Mi 35 army attack helicopter

Mi-35 - multi-role attack helicopter, “flying infantry fighting vehicle”, developed at Mil Design Bureau. The helicopter is an export version of the Mi-24V multi-role attack helicopter. Helicopters were supplied to many countries around the world. In 1999, Rostvertol developed a program for modernizing these helicopters. In 2000, four helicopters for the Zimbabwe Armed Forces were modernized under this program.

As a result of modernization, the helicopters are equipped with Russian-made night vision devices. Installation of the new thermal imaging surveillance system IRTV-445MGH makes it possible to detect and recognize objects at a distance of more than 4 km around the clock. The satellite navigation system GPS115L GARMIN with the VPS-200 interface unit, installed on modernized helicopters, ensures the determination of the current coordinates of the helicopter and navigation flight parameters when working in the GPS system, as well as the output of navigation data to the screen of the video monitor of the surveillance system and recording of information on videotape.

As PRIME-TASS previously reported, the Mi-35 and Mi-35P helicopters (designation for the domestic market are Mi-24V and Mi-24D, respectively), mass-produced by Rostvertol, are intended for the destruction of armored vehicles, fire support for ground forces units, and landing troops. and evacuation of the wounded, as well as transportation of cargo in the cabin and on an external sling.

Both helicopters are equipped with 2 TVZ-117VMA engines with a power of 2225 hp. each, providing a maximum and cruising speed of 320 and 280 km per hour, respectively, with a normal flight range of 450 km. Normal ferry flight range is 1000 km. Take-off weight - 11.2 tons, maximum - 11.5 tons. Static ceiling - 1750 m, dynamic - 4500 m. Crew - 2 people.

The armament of the combat version of the Mi-35P and Mi-35 helicopters includes a complex of anti-tank guided missiles "Sturm-V" (up to 8 9M114 missiles with a cumulative warhead), S-8 unguided missiles of 80 mm caliber and S-24 240 mm caliber, gondola with suspended small arms and cannon weapons in various versions (9-A-629 machine gun 12.7 mm caliber; 2 9-A-622 machine guns 7.62 mm caliber; 9-A-800 grenade launcher 30 mm caliber), as well as a bomb (bombs weighing from 50 to 500 kg) and mine (KMGU-2 container) weapons.

The Mi-35P combat helicopter, which is a modification of the Mi-35 helicopter, differs from it in that instead of a built-in mobile 9-A-624 machine gun mount of 12.7 mm caliber, a fixed gun mount GSh-30 of 30 mm caliber is located on the right side of the forward fuselage .

The Mi-35P and Mi-35 helicopters can also be used in an airborne transport version (8 paratroopers with mine weapons/, a transport version with an external sling with a payload capacity of 2.4 tons. In addition, the Mi-35P has a sanitary version (2 recumbent and 2 seated wounded accompanied by a medical worker).

Flight performance

Video

It is widely known throughout the world as a combat strike vehicle. This modernized version of the helicopter received new engines, modern anti-tank weapons and satellite navigation equipment and is capable of not only effectively destroying the enemy, but delivering troops and transporting the wounded.

Features of the Mi 35 army helicopter

The first export deliveries went abroad under the designation, and in the 90s at the Moscow plant named after. M.L. Mil released a modernized series with an index and a variant.

The modernized version of this machine was equipped with a new rotor with blades made of composite materials, a “maintenance-free” bushing with elastomer bearings and an advanced swashplate design. The X-shaped tail rotor had a low noise level.

The helicopter's wing span was shortened, the end pylons on the consoles were removed, the landing gear was equipped with a shock-absorbing structure, and it was made non-retractable. New outboard fuel tanks of increased size allowed for longer-range flights and more efficient use of the new VK-2500 power plants with more powerful thrust.

The cabin lighting equipment has been significantly improved, allowing flights at any time of the day with a new high-precision satellite navigation system with electronic indicators.

The helicopter's small arms, cannons and missiles, based on an avionics complex with a gyro-stabilized sighting system and night vision goggles, allow round-the-clock use of the systems in adverse weather conditions.

