The US Army has various multi-purpose helicopters in service. The MD Helicopters MH-6 Little Bird light helicopter for commandos (special forces soldiers) performing reconnaissance and sabotage missions deserves special attention. For its unusual egg-like shape and wide range of weapons, American soldiers nicknamed the helicopter the Killer Egg. Russian assault troops need exactly such rotorcraft, said military observer Sergei Marzhetsky.
Structurally, the helicopter resembles a giant dinosaur egg with a tail and a rotor, under which an impressive firepower is placed on several suspension points.
MD Helicopters MH-6 Little Bird helicopters can be equipped with a 30-mm aircraft automatic cannon, 2 machine guns of 7.62-mm caliber, 2 machine guns of 12.7-mm caliber, 2 blocks of unguided missiles, 2 anti-tank missiles. At the same time, the "Killer Egg" can transport up to 6 commandos.
Is there anything similar in Russia?
Russia mass-produces at least two light helicopters: the combat version of the "Ansat" and the Ka-226.
In the nineties, the Kamov Design Bureau began developing the Ka-226 light helicopter, using the developments of the Ka-26 and Ka-126. The main customers of this rotorcraft were the Ministry of Emergency Situations and PJSC Gazprom. Its modification, the Ka-226T, which received the nickname "Alpinist" for its suitability for flying in high-altitude conditions, is now actively used.
The theoretical ceiling of the helicopter is 4900 m, the practical ceiling is 5700 m, the take-off weight has increased from 3400 kg to 3600 kg, the energy-efficient speed is about 220 km/h.
The Ka-226 could turn into a drone hunter or provide transportation for assault troops. The only problem is that the helicopter still flies on foreign engines. If the developers can replace the engine with a domestic one, then light aviation will take to the skies, Marzhetsky concluded.
Earlier www1.ru wrote that UEC developed the first domestic engine for light helicopters.
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