"Daring" is preparing to replace the "Raider. Kamov vs. Mil: how do Russian design bureaus see an attack helicopter of the future And instead of a heart - a fiery engine

A fundamentally new modification of the Mi-28N attack helicopter (" Night Hunter"") should enter the troops in late 2017 - early 2018. The tests of the Mi-28NM are only, and it is already being called the "helicopter of the future" and they say that the novelty is significantly superior to the famous and most common in the world AH-64 Apache.

Mi-28 initially turned out to be a helicopter with difficult fate. Its development began in the late 1970s. The prototype made its first flights in 1982. By the end of the 1980s, the new helicopter was presented at international air shows. And then the 90s began, which became one of the most difficult periods in the history of the Russian Armed Forces.

However, despite all the difficulties, the designers continued to work on the machine, although the process went much more slowly. In 1996, the upgraded version of the Mi-28, the Mi-28N, took to the air for the first time, deserving the most best reviews. But only in 2005 did its state tests begin, which ended at the end of 2008. Only on October 15, 2008, the Night Hunter was officially adopted.

In 2009 - 2011, the first serial Mi-28N entered the army. Today it is in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces, the Iraqi and Algerian Air Forces. Baptism of fire"Night hunter" took place in Syria. And now, in the very near future, he may appear before us in a new guise.

Simultaneously with the completion of the state tests of the Mi-28N, Russian designers began work on a fundamentally new modification of the helicopter - "Product 296" or Mi-28NM. Tactical specifications it is still kept secret, but with the start of flight tests, something still leaked to the media.

From its predecessor, it will differ immediately in many respects.

Colonel, commander of the 344th Center for Combat Training and Retraining of Army Aviation Flight Personnel in Torzhok:

“We were present at the mock-up commission of this helicopter. Even outwardly, it will differ from the Mi-28, the differences will be visible to the naked eye. First and foremost, it will be a dual-control helicopter with completely different weapons and equipment.”

The mass and dimensions of the on-board radio-electronic equipment for the Mi-28NM, the speed of information exchange between the units has increased. The new helicopter will be able to successfully fly over unorientated terrain and search for landing sites.

Photo: https://pp.vk.me

New main rotor blades have been created for the Mi-28NM, which will increase its maximum speed by 10% (now for the Mi-28N it is 300 km/h). But this is not the main thing.

“Creation of a promising locator based on Russian technologies it is quite possible, although it is still impossible to talk about technical solutions, since they are secret, but the fact that this system will exceed its analogue in the form of the Longbow system, which is installed on the American AH-64 Apache helicopter, is absolutely certain. (...) In terms of electronic warfare and we are better locators than Western systems, because we extinguish Western radars, we see far, we hear far.

Deputy Minister of Defense of Russia:

“This is an all-weather, all-day helicopter - this is its cardinal difference. He will receive a practically new navigation system, reconnaissance system, new optics, a new control system that allows for a "blind" landing. The Mi-28NM has all the advantages of a helicopter that is in demand on the market today. Trials at the finish line now.

Advisor to the First Deputy General Director of KRET:

“The laser suppression station is designed to divert attacking enemy missiles from the protected helicopter. In the near future, it is planned to complete the tests of the laser suppression station, obtain the corresponding letter for serial production and equip all manufactured helicopters with this system.”

Photo: Press service of the Russian Helicopters holding

Obviously, the tests of the new attack helicopter made the best impression on the military.

Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation Viktor Bondarev, that the Mi-28NM will go into operation in late 2017 - early 2018, and summed up the modernization of the machine:

It increased armament, increased engine thrust, plus the protection of the helicopter from portable anti-aircraft guns. missile systems worth it in full. And, of course, dual control.

Bondarev Viktor Nikolaevich

The pace of modernization of the Russian Armed Forces is as always impressive. However, there is no other way. Not only information, but also hybrid war, during which some "partners" show surprising complacency towards terrorist groups, which eventually turns into real armies with their own artillery and armored vehicles. One of our responses to such threats will be the Mi-28NM, capable of effectively destroying tanks, armored vehicles, artillery mounts, firing positions and slow flying air targets. And today he made a serious bid to become one of the best attack helicopters in the world.