Flight characteristics of the Mi 35 attack helicopter

Fuselage length – 17.51 m
Main rotor diameter – 17.3 m
Empty helicopter weight – 8620 kg
Maximum take-off weight – 11500 kg
Fuel capacity – 1500 kg + 1000 in PTB
Power plant – 2 x VK-2500
Thrust at takeoff power – 2 x 2400 kg
Maximum speed – 340 km/h
Cruising speed – 280 km/h
Combat radius – 450 km
Ferry range with PTB – 1000 km
Dynamic ceiling – 4500 m
Armament - double-barreled gun GSh-23 in the NPPU-24 installation
Suspension points – 4
Crew – 2 people

Combat use of the Mi 35

Back in March 2014, these army helicopters were used for air patrols of the border zone in Crimea. With the annexation of Crimea to Russia, every year in June tactical flight exercises are held at the Opuk aviation training ground, in which modernized helicopters are involved together with and.

The helicopter crews were tasked with detecting low-flying and low-speed air targets with subsequent destruction at a distance of 5 km to 500 meters.

Russian-made helicopters in service with the Iraqi army took part in the defeat of ISIS militants. Taking advantage of the unstable situation in the Anbar province on the border with Syria, the terrorists decided to create an Islamic Emirate there. With the assistance of Iraqi troops, they killed dozens of militants, including leaders of bandit formations.

Mi-24 VM, which is a modification of the famous Soviet rotary-wing aircraft. Soviet pilots called it a “flying tank” by analogy with the Il-2 attack aircraft, famous during the Second World War. The unofficial nickname of the combat vehicle was “Crocodile” due to the standard helicopter camouflage scheme.

When did the predecessor of the Mi-35M appear?

In the early 1960s, it became clear to Soviet designer Mikhail Mil that the trend toward ever-increasing combat mobility would lead to the creation of flying infantry support combat vehicles that could be used to perform both combat and transport missions. The first prototype of the B-24 helicopter expressing this concept, developed under the leadership of Mil, was presented in 1966 in the experimental workshop of the Ministry of Aviation Industry. The concept for this product was based on another project, the B-22 utility helicopter, which had never flown independently. The B-24 had a central cargo compartment that could accommodate eight people sitting back to back, and small wings capable of carrying up to six missiles and located at the upper rear of the helicopter, as well as a twin-barreled cannon.

Deciding to start development

Mil proposed his design to the leaders of the Soviet armed forces. While she received the support of a number of military leaders, others felt that developing conventional weapons would be a better use of resources. Despite the opposition, Mil managed to convince the First Deputy Minister of Defense, Marshal Andrei Grechko, to convene experts to study this issue. Ultimately, Mil's proposal won out, and the Ministry of Defense's request to develop a helicopter for infantry support was issued. This is how the Mi-35M combat helicopter began its long development journey. The history of its development took place against the backdrop of the development and use of combat and attack helicopters by the US Army during The practice of their use convinced the Soviet leadership of the advantages of an armed helicopter and contributed to supporting the development of the Mi-24 project, which in our time has turned into the Mi-24 helicopter. 35M.

Development progress

At first, Mil Design Bureau engineers prepared two main design options: a 7-ton single-engine and a 10.5-ton twin-engine. On May 6, 1968, a directive was issued to begin developing the second option. The work continued under the leadership of Mil until his death in 1970. Design work began in August 1968. A full-scale model of the helicopter was reviewed and approved in February 1969. Flight testing of the prototype, which later became the Mi-35M helicopter, began on September 15, 1969 with the guidance system attached, and four days later the first free flight was carried out. Soon a second copy was built, and then a test batch of ten helicopters was produced.

Improvements based on military comments

Prototyping of the current Mi-35M - the Mi-24 helicopters - began in June 1970, continuing for 18 months. Changes made to the design were aimed at increasing structural strength, eliminating fatigue problems and reducing vibration levels. In addition, a negative 12-degree slope was introduced into the wings to eliminate the helicopter's tendency to yaw from side to side at speeds in excess of 200 km/h, and the Phalanga-M missile pylons were moved from the fuselage to the wingtips. The tail rotor was moved from the right to the left side of the tail, and the direction of rotation was reversed. A number of other design changes were made before production of the first version of the Mi-24A began in 1970. Having received confirmation of its performance in 1971, it was officially put into service a year later.

General design overview

It was mainly borrowed from the Mi-8 helicopter (NATO classification "Hip") with two overhead turbo engines, a five-bladed main rotor and a three-bladed tail rotor. The configuration of the engines gave the Mi-35M helicopter its characteristic air intakes on both sides of the fuselage. The original versions have a tandem cockpit layout: the gunner is placed in front, and the pilot sits above him and somewhat behind.

