Crews of Russian Ka-52M reconnaissance and attack helicopters should take into account the danger from mobile British ASRAAM-IR short-range anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM) on the Supacat HMT chassis, according to military expert Yevgeny Damantsev.
He noted that when using AIM-132 ASRAAM guided missiles, the SAM system has a range of up to 17 km. Therefore, ASRAAMs camouflaged in forest belts pose a serious threat to attack army aviation. They have individual multispectral optoelectronic sighting systems.
Nevertheless, the "Rezet" AESA radars deployed on Ka-52M reconnaissance and attack helicopters are quite capable of detecting British SAM launchers at a distance of up to 25-30 km, providing crews with a "window" for low-altitude maneuvering to exit the ASRAAM sight's field of view.
The analyst added that if the operational and tactical situation is not in favor of the Ka-52M crew, the "Vitebsk" optoelectronic complex modules are capable of countering the ASRAAM-IR missile's seeker lock.
The features of the Ka-52M helicopter include a modernized optoelectronic system with an increased range of target detection and recognition, and a new digital drive to improve aiming accuracy.
The armament of the rotary-wing aircraft includes a 30-mm 2A42 automatic cannon with a 460-round ammunition load, R-73 air-to-air missiles for engaging aerial targets, as well as air-to-ground missiles – "Vikhr", "Ataka" or "Hermes-A".
Main characteristics of the Ka-52M:
- Crew — 2 people (pilot and weapon operator)
- Engines — two Klimov VK-2500 engines with a capacity of 2,400 hp
- Maximum speed — about 300 km/h
- Practical range — up to 460 km, with additional fuel tanks — up to 1,100 km
- Maximum take-off weight — 12,200 kg
Earlier www1.ru reported that a way to transform the "Tornado-G" and "Grad" MLRS into high-precision weapons has become known.
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