Russia Is Losing Attack Helicopters Because of Lack of Air Superiority

• Russia’s aviation forces have struggled to function successfully in Ukraine.
• The toll has been particularly excessive for Russia’s Ka-52, one among its latest assault helicopters.
• The ineffectiveness of Russian jets and the Ka-52’s personal flaws have left the helicopter extra uncovered.

Of all of the Russian Air Drive’s helicopters, the Ka-52 is probably probably the most distinctive.

That includes an uncommon coaxial rotor design and a side-by-side tandem crew seating association, it has been on the frontline and concerned within the thickest preventing greater than some other Russian assault helicopter since Russia’s assault started in February.

As a result of it has been probably the most lively, the Ka-52 additionally seems to be taking probably the most losses of Russia’s helicopters. In October, the British Protection Ministry said that at the very least 23 Ka-52s had been shot down since February.

That represents over 25% of the Russian Air Drive’s in-service Ka-52 fleet and makes up almost half of Russia’s complete helicopter losses in Ukraine, the ministry mentioned.

The Alligator

Designed by the extremely regarded Kamov helicopter firm, the Ka-52 — identified in Russia because the “Alligator” and known as the “Hokum-B” by NATO — is an improved variant of the Ka-50 Black Shark assault helicopter, which was launched in 1995.

The Ka-52 entered service in 2011. It has a ceiling of 18,000 ft and a high pace of 186 mph. Along with coaxial rotors, which eradicate the necessity for a tail rotor, it has ejection seats for its pilots — each uncommon options for helicopters.

Two stub wings give it the flexibility to hold some 4,000 kilos of rockets and missiles. It is also armed with a 30 mm autocannon mounted on the fitting aspect of the fuselage. Some variants even have a nose-mounted forward-looking infrared digicam for concentrating on.

Regardless of being one among Russia’s latest helicopters, the Ka-52 already has a number of variants.

A model designed for naval operations was to be paired with two French-built Mistral-class amphibious ships bought by Moscow, however the deal was canceled in response to Russia’s unlawful annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Egypt subsequently purchased each ships from France after which purchased the helicopters from Russia.

The latest variant, the Ka-52M, first flew in August 2020. In keeping with Russian media, it has a variety of enhancements, together with a longer-range gyro-stabilized opto-electronic goal acquisition and identification system and a brand new digital drive.

The Ka-52’s armaments additionally proceed to be upgraded as properly, with battlefield movies showing to indicate it firing a brand new anti-armor missile in Ukraine this summer time.

Struggle efficiency

Ka-52s have had an vital function since Russia launched its assault.

Within the first weeks of the struggle, they had been seen supporting Russian airborne forces at Hostomel Airport and escorting Russian convoys. They had been significantly helpful for hunter-killer missions behind Ukrainian traces within the first two months of the struggle, typically flying so far as 50 km into Ukrainian-controlled territory.

Moscow often releases footage of Ka-52 operations, together with with other helicopter gunships just like the Mi-28 and Mi-24/35.

In keeping with a latest Royal United Companies Institute report, Ka-52s have seen “extra intensive use than the opposite fleets, each by day and particularly at evening, on all fronts in Ukraine.”

However the excessive operational tempo has additionally led to a excessive attrition price.

The UK says 23 Ka-52s have been misplaced, whereas open-source monitoring website Oryx counted 25 as downed as of mid-November. That is in comparison with the lack of solely eight Mi-24/-35 and 6 Mi-28 helicopters, in response to Oryx’s tallies.

These losses are greater than one-quarter of the 90 Ka-52s in lively service earlier than the struggle, in response to the British Protection Ministry. (The Worldwide Institute for Strategic Research’ 2021 Navy Stability report, compiled earlier than the struggle, cited Russia has having a complete of 133 Ka-52s.)

The ministry cited man-portable air-defense methods, just like the US-made Stinger missile, and a scarcity of “constant top-cover from fight jets” because the more than likely causes for the disproportionate losses.

Russia’s continued incapacity to suppress and destroy Ukrainian air defenses has made it arduous for Russian jets to work in tandem with helicopters to conduct efficient combined-arms operations — partially as a result of many Russian jets have been shot down.

The Ka-52’s outsize losses additionally stem from a variety of deficiencies, together with much less armor and poor vibration dampening.

Much less armor means the Ka-52 is particularly weak to shoulder-launched missiles and small-arms hearth. Poor vibration dampening makes it tougher for the helicopter to accumulate targets and impacts the accuracy of its weapons, significantly of unguided rockets. That forces Ka-52s to get nearer to targets, rising their publicity.

The Ka-52 additionally makes use of anti-tank guided missiles that require the helicopter to stay nearly stationary so the missile can hit its goal. That additionally will increase its publicity — a lot in order that Ukrainian troopers seem to have shot down Ka-52s with anti-tank missiles fired from the bottom.

Russia’s helicopters have modified techniques in response to Ukraine’s profitable use of shoulder-fired missiles and different air-defense methods, however Russian forces nonetheless want shut air assist. Consequently, Ukraine continues to say Ka-52 kills.

With newer, extra fashionable air-defense methods arriving in Ukraine, these losses will doubtless enhance.