The Mi-24's fuselage was heavily armored and could withstand the impact of 12.7 mm bullets from all directions. The titanium blades are also resistant to 12.7mm ammunition. The cabin is protected by armored windshields and a titanium-reinforced tray. The pressurized flight deck is pressurized to protect the crew from radioactive contamination.

Flight characteristics

Considerable attention was paid to giving the Mi-24 the highest possible speed. The fuselage was streamlined and equipped with retractable landing gear to reduce drag. At high speed, the wings provide significant lift (up to a quarter of its total value). The main rotor is tilted 2.5° to the right of the fuselage to compensate for the tendency to skew when stationary. The landing gear is also tilted to the left, which tilts the entire Mi-35 attack helicopter in the same direction when it is on the ground. In this case, the main screw is in a horizontal plane. The tail is also asymmetrical, which creates a lateral force on it at speed, thus unloading the tail rotor.

Modifications to the main model

The first mass-produced helicopter since 1971 was the Mi-24A. It did not yet have a tandem cockpit, and its tail rotor was initially located on the right. Once the screw is moved to the left side, it remains there on all subsequent models.

The next helicopter that went into production in 1973 was the Mi-24D model. It features a tandem cab for the first time.

Since 1976, the Mi-24V model went into serial production, on which anti-tank missiles of the Sturm-V system appeared for the first time. Until 1986, only 4 of them were installed, and then their number increased to 16.

The pinnacle of the Soviet stage of development of the Mi-24 brand was the Mi-24 VP model, produced since 1989. In addition to anti-tank missiles, the Mi-24 VP was equipped with air-to-air missiles and Igla-S anti-aircraft missiles. Thus, it could hit both ground-based armored and air targets (helicopters, attack aircraft, drones). Its American counterpart, the AH-64A Apache, was significantly inferior to it in speed and combat capabilities. security.

Russian stage of brand modernization

With the collapse of the USSR, the development of the famous Milev family of attack helicopters was interrupted for more than 20 years. The Mi-24 VP model was produced in only 30 copies.

Finally, in the second half of 2000, the purely Russian Mi-24VM appeared. It has a non-retractable landing gear and can carry the following types of missiles: anti-tank air-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft missiles of the Igla-V type. To protect against ground-based MANPADS targeting thermal radiation, it is equipped with a protective infrared jamming system.

The Mi-24VM helicopter is exported under the designation Mi-35M. What does he look like? Photos of real combat vehicles cannot always convey all the design features. They are very clearly conveyed by the plastic model of the Mi-35M helicopter (1:72) “Zvezda”, widely distributed among Russian and foreign aviation enthusiasts and shown in the photo below.

Flight speed records on the Mi-24V

It was the most common model of this combat vehicle. The Mi-24V set several world records for flight speed and time to rise to a given altitude. The helicopter was modified to reduce its weight as much as possible - one of the modifications was the removal of the wing plugs.

Several official records in various categories for the Mi-24V were set by the female crew of Galina Rastorgueva and Lyudmila Polyanskaya in the 70s of the last century. So on July 16, 1975, they reached a speed of 341.32 km/h when flying in a straight line over a distance of 15/25 km, and on July 18, 1975, they set a speed record of 334.46 km/h when moving in a circle of 100 km . On August 1, 1975, when flying in a circle of 500 km, this value was 331.02 km/h, and on August 13, 1975, when moving without a payload along a closed trajectory 1000 km long, the helicopter accelerated to 332.65 km/h. These the records stand to this day.

Comparison with Western helicopters

What is different about the Mi-35M helicopter? Its characteristics combine the qualities of an armored fighting vehicle and it has no direct analogue in the armies of NATO countries. It is known that UH-1 ("Huey") helicopters were used during the Vietnam War either for the transport of troops or as combat vehicles, but they were not able to perform both of these tasks in parallel. Converting the UH-1 to a combat helicopter meant clearing out the entire passenger compartment for additional fuel and ammunition, and as a result, losing its ability to be used as a transport vehicle. The Mi-24 and all its subsequent modifications, including the Mi-35M, were designed to perform both tasks, and its capabilities were confirmed during the war in Afghanistan in 1980-1989.