With what will the third largest helicopter manufacturer in the world conquer the market in the future?

The top five helicopters of the future included Ansat and Ka-226T light multi-purpose vehicles, medium multifunctional helicopter Ka-62, holder of five world records Mi-38 and modernized transport-passenger Mi-171A2.

ANSAT
Development: 1994
Kazan Helicopters
Project stage: testing in 2013
Load capacity: 1.3 t
Passengers: 8

The Ansat light helicopter, capable of carrying up to 8 passengers or 1.3 tons of cargo, was developed by the Kazan Helicopter Plant (KVZ). The first prototype was created in 1997, and serial production began in 2004. Since then, the plant has produced 20 machines with electronic system control, which it was decided to replace with hydromechanical. Testing of the first experimental helicopter with the new control system will begin in the second half of 2013.

KA-226T
Development: modification of the Ka-226 1997
OKB Kamov
Project stage: certification in 2013
Load capacity: 1.2t
Passengers: 7

Light helicopter Ka-226T (capable of carrying up to seven passengers or 1.5 tons of cargo) is a modification of the Ka-226, which the Kamov Design Bureau created in 1997. In autumn 2013, according to plans, the helicopter will be fully certified. Due to the modularity of the design, it can be used to rescue those in distress or become an ambulance medical care, patrol specially protected areas and parachute special units on platforms not equipped for this, to transport goods on an external sling or inside the cab.

KA-62
Development: 1990
OKB Kamov

Load capacity: 2 t
Passengers: 15

The Ka-62 medium helicopter (15 passengers or 2 tons of cargo) has been developed by Kamov since 1992. A full-size mock-up was first shown in 1995, then work on this project was curtailed due to lack of funds. The second presentation took place in 2012 as part of the Russian Helicopters holding. According to the approved plans, the first flight of the Ka-62 will take place in the summer of 2013, the first deliveries will begin in 2015. The helicopter already has its first customer - the Brazilian company Atlas Táxi Aéreo.

MI-38
Development: 1987
KB Milya
Project stage: production in 2015
Load capacity: 6 t
Passengers: 30

The design of the Mi-38 medium multi-purpose helicopter (up to 30 passengers or 6 tons of cargo) began in 1987 to replace the Mi-8 / Mi-17, it was planned to start mass production in 1998. To date, the assembly of the third prototype has been completed, which is planned to be handed over to the helicopter developer, the Mil Design Bureau, for flight tests in the near future. The fourth prototype is being assembled at Kazan Helicopter Plant. The start of serial production of the Mi-38 helicopter in Kazan is scheduled for 2015.

MI-171A2
Development: modification of the Mi-8 1961,
Kazan Helicopters
Project stage: production in 2015
Load capacity: 5 t
Passengers: 24

The Mi-171A2 medium multi-purpose helicopter (up to 26 passengers or 5 tons of cargo) is another modification of the Soviet Mi-8s, the production of which was launched back in 1965 (12,000 Mi-8s and their modifications have been produced since then). We are currently assembling the first prototype helicopter Mi-171A2. New avionics, new radio-electronic equipment are at the final stage of assembly, new VK-2500 engines are being installed. It is assumed that the first prototype will be presented in August this year. Helicopter certification is scheduled for the end of 2014, serial production for 2015.

The 110th anniversary of the first helicopter flight in the world is celebrated by Kamov with new ideas for improving helicopters, without which life in modern society cannot be imagined. About what the design of the helicopters of the future will be like, what speed they will be able to develop, what tasks to perform and in what military operations to be used, in an interview with the website of the Zvezda TV channel, he told general designer JSC "Kamov" Sergey Mikheev.- Looking to the future, what will happen to combat helicopters? How will they change in 30-50 years?- The development of combat helicopters will, of course, be the basis for the re-equipment of modern armed forces, since the helicopter in its capacity today represents unique opportunity act quickly, discreetly and effectively. In this regard, military helicopters have an exceptionally good future. What will fundamentally happen? Of course, there will be crew reductions and much greater automation of modes.

