Mi-28 Havoc

The Mil Mi-28 (NATO reporting name "Havoc") is a Soviet-designed heavy-weight, tandem-seat anti-armour attack helicopter produced by Mil and built at Rosvertol. Designed purely as an attack platform without secondary transport capabilities, the aircraft officially entered service with the Russian Air Force in October 2009. It is characterized by an under-nose cannon turret, stub-wing weapon pylons, and integrated heavy cockpit armor.

Development

Development began in 1972 as an anti-tank platform following the Mil Mi-24, with formal design work under Marat Tishchenko commencing in 1980. The first Mi-28 prototype flew on 10 November 1982, but the Soviet Air Force selected the Kamov Ka-50 in 1984, shifting the Mi-28 toward export development. Following the cancellation of the day-only Mi-28A variant in 1993, Mil developed the night-capable Mi-28N, which first flew on 14 November 1996. Serial production was approved at Rosvertol in Rostov-on-Don, with the first production Mi-28N delivered to the Russian military on 5 June 2006.

Design

The Mi-28 features a five-blade composite main rotor and a four-blade X-shaped biplane tail rotor. Power is provided by two top-mounted 2,200 hp Klimov VK-2500PS turboshaft engines fitted with downturned, infrared-suppressed exhausts. The fully armored tandem cockpit protects the two-person crew against 7.62 mm, 12.7 mm, and 14.5 mm armor-piercing rounds, while energy-absorbing seats and landing gear absorb vertical impacts up to 12 m/s. Target acquisition and flight navigation systems on the Mi-28N include a rotor-mast radar cover, thermal imaging, a television channel, a laser rangefinder, and a helmet-mounted target designator.

Armament

Fixed armament consists of an under-nose NPPU-28 turret containing a 30 mm Shipunov 2A42 autocannon with 250 rounds and a selectable rate of fire between 200 and 800 rounds per minute. Four pylons beneath the stub wings carry up to 16 9M120 Ataka-V anti-tank guided missiles using SACLOS guidance. Unguided ordnance options include 80 mm S-8 rockets in 20-round B8V-20 pods and 122 mm S-13 rockets in five-round B-13 pods. The aircraft can also carry R-73 air-to-air missiles, Kh-25 air-to-surface missiles, and up to 500 kg of aerial bombs.

Operational History

The Mi-28N made its combat debut during the Syrian civil war in March 2016, providing close air support during the Battle of Palmyra using Ataka missiles and S-8 rockets. Russian Mi-28 units deployed during the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, incurring confirmed aircraft losses from anti-aircraft missile systems, ground strikes, and mid-flight drone intercepts. Export deliveries include 15 Mi-28NE units to Iraq, where they saw combat usage starting in September 2014, and 42 units delivered to Algeria beginning in 2016.

Variants

• Mi-28: Initial prototype version that conducted its maiden flight in 1982.
• Mi-28A: Anti-tank production variant fitted with an X-shaped tail rotor and upgraded engines, cancelled in 1993 due to a lack of all-weather capability.
• Mi-28N: All-weather day-night operational variant equipped with a mast-mounted radar, FLIR targeting system, and upgraded main gearbox.
• Mi-28NE: Export derivative of the Mi-28N featuring directional infrared countermeasures, upgraded armor, and fire-resistant fuel systems.
• Mi-28NM: Modernized variant fitted with VK-2500P engines, an H025 all-round radar, a redesigned nose, and integration for the LMUR missile.