Its closest Western equivalent was the Sikorsky S-67 Blackhawk, which used many of the same design principles and was built as a high-speed, highly maneuverable attack helicopter with limited transport capabilities and using many components from the earlier Sikorsky S-61 model. The S-67, however, was not accepted into service. The Mi-24 has been dubbed the world's only "attack helicopter" due to its combination of firepower and troop transport capabilities.

Mi-35M helicopter / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

At the military aviation base of the Northern Military District Air Force in Shymkent (military unit 55652), a flight - four aircraft - of the latest Mi-35M attack helicopters was solemnly welcomed.

New helicopters were purchased in Russia as part of the program for the re-equipment of the Kazakh Air Force. Equipment of this level arrived in our country after a rather long break associated with the decommissioning of the entire fleet of Soviet-built Mi-24B attack aircraft at once, due to the exhaustion of their service life. Our correspondent studied in detail the features of the new combat vehicles and even took off in one of them during training flights at the Pervomaiskaya airbase near Almaty.

Kazakhstan inherited from the Soviet Union a very decent group of Mi-24B attack helicopters (according to NATO classification - Hind). According to open sources, the Kazakh group consisted of about 40 aircraft, of which by 2016 they remained airworthy half - about 20 vehicles. Most of them were based at the military airfield in Ucharal, covering the eastern strategic direction, and still remain there in storage.

Mi-24B of the Air Force of the Northern Military District of the Republic of Kazakhstan during exercises in the Almaty region (April 19, 2014)

A huge number of various treatises have been written about the merits of this remarkable rotary-wing aircraft, which largely determined the course of local conflicts in recent decades. It is enough to mention just a few facts. Today, the Mi-24 remains the most common attack helicopter in the world (more than 3,500 copies were produced). In second place is the American AH-64 Apache (about 2000 copies). The Mi-24 is in service in the national armies of 63 countries around the world - this is a third of all states that are members of the UN. Today Mi-24s fly on all continents except Australia and Antarctica. However, it is possible that they exist in Australia, in private collections. And in the Soviet army, the helicopter received the unofficial name “crocodile” for its rather aggressive design and enormous striking power.

Kazakh Mi-24B on training flights

Life does not stand still, and it would be simply unacceptable for Russian aircraft designers from the Mil Design Bureau not to try to create an ultra-modern product on the basis of a Soviet combat vehicle that has such impressive potential. This is how the Mi-35M appeared. It has been mass-produced since 2005 at the Rosvertol aircraft plant in Rostov-on-Don, part of the Russian Helicopters holding company. "Thirty-fifth" is a deep modernization of its predecessors Mi-24B/BP and bears the designation Mi-24BM. The helicopter is exported under the designation Mi-35M. Vehicles arrived in Kazakhstan in the same configuration as those developed for the Russian Armed Forces, and the political component played a role here (more on this a little later).

Passage over the airfield

The Mi-35M is designed for the destruction of armored weapons and equipment, fire support for ground forces, airdropping, evacuation of the wounded, as well as for transporting cargo in the cabin and on an external sling. As follows from the announcement of the helicopter by the developer, the modernization was carried out with the aim of improving flight technical and operational characteristics, increasing the unification of Mil OKB helicopters, as well as ensuring round-the-clock execution of combat missions and more effective use of all types of weapons in various physical and geographical conditions, including conditions of high mountains and hot climates.

What new was introduced into the design of the helicopter? Firstly, the range of weapons used has been significantly expanded. Now it is possible to use precision-guided ammunition. The helicopter is equipped with a modern avionics system with a navigation and electronic display complex with color multifunction displays, an OPS-24N surveillance and sighting system with a gyro-stabilized optoelectronic station GOES-324, which includes thermal imaging and television channels, a laser range finder and a direction finder. In simple words, now the on-board weapons operator sees a 240-degree image around the helicopter, and he has significantly more opportunities to guarantee the destruction of enemy targets. Updating the equipment made it possible not only to reduce the load on the crew and to use guided and unguided weapons at any time of the day, but also to take off and land on unprepared and unequipped sites.

Crew commander digital instrument panel

Unlike previous modifications, the Mi-35M does not have a retractable landing gear, which softens the impact when falling. Experience in combat operation of the Mi-24 has shown that in the event of fire damage, the crew does not have time or cannot lower the landing gear. The new helicopter has a shortened wing with two instead of three weapon mounts, which improves aerodynamics. The design of the tail rotor has been significantly changed - it has become X-shaped, with blades made of composite material. The main rotor, also made of composites, has a new swashplate and elastomeric bearings. The power plant is fundamentally new - Klimov VK-2500-II turboshaft engines. Interestingly, the 35’s even had a different engine sound compared to the 24’s.

