Putin’s winning weapon? Attack helicopters could pose a problem for Ukraine

Russia appears to have air advantages on some fronts in Ukraine. This too is due to a particular combat helicopter.

Ukrainian efforts to advance on the southern front are hampered by at least one specific type of Russian weaponry: heavily armored attack helicopters. British military intelligence said in its latest situation assessment that 20 helicopters had been moved to Russian-controlled Berdiansk airfield – about 100 kilometers from the front line. Aerial photos showed it.

“In the ongoing competition between air operations and countermeasures, Russia may have temporarily gained an advantage in southern Ukraine, particularly with attack helicopters using long-range missiles against ground targets,” the intelligence agency said. Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar also spoke of the “air superiority of Russian troops” in the south.

“The War Zone” web magazine reports that Russian military bloggers are increasingly reporting on the success of combat helicopters. Unconfirmed reports suggest that dozens of Ukrainian vehicles have been destroyed from the air. Several tanks, including German Panther and American Bradley tanks, were reportedly destroyed by fighter jets flying near Zaporizhia.

Russian manufacturer Kamov’s Ka-52 attack helicopters appear repeatedly in online videos purporting to come from a war zone. These aircraft are available in two versions, one single seater and one “alligator” type with two seats. The machines were developed in the early 1980s and have been continuously improved since then.

The coaxial rotor is particularly striking – the two main rotors are located one behind the other, making a tail rotor unnecessary. The machines can travel up to 300 kilometers per hour and can be deployed at a radius of 460 kilometers, according to military specialist website Militaryfactory.

The helicopters are equipped with an internal cannon, but can also fire a variety of missiles. According to “The War Zone”, anti-tank missiles of the 9M120-1 Ataka-1 and 9A4172K Vikhr-1 type are used in particular. They are laser controlled and can fly up to ten kilometers. According to Guy Blabsky, author of several articles on the Russian Air Force, Ka-52 helicopters have range advantages over other Russian models.

This may be due to the fact that they are now being used on the front in southern Ukraine and the lack of Ukrainian air defenses there. Advancing units are then less protected and provide easier targets for faster gunships. “Alligators” also reportedly pounced on German Panthers near Zaporizhia.

“Currently, many of the targets hit by the Ka-52 appear to be vehicles located near or in front of Ukrainian lines,” Plopsky told Warzone. far away. “In such cases, there is no short-range air defense between the Ukrainians.”

However, according to Blabsky, the Ka-52 has a sore point: when the Vikr missiles are launched, the helicopter needs to be in the air for almost half a minute to mark the target with the laser for the missile. In this position, he can be easily hit by radar-based anti-aircraft missiles.

According to the authors of the “War Zone” article, the helicopter attacks will increase the pressure on the deployment of Ukraine’s short-range air defense systems. According to Ukrainian information, the defense against Ka-52 attack helicopters has also been successful. The Ukrainian Air Force said on Friday that it had shot down one of the helicopters in Donetsk.