These will be attack helicopters that are capable of maneuvering and flying at very high speeds. Perhaps twice as much as it is done now.

The combat process will remain with the person. In this area, it is necessary to reasonably separate what the pilot does and what helps him to make an automatic machine. After all, the leader of a helicopter is the pilot.

I believe that any war machine eventually becomes civil. For example, the Mi-8 helicopter was born as a military helicopter, but for many years it has become an indispensable transport helicopter, which is widely exported. This is the fate of any machine that seriously aims at long life. Sooner or later it must become civil. This in many cases expands production, so any military vehicle must be technologically advanced and cheap.

A high-speed helicopter will have minimal harmful drag. It will be likened to an arrow, because that is where perfection lies. His image will reduce harmful resistance to a minimum, and he will be able to reach speeds of 500-600 km / h.

Helicopters are military - they kill. And there are "peaceful" - they save. Without them, it would sometimes be impossible to evacuate the wounded from hard-to-reach areas or deliver humanitarian aid to the region natural disaster. Today we will talk about civilian helicopters, about the latest developments of domestic and foreign helicopter industry and about the concepts of the distant future. Russia is among the world leaders in the production of helicopters, and every year the volume of manufactured products is growing.

If in 2007 the country's aviation enterprises produced a little more than 100 rotorcraft, then in 2012 - almost 300. recent times in the world market of helicopter construction, Russia came in third place. According to the results of 2013, the Russian Helicopters holding, which includes all the country's helicopter companies, produced more than 300 helicopters, including civil and military ones.

The dynamics cannot but rejoice, but there are some nuances here. The fact is that almost all models of Russian helicopters were basically developed back in the USSR. Of course, it will not work to stand still forever and at the same time impose a struggle on the world's leading manufacturers. At some point the legacy Soviet Union will exhaust itself, and fundamentally new developments require appropriate funding and the availability of human resources. Among the models of Russian rotary-wing machines, light helicopters - Ansat and Ka-226 - stand apart - they were created after the collapse of the Union. But these helicopters, like some other new models, are not widely used either in Russia or abroad. After all, fundamentally new technology always needs to be improved, and in the harsh conditions of the 1990s, funding for new developments was very conditional. Thus, the implementation of many projects began only now, with a big delay.

Even in our time, models developed on the basis of the legendary Soviet Mi-8 helicopter are the most popular. We will start with one of these machines.

Mi-8 / ©Armedman

Mi-8 is one of the most massive helicopters in world history. In total, from 1965 to the present day, about 12 thousand such machines have been built. Mi-8 is used in more than 50 countries around the world. The helicopter proved to be excellent for both peaceful and military purposes.

The promising Mi-171A2 helicopter made its debut at the MAKS-2013 air show. The close relationship of the new model with the "eight" is visible to the naked eye: the Mi-171A2 inherited many features from its progenitor, combining simplicity and reliability with the requirements of the 21st century. When creating this machine, the wishes of the operators were fully taken into account. The new multifunctional helicopter can take on board up to 24 passengers and transport up to 5 tons of cargo on an external sling. During the tests, the declared maximum speed- 280 km / h. Compared to previous modifications of the Mi-8, the Mi-171A2 has a more powerful engine, an improved fuselage design and a fundamentally new electronics.

Mi-17 / © Russian Helicopters

Airborne equipment complex Mi-171А2 / ©UKBP

Domestic aircraft manufacturers pin great hopes on the new Mi-38 multi-purpose helicopter. The development of a promising machine began in the 1980s. It was planned that the "thirty-eighth" would come to replace the Mi-8 / Mi-17. Since then, a lot of water has flowed under the bridge, and the project has undergone great changes. Like the vast majority of modern helicopters, the new machine has a "glass cockpit" in which electronic displays are installed instead of analog instruments. It is planned that many modifications of the Mi-38 will be built, designed to solve a variety of tasks. In the passenger modification, the helicopter will be able to take on board up to 32 passengers. In other versions, it can be used for transporting goods, evacuating the wounded, patrolling maritime space and other purposes. In addition to civilian, it is planned to create a military version.