Today the helicopter is in service with the air forces of the Czech Republic, Azerbaijan and Venezuela. Contracts have been signed for its supply to Iraq and Brazil.

Before departure

For the first time, the commander-in-chief of the Kazakhstan Air Defense Forces, Lieutenant General Nurlan Ormanbetov, announced that Kazakhstan would receive four new helicopters at the international military exhibition CADEX-2016 in June last year. The delivery was carried out within the framework of military-technical cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation and an agreement between the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Rosoboronexport. The cost of the batch of helicopters has not been disclosed, but sources in the Ministry of Defense claim that it is the same as for the Russian army. Kazakhstan is an active participant in the CSTO and is responsible for strengthening the southern strategic direction. That’s why the helicopters were sent to Shymkent. By the way, the 602nd air base of the North Military District of the Republic of Kazakhstan (military unit 55652) has been actively expanding recently. New Mi-171Sh transport and combat helicopters have already arrived here, which, along with MiG-29 fighters and Su-25 front-line attack aircraft, form the strike part of a fairly serious aviation group. It can be assumed that the build-up of aviation assets is carried out primarily in order to strengthen the border with Uzbekistan, which has a dangerous neighbor in the south - Afghanistan, and inside - the overpopulated Fergana Valley, prone to social upheaval and Islamic extremism. And with the rest of the neighbors in the region - Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan - not everything is completely rosy. The region has been called potentially explosive more than once.

Transport and combat Mi-17 at the Pervomaiskaya airbase

The Mi-35M crew consists of three people - a commander, a pilot-on-board weapons operator and an on-board technician. At the beginning of 2016, a group of Kazakh pilots and technical personnel was sent to Russia for retraining. To date, 12 people have been trained - four crews.

Crew before a training flight

“We underwent retraining for this type of helicopter in the Russian Federation, in the city of Torzhok,” says Major Kazbek Rabaev, chief of staff of the aviation squadron of military unit 55652. - There is a center for combat use and retraining of army aviation. First there was theoretical training, then training training, and then we started flying directly. This all took us two months. Pilots who have experience flying the Mi-24 were sent for retraining."

Chief of Staff of the aviation squadron of military unit 55652, Major Kazbek Rabaev

The helicopters themselves arrived in Kazakhstan from Rostov-on-Don in November 2016 in a segmented state. They were assembled and tested at the 405th aircraft plant, which is located on the territory of the Almaty International Airport. Then the combat vehicles were transported to the Pervomaiskaya military transport aviation base (military unit 53975), which is located a few kilometers from the airport. Here Shymkent pilots conducted training flights on them for several days.

Transport-combat Mi-17 and attack Mi-35M at the Pervomaiskaya airbase

Kazbek, what are your impressions of the helicopter?

The helicopter has undergone a deep modernization, a lot of things have changed. The main changes are the weapons; the avionics have been improved. His combat capabilities have increased many times over. The engines have been replaced with more powerful ones, the supporting system has been replaced - the propeller blades are not metal, but composite. The tail rotor is x-shaped, not three-bladed, as on the Mi-24. Fixed landing gear. Because of this, the helicopter turned out to be lighter, since the hydraulic system itself weighed quite decently. From a distance of seven kilometers, you can recognize the type of target, aim guided missiles at it, and from 3-5 kilometers, fire at targets with a 100% hit.

The landing gear of the Mi-35M cannot be retracted in flight

Are you satisfied with the package?

The configuration of our aircraft is similar to those vehicles that are supplied to the Russian troops. We flew exactly the same type in Torzhok. The helicopter is excellent, maneuverable - it has everything that is necessary for a modern combat helicopter.

Spectacular passage over the airfield

Are there any differences from the Mi-24 in terms of piloting?

There are no fundamental differences in piloting. The work with the controls has changed a little, because there is already new equipment, new devices. On the Mi-24 everything was analog; there are already MFIs (multifunctional displays) here.

Crew commander's position

What are your plans for the near future?

