Russia Loses Attack Helicopters Due to Lack of Air Superiority

• Russia’s air force has struggled to operate in Ukraine.
• Russia’s Ka-52 attack helicopter, which is one of the most recent, has suffered a particularly heavy loss.
• The helicopter is now more vulnerable due to the ineffectiveness of Russian planes and its own flaws.

And that’s not all Russian Air Force helicoptersThe Ka-52 is the most unique.

The unique coaxial rotor design of the helicopter and tandem crew seating arrangement make it stand out from the rest. Since February’s Russian attack, the helicopter has been involved in the most intense fighting.

It’s the most active helicopter, so the Ka-52 seems to be suffering the highest losses of Russian helicopters. The British Defense Ministry was active in October. Since February, at least 23 Ka-52s were destroyed.

This represents more than 25% of Russia’s Ka-52 in-service fleet, and nearly half of Russia’s total helicopter losses in Ukraine.

The Alligator

Designed by the highly regarded Kamov helicopter company, the Ka-52 — known in Russia as the “Alligator” and called the “Hokum-B” by NATO — is an improved variant of the Ka-50 Black SharkAttack helicopter, introduced in 1995.

In 2011, the Ka-52 was put into service. It has a ceiling height of 18,000 feet and top speeds of 186 mph. It also has a ceiling of 18,000 feet and a top speed of 186 mph. Coaxial rotorsIt eliminates the need for a tail-rotor and has ejection seats for its pilots — both rare features for helicopters.

It can carry around 4,000 pounds worth of missiles and rockets thanks to its two stub wings. The right side of its fuselage houses a 30mm autocannon. Some variants include a forward-looking, nose-mounted infrared camera that can be used for targeting.

The Ka-52 is Russia’s newest helicopter, but it already has many variants.

Version Designed for naval operationswas to be paired up with two French-built Mistral-class amphibious vesselsMoscow bought the purchase, but the deal was ended after Russia illegally annexed Crimea in 2014.

Egypt later bought both French ships and then purchased them. HelicoptersRussia.

The Ka-52M, the most recent variant, flew its first flight in August 2020. According to Russian mediaIt includes a number of new improvements such as a longer-range opto-electronic target acquisition, identification, and system for gyro stabilization, and a digital drive.

With battlefield videos, the Ka-52’s armaments are also being upgraded. Showing upIt fired a new anti-armor missile at Ukraine this summer.

War performance

Since Russia launched its attack on Moscow, Ka-52s have played an important role.

In the initial weeks of the war they were seen SupportRussian airborne troops at Hostomel Airport Russian convoys being escorted. They were especially useful in hunter-killer missions behind Ukrainian lines during the first two months. Sometimes, they flew as far as 50km into Ukrainian-controlled territory.

Moscow releases regular news VideoKa-52 operations include Other helicopter gunshipsLike the Mi-28, Mi-24/35.

A Royal United Services Institute study has shown that there are a lot of people who have recently retired. ReportKa-52s were “more intensively used than other fleets, both day and night, on all fronts of Ukraine.”

However, the high operational pace has also resulted in a high rate of attrition.

Open-source Ka-52s are open-source, but the UK claims 23 of them have been lost. Oryx is a tracking siteAs of mid November, 25 had been downed. Oryx’s statistics show that this is in comparison to the loss or eight Mi-24/-35 helicopters and six Mi-28 helicopters.

According to the British Defense Ministry these losses represent more than one quarter of the 90 Ka-52s that were active before the war. (The International Institute for Strategic Studies). 2021 Military Balance(Report, prepared before the war, indicated that Russia had totaled 133 Ka52s.

The ministry mentioned man-portable air defense systems like the US-made Stinger missileThe most probable reasons for the high number of losses are a lack “consistent top cover from combat jets” and

Russia’s ongoing Inability to suppress and destroy Ukrainian air defenses has made it hard for Russian jets to work in tandem with helicopters to conduct effective combined-arms operations — in part because many Russian jetsHave been shot down.

A number of factors contribute to the Ka-52’s large losses, including less armor. poor vibration dampening.

The Ka-52’s lack of armor makes it more vulnerable to small-arms fire and shoulder-launched missiles. Poor vibration dampening makes the helicopter less able to reach targets and reduces the accuracy of its weapons, especially unguided rockets. Ka-52s are forced to be closer to targets, increasing their exposure.

Anti-tank guided missiles are also used by the Ka-52. This requires that the helicopter remain stationary to allow the missiles to strike its target. That also increases its exposure — so much so that Ukrainian soldiers appear to have shot downKa-52s with antitank missiles FiredTaken from the ground

Russia’s helicopters ModificationsIn response to Ukraine’s successful use shoulder-fired rockets and other air defense systems, Russian forces still require close support. Ukraine has been notified. Continue to claim Ka-52 kills.

Newer, more advanced air defense systems ArrivingIn Ukraine, these losses will likely rise.