective by directing it to a not vital target or face the real enemy. In this way it is always possible to avoid unnecessary losses.
Despite the models present in Syria are a considerable number, the systems used to shoot down the helicopter failed to penetrate the Alligator effective countermeasures. One of the advantages of the Elettronic Warfare of this helicopter also affects the infantry personnel who might be working in sync with it. The machine indeed has an electronic “shelter” system not only for the aircraft but also watching around it, putting under protection from enemy fire also potential targets in the ground, including infantry.
The aircraft has two radar for the detection of targets in the air and on the ground, the heat targeting system Samshite that allows a greater shooting accuracy both in night environment that at daytime.
One of the aircraft’s pride is definitely the thermographic system (produced by a leading company in this sector, the FLIR), this system is integrated with an electro-optical pointing system Shkval. FLIR offers a wide range of solutions that provide detailed information on the area surrounding the vehicle in the area of operations, it’s not used only as an advanced optical targeting but also as long range ISR for warplanes and attack helicopters.
The avionics of the Ka-52 is definitely multifunctional and perfectly integrated with the aircraft instruments, it’s constituted by a multi-leveled digital and computerized system. The aircraft can fit a wide range of weapon systems which makes it expendable in many operational scenarios.
A mentality, to bring together different weapons for different scenarios, we have seen taking shape for the land division with the “Juggernaut tank”, and the Ka-52 also seems to abide the new formula of the Russian Defence: single vehicle but with multifunctional features .
The armament includes 6 laser-guided missiles Vikhr and 2 anti-tank rocket launchers B8V-20 for air-to-ground rockets S-8 gauge 80mm. The Vikhr missile can engage armored ground targets within 8-10 km, useful primarily against the ingenious armored vehicles of the Islamic State borrowed from the Iraq experience.
A 30 mm automatic cannon 2A42 Shipunov is mounted on the starboard side of the fuselage. The weapon is supplied with high-explosive projectiles or anti-armor, capable of perforate even the most innovative and technologically advanced materials.
The pointing systems foresees the automatic exchange of information in real time, allowing the helicopter to engage a target spotted by another aircraft.
The Ka-52 has been proved an excellent piece. Unlike its European and American colleagues, it shows significant advantages.
The first of all is the one mentioned above, the versatility of use makes it worthwhile in many sceneries, and usable in a wide range of activities, from aerial patrol to fire support. The aircraft can also be greatly lightened.
As mentioned, the Ka-52 can detect enemy targets at long distances through particularly sophisticated target acquisition devices, but the main part is about the sharing of such information. The aircraft is in fact programmed to share what has been collected from its radar systems with the other aircrafts which work in synergy in the operational scenario, including other ground radar systems. This makes the group of Ka-52 a real “swarm” operating in an almost symbiotic cooperation.
In the international arena the Ka-52 remains one of the most expendable pieces because almost all of its technology (especially the gunship) is operating either in cold or hot climates, which makes the machine usable in any country.
For the moment, the main orders come from Egypt, but are approaching the signing of the contract also Pakistan and India.