We are recovering now. Then we return to our base in Shymkent. To recover and be ready for the flight, we need to fly two shifts. We will begin flights for combat use at home. There are also personnel there that need to be retrained. We will do this ourselves. After we retrain, we will begin planning the training ground and combat use. I think that by spring we will be ready. At least our participation in the parade in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Armed Forces, which will be held on May 7 in Astana, has already been planned.

The pilots are "recovering"

Prospects
It can be assumed that the Kazakh generals have high hopes for the Mi-35M in terms of rearmament of army aviation. Obviously, in the coming years their number will increase until the squadron is fully equipped. As is known, a modern aviation squadron consists of 10 to 30 aircraft, along with crews and ground technical personnel.

Mi-35M temporary parking lot at the Pervomaiskaya airbase

According to the commander of the Pervomaisk air base, Colonel Nurlan Baidullaev, the air base has Mi-17 helicopters, which are considered transport and combat helicopters. The Mi-35M is a full-fledged combat helicopter. It will carry out air escort, ensure landing of troops from the Mi-17, as well as strike ground targets - enemy manpower and equipment.

Commander of the Pervomaisk airbase, Colonel Nurlan Baidullaev

"Hanging" over the platform

The Mi-35M helicopter is an export version of the Russian Mi-24 helicopter. Both cars are developments of the Mil design bureau. This machine is manufactured for the Ministry of Defense and for export. The main task of the Mi35M is to destroy enemy armored vehicles, as well as provide fire support for ground forces. The helicopter can be used as a landing vehicle and for transporting various cargoes. Often such a device is used in rescue operations.

The name of the Mi-35M helicopter was first used to refer to the Mi-24V, which was exported overseas since 1976. There are many export modifications under the Mi-35 brand. They had their own characteristics and were designed to perform different tasks. The standard Mi-35 had a special sight and was equipped with an engine that was manufactured at the Motor Sich plant.

There are many other devices that are equipped with equipment for special operations: a variety of weapons and special combat systems that produce targeted fire at the enemy, regardless of the time of day and visibility. As for the Mi-35M, it has three variants of its design and layout. The prototype of the skewer was manufactured in early 1995.

The Mi-35M helicopter is a deep modernization of the Mi-24 helicopter, which has a reputation as a reliable combat vehicle. It provided reliable assistance to our soldiers during combat operations, which is why the helicopter was dubbed the “Crocodile.” Today, the production of the Mi-35M helicopter is carried out by a helicopter plant in Rostov, called Rosvertol.

There are many orders from foreign and Russian clients. At the beginning of 2010, the Ministry of Defense of our state ordered 22 combat vehicles of this class, all of these vehicles are planned to be manufactured before 2015. Two years after the ministerial order, 12 vehicles were ready. After which another contract was concluded for the supply of 27 vehicles of this type. Under these contracts, all devices must be ready by the end of 2014. In addition to the Russian Federation, the Mi-34M helicopter is also used by other countries around the world. The main partners are Azerbaijan, which ordered 24 helicopters, and Brazil, which has been purchasing helicopters from our country for a long time and again placed an order for the production of 12 machines. Venezuela is also a long-standing and reliable partner, having agreed to supply 10 helicopters.

Design features of the Mi-35M helicopter

This vehicle was manufactured to defeat enemy forces through the use of the latest technologies and developments, and this combat unit can operate around the clock and in all weather conditions. Thanks to the modernization of this machine, it was possible to achieve significantly better flight qualities than its predecessor. The Mi-35M maintains high performance in hot climates and when flying at high altitudes.

In order for the helicopter to carry out missions throughout the day, the following systems and units were installed on it:

a fundamentally new sighting system, which includes new optics with hydrostabilizers;

computing complex for sight model PrVk;

a navigation complex that worked on the principle of electronic display;

night vision system.

All these systems and innovations made it possible to use the helicopter at any time of the day and for a long time. The night target detection system makes it possible to carry out targeted fire in complete darkness. The helicopter is equipped with guided weapons, namely missiles of various types. Laser equipment allows you to calculate the exact distance to the target. In addition to all this, the vehicle is equipped with small arms of movable and fixed types. Flight along the route can be carried out using an autopilot in a semi-automatic type; this system will relieve the workload of pilots and give more time for aiming and fire.

To effectively use night vision devices, the helicopter is equipped with special lighting equipment both inside and outside the cabin. By using night vision goggles, pilots can detect objects using minimal lighting. This device operates in a special wave range, namely from 640 to 900 nm.