Mi-38 / © Russian Helicopters

Peculiarity new car – wide application composite materials. In particular, the blades and non-power elements of the Mi-38 fuselage are made of composites. To date, the machine is being tested, a total of four prototypes have been built.

Mi-38 / © Russian Helicopters

At the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, another long-term construction project is being developed - the Mi-54 multi-purpose helicopter. This machine is designed not so much to compete with the Mi-38, but to complement it and other new modifications of the Mi-8/17. Still, the Mi-54 is a helicopter of a slightly different class.
If the maximum takeoff weight of the Mi-38 is 15.6 tons, then the takeoff weight of the Mi-54 does not even reach 5 tons. It is smaller and more compact than the average Russian multi-purpose helicopters. Mi-54 can accommodate from 10 to 12 passengers and is designed to solve a variety of tasks: cargo transportation, rescue operations, patrols. It can also be used as a business class helicopter.

Mi-54 / ©Russian Helicopters

Despite all the innovation, the fate of the Mi-54 from the very beginning promised to be difficult. The project was born at the wrong time, in the wrong place - in the early 1990s, when it was not possible to count on the success of the development. The project is still at the stage research work, and its future remains uncertain. Much less fear is inspired by the fate of the brainchild of Kamov JSC - the latest multi-purpose helicopter Ka-62. This beautiful car is a passenger version of the military transport Ka-60 Kasatka. From the basic model, the Ka-62 inherited many features - both external and internal. For example, the civilian modification will be equipped with an RD-600 engine - the same unit is installed on the Kasatka. In terms of its potential capabilities, the new machine is close to the Mi-54: the maximum takeoff weight of the Kamov helicopter is 6.5 tons, and the passenger capacity does not exceed 15 people. Like the Mi-54, the Ka-62 may be in demand in the business segment. Obviously, the new helicopter will also be able to take on some of the functions that the Mi-8 still performs. The developers of the Ka-62 note the great export potential of their offspring: when it was created, the wishes of potential customers from other countries were taken into account.

No matter what difficulties domestic aircraft manufacturers face, one thing is clear - the new Mil and Kamov helicopters have great potential. However, out of all Russian projects in the field of helicopter construction, the Mi-38 and Ka-62 can be considered the most promising.

Ka-62 / ©Russian Helicopters

Ka-62 engine / ©Wikipedia

Helicopter of the future

When it comes to innovations in the field of aircraft construction, the Americans are, of course, ahead of the rest. In 2008, an experimental high-speed helicopter Sikorsky X2 flew. Distinctive feature the new model was the presence of a pusher propeller located in the tail of the helicopter (similar to the propeller of marine vessels). This arrangement allowed the X2 to reach an incredible speed for a helicopter - 460 km / h, setting a new world record for horizontal speed among rotorcraft. The Sikorsky X2's rotors are coaxial, with one propeller on top of the other, a design that was widely recognized by the Soviet military development of the Ka-50. Despite the fact that $50 million was invested in the X2 program, it was closed in 2011. However, the developments obtained during the tests will be used for a new project - a promising combat rotorcraft Sikorsky S-97 Raider.

Sikorsky X2 / ©Sikorsky

S-97 / ©Sikorsky

However, the speed record set by American engineers did not last long: it was recently beaten in Europe. In 2010, an experimental Eurocopter X3 took off. The basic model for the new project was the A?rospatiale AS.365 Dauphin multipurpose helicopter. In one of the test flights, the X3 topped out at 487 km/h. In addition, the new helicopter managed to set another world record - for the speed of vertical descent. X-Cube, as the new development has already been dubbed, combines vertical and horizontal thrust in its design. In addition to the main rotor, the helicopter has propellers and small "airplane" type wings.

Eurocopter X3 / ©Eurocopter

Like its American counterpart, the new helicopter is not destined to go into production. Eurocopter X3 is an experimental model, the main task of which is to develop new features. But you can be completely sure that the tests of the X3 will not be in vain. The experience gained by European aircraft manufacturers will be used to create a new high-speed helicopter, designated LifeCraft.

Very soon, China's position in the world helicopter market will strengthen. Aviation Industry Corp, China's leading helicopter manufacturer, is working on a variety of future helicopter concepts. The main thing that unites all these developments is very high speed flight. So, the Chinese presented the concept of the Blue Whale heavy helicopter. According to the plans of the developers themselves, the speed of the aircraft will have to reach 700 km/h! The maximum carrying capacity of the device, which will be 20 tons, is also impressive.

Blue Whale has four rotary propellers, each equipped with four blades. During takeoff and landing, the propellers create vertical thrust, and when the device is in flight - horizontal, like a tiltrotor. On the basis of Blue Whale, it is also planned to create a military helicopter.

Blue Whale / ©AVIC

In order to develop technologies for creating high-speed helicopters, the Chinese are also developing an unmanned high-speed Jueying-8. The drone has a coaxial scheme, and the declared speed will have to be 400 km / h.

With a request to comment on the possibility of implementation innovative projects in the field of helicopter construction, we turned to Pavel Solyanik, senior lecturer at the National Aerospace University named after Zhukovsky: “The issue of implementing new schemes in the field of helicopter construction lies, first of all, in the plane of economic feasibility. Undoubtedly, helicopters have great advantages: they are able to hover in the air, carry out vertical takeoff and landing. But during takeoff or landing, a helicopter consumes a lot of fuel. At the same time, fuel consumption during the flight is not so great. If we equip a rotorcraft with a push or pull propeller, the flight speed will increase, but so will the fuel consumption. Thus, the helicopter may lose one of its main advantages - efficiency. Therefore, the development of high-speed helicopters of the future should be economically viable.”

Russian concept

Today, in Russia, too, they have come close to working out the concept of a helicopter of the future. One of the most amazing projects is considered to be the Ka-90 jet, first introduced in 2008. The device will take off like an ordinary helicopter, with the help of a main rotor, and when it is in the air and picks up the desired speed, it will fold the propeller and turn on the turbojet engine, developing 800 km / h or more. However, this bold project may come with a host of risks. For example, it is completely unclear how stability and controllability of the Ka-90 will be ensured. The second question is whether such a technologically sophisticated machine can pay for itself?

Another one promising development"Kamova" - passenger helicopter Ka-92. The aircraft has a coaxial rotor design, plus one pusher. The cruising speed of the new car should be 450 km / h, passenger capacity - 30 people. One of its main features is a long flight range, reaching 1500 km. The development of a new rotorcraft is planned to be completed by 2020. Of all the concepts presented by Kamov, the heaviest is the Ka-102. According to the plans of the developers, the takeoff weight of the aircraft will reach 30 tons, and at a speed of up to 500 km/h it will be able to carry 80-90 passengers.

Ka-92 / ©Kamov

The new helicopter is created according to a longitudinal scheme with two horizontal rotors, with the rear one located slightly higher than the front one. The same scheme was implemented on the well-known American military transport helicopter Boeing CH-47 Chinook. Apparently, the developers also intend to equip their offspring with two turbojet engines. If the project is successfully implemented, the Ka-102 will be able to take over some of the functions that the Mi-26 heavy helicopter is currently performing.

The Mil designers are not far behind the Kamovites: not so long ago they presented the concept of a medium multifunctional helicopter of the future, which received symbol Mi-X1. It is implemented according to the usual scheme with one carrier and one pusher propellers. The Mi-X1 concept echoes the concept of the American experimental helicopter Piasecki X-49. And although new project devoid of revolutionary innovations, its future is seen as much more realistic than the construction of the futuristic Ka-90 or Ka-102. Be that as it may, classic helicopters will be in demand on the market for a very long time.