When using a night vision system, pilots receive the following benefits:

the ability to control the situation on the ground from a height of 50−200 meters;

can distinguish between enemy equipment and navigate using ground objects such as roads or rivers;

in addition to piloting, it is possible to land and take off the vehicle from areas that do not have lighting;

the ability to conduct patrols or rescue operations in pitch darkness.

The designers of the Mi-35M helicopter thought through and improved its flight and technical characteristics. Due to the design and streamlined shape of the fuselage, the vehicle has excellent aerodynamic properties. A completely new and higher quality support system was developed for this device. The main rotor has been completely redesigned and equipped with a new, more efficient airfoil. The main rotor blades are made of new composite materials, due to this the blades have become lighter without losing strength and reliability. In practice, the new blades were even more survivable and durable in combat conditions than the previous ones.

The propeller bushing was replaced with a more progressive and reliable one, which had an elastomer hinge. This bushing design does not require constant lubrication and is made of titanium. The tail rotor has a two-tier arrangement and consists of four blades, which are controlled by a torsion bar system. The new tail rotor also requires less lubricant than previous machines.

This type of propellers and the materials used improved the flight qualities of the machine, namely, the maneuverability of the device increased, and at the same time the helicopter became quieter during flight. The main rotor blades are of such high quality and tenacity that they make it possible to continue flight even after being hit by a 30 mm caliber projectile. Both propellers are equipped with a heating system that prevents them from icing.

The helicopter's power plant is manufactured using the latest technologies and developments in the industry. The Mi-35M is equipped with two reinforced VK-2500 engines. They make it possible to fly at high altitudes and land and take off in such conditions. The service life of the Mi-35M power plant is very long and reaches up to 60 thousand flight hours. This engine can also be used at high air temperatures. Even if one of the two engines fails, you can continue to fly safely on one engine.

In the manufacture of the power plant, the designers used heat-resistant materials. The engine operation is controlled by an automatic system. The compressor disc was strengthened, which led to greater endurance. All these innovations led to the fact that the gas in front of the turbine became warmer, which, in turn, increased the speed of the turbocharger. In case of an unforeseen or emergency situation, the engine has special operating modes that allow you to safely operate the machine even if one of the power plant units breaks down.

The Mi-35M differs from its predecessor in having shortened wings on which holders for weapons are located. APU type launch systems can be installed on the wings, which are used to mount missiles. The vehicle's short wings allow it to transport loads that are attached specifically to the wings of the vehicle. In addition, the wings are equipped with systems that can lift loads.

This machine has systems that reduce the load on the entire body of the machine during takeoff and landing. Due to the controlled front strut, the Mi-35M helicopter can carry out independently controlled movement on the ground and change the ground clearance angle when loading. The helicopter's landing gear is not retractable, which makes the vehicle safer when flying at low altitudes, as well as during emergency landings.

As a result, we can say that the Mi-35M combat helicopter is a very high-quality and reliable machine. All this was achieved through the tremendous work of experienced designers and the use of the latest advances in technology and electronics.

Technical characteristics of the Mi-38M

Crew: 2 (3)

Passenger capacity: 8

Load capacity: 2400 kg

Length: 17.49 m

Main rotor diameter: 17.2 m

Tail rotor diameter: 3.84 m

Height: 4.16 m

Empty weight: 8360 kg

Normal take-off weight: 10900 kg

Maximum take-off weight: 11500 kg

Powerplant: 2 × TVaD “Klimov” VK-2500-02

Power: 2 × 2200 hp (takeoff mode); 2 × 1500 hp (cruise)

Flight characteristics of the Mi-38M

Maximum speed: 300 km/h

Cruising speed: 260 km/h

Combat radius: 450 km

Ferry range: up to 1000 km with external tanks

Static ceiling: 3150 m

Dynamic ceiling: 5100 m

Armament of the Mi-38M

Small arms and cannon: fixed movable cannon mount NPPU-24 with a double-barreled gun GSh-23L of 23 mm caliber

Suspension points: 4

Weapon options (depending on the mission):

Anti-tank missiles: "Shturm-V" or "Ataka-M"

Unguided missiles: 2 or 4 B8V20-A blocks with S-8 missiles of 80 mm caliber

Outboard cannon armament: 2 UPK-23-250 containers with GSh-23L cannons

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