Ka-90 / ©Vitaly V. Kuzmin

Ka-90 / ©Kamov

Traditional Mi-8 helicopters will not change radically, says Pavel Bulat, a well-known Russian aviation specialist. “Their design approached the optimum 30 years ago. High-speed concepts, in my opinion, have no future: they are more expensive than airplanes, business jets of the same capacity. Vertical takeoff is of no such fundamental importance, since these are expensive salon models. Although our Ka-90, Ka-92, Ka-102, Mi-X1 are conceptually no worse than Sicorsky X2 and Eurocopter. The very purpose of such devices is simply not clear. Helicopters are waiting for a purely functional and utilitarian future. Probably, flight qualities will grow up, mechanics will be simplified, jet blades will appear. If we talk about non-aerodrome high-speed vehicles, then this is something completely different from the opera, some kind of hybrid schemes based on aircraft, not helicopters.

Well-known military experts told PolitExpert about the combat missions that a high-speed attack helicopter, the design of which is currently being discussed by the Russian Defense Ministry, can perform.

Andrey Boginsky, a representative of the Russian Helicopters holding, said that by the end of November 2018, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation will be presented with three projects of a high-speed attack helicopter with different design solutions, reports TASS. According to Boginsky, the first option should be made in the traditional version with one main rotor and one tail rotor. The second option involves combining two propellers, as in the Ka-52 "Alligator", only with additional propellers in the tail. The third is a helicopter with a combined power plant and propellers on the sides.

Military expert, ex-head of the anti-aircraft missile forces of the Russian Federation Sergey Khatylev told PolitExpert that the program to create such a high-speed rotorcraft was written quite a long time ago. It was reported that the new helicopter should be developed by 2020, but such a project did not initially receive funding, because industry representatives did not support it.

Khatylev said that one of the main goals for high-speed helicopters is the elimination of air targets.

In addition to the main tasks of providing air support to ground forces, modern helicopter should effectively destroy even small-sized UAVs. Moreover, tracking and hitting targets on the ground and in the air should be carried out simultaneously, using technological automated systems guidance and target designation, - said Khatylev.

Alexey Leonkov, military expert of the Arsenal of the Fatherland magazine, in turn, said that rotorcraft perform a fairly wide range of combat missions.

But when creating such a helicopter, there are certain tasks that affect it. design features, because, unlike an airplane, it flies with the help of rotor blades and a propeller. And you need to consider the issue of the design of this propeller so that the helicopter is controllable. The Ministry of Defense needs a fast car, the so-called army aviation. It used to be called helicopters. They always accompanied ground troops, providing air cover and performing a number of tasks. For example, for evacuation, support, in some cases reconnaissance, combating enemy armored vehicles and naval aviation. When we talk about new helicopters, faster machines are now required. There are situations when a lightning-fast solution is required.

In response to a question about the option that the Ministry of Defense might choose, Leonkov said that the main combat missions for such technology.

There are specifications that I do not know. When this sort of sampling is done, it is common for the Department of Defense to develop so-called technical requirements for the tasks that a combat helicopter should perform. Representatives of the department are considering the characteristics of the machine, that if the project meets these requirements, then a technical task will appear, on the basis of which this helicopter will be created. Therefore, three concepts for creating a high-speed helicopter, which must maintain a speed of over 400 km / h. It should be fast enough.

According to the expert, helicopters have quite extensive combat capabilities, which give them advantages over attack aircraft.

It takes a long time to raise fighters, and if there is, for example, a helicopter pad nearby, and if there are high-speed rotorcraft, then you can react quickly enough. In addition, helicopters are capable of such maneuvers that are not subject to aircraft. Helicopters can hover in the air, conduct aggressive fire, move in any direction, namely to where fighting and at the same time lead fire support. All this makes helicopters a very interesting tool.