Ka-52 in Russian Air Force

The new Izd. 305 (Window-Casanova) is indeed a great and highly accurate missile. I googled an article about ukrainian standards for windows. Apparently the most standard window size are 1200x 1400mm, which already seen from several footages of Izd. 305 that it hits through windows of roughly that measurements. Quite impressive for an ATGM with max. 25km range to have an accuracy smaller than 1m CEP. The other interesting aspect is the velocity of the missile and automatic tracking capability. From the footage of Ukro BMPs crossing pantoon bridge we can see after lock-on the missile steers and holds a trajectory to hit the mobile target.



From 1988 there was a hard requirement for russian helicopers to be able to hunt "slow" airplanes and helicopters with their ATGM's. The reason for that is like we have discussed before the cesna flight of Mathias Rust on the Red Square. Almost undetected for most of his flight and the Air Force was incapable of following or escorting such a small and slow plane with their fighter aircrafts. It was a shameful event for the Soviets and some heads had to roll. Some to this day believe it was a planned CIA provocation to test a few theories like Soviet's SAM, RADAR, Air Force capability as well use it to demonize the Soviets as evil for downing a simple innocent civilian aircraft.

Anyways, form that on most ATGM's had have the capability for auto-tracking/guidance against either slow or mid-speeds of 300m/s in tail engagement.

If we would believe that this is still a requirement then it would be able to hit helicopters at any movement direction and speed while still relatively limited at engaging fixed wing aircrafts in head/tail on engagement with maybe a slight deviation from such course.

From the videos we have seen the missile appears to be relatively slow, however speed is relative to the perspective.
One other interesting aspect I would like to know is if the missile slows down during it's terminal guidance phase where the TV guidance sets in. I doubt the WSO will have for full 25km to TV guide the missile to it's target. UAV's are probably providing real time data to the aircraft and painting some target or providing it's GPS data, which the Casanova will be guided to until the TV guidance system sets in.

How many Ka-52s have been shot down so far?

15?

Can we be confident that most ka-52 pilots survive due to the ejection seat? Maybe thats why they like using it over the Mi-28.

Werewolf wrote: The reason for that is like we have discussed before the cesna flight of Mathias Rust on the Red Square. Almost undetected for most of his flight and the Air Force was incapable of following or escorting such a small and slow plane with their fighter aircrafts. It was a shameful event for the Soviets and some heads had to roll. Some to this day believe it was a planned CIA provocation to test a few theories like Soviet's SAM, RADAR, Air Force capability as well use it to demonize the Soviets as evil for downing a simple innocent civilian aircraft.

The flight of Mathias Rust was nothing but shitty propaganda. The Soviet air defense forces perfectly tracked him throughout the entire route, he was accompanied by combat aircraft several times during the flight, but no command was received to shoot down - no one dared to take responsibility for an international incident. This was the ONLY reason that Rust got to Moscow - the lack of an order to defeat the target. This has nothing to do with the ABILITY of the Soviet air defense to destroy such targets.

limb wrote:How many Ka-52s have been shot down so far?

15?

Can we be confident that most ka-52 pilots survive due to the ejection seat? Maybe thats why they like using it over the Mi-28.

We need to know how many Ka-52s were shot down in HOW MANY missions, and how many targets were hit with the Ka-52. Simple numbers of the number of downed will not tell us anything about the level of efficiency.

Scorpius wrote:

limb wrote:How many Ka-52s have been shot down so far?

15?

Can we be confident that most ka-52 pilots survive due to the ejection seat? Maybe thats why they like using it over the Mi-28.

We need to know how many Ka-52s were shot down in HOW MANY missions, and how many targets were hit with the Ka-52. Simple numbers of the number of downed will not tell us anything about the level of efficiency.

I know. Im not too worried. Helicopters are an area where the Russian MIC is excellent at mass producing.

I meant to praise the ka-52s ejection seat. Pilots are harder to replace than helos, and even ifka-52s are shot down , their pilots have a high chance of surviving to foight another day.

Meanwhile NATO helicopter pilot attrition would be terrible since if they get shot down, they have a near certain chance of death due to lack of ejection. Im not sure how many apache pilots died in iraq and Afghanistan though.

limb wrote:How many Ka-52s have been shot down so far?

15?

Can we be confident that most ka-52 pilots survive due to the ejection seat? Maybe thats why they like using it over the Mi-28.

15?

Another unfounded doomer/NATO claim?

flamming_python wrote:15?

Another unfounded doomer/NATO claim?

Claimed by the famous fact-checker organization named Oryx and Elliot Higgins.
And fact checked by Ukro sources of pictures of burning piles of unrecognizable something.

So there are no factual information of how many and it is easy and safe to say regardless of the number of losses any other helicopter under the same circumstances would have fared worse with higher losses.

It is the only Attack Helicopter with L-370 Vitebsk system and ejection seats.

Any other Attack helicopter has non or only part of the entire complex TWICMS (Threat Warning & Integrated Counter Measures System) suite.

flamming_python wrote:

limb wrote:How many Ka-52s have been shot down so far?

15?

Can we be confident that most ka-52 pilots survive due to the ejection seat? Maybe thats why they like using it over the Mi-28.

15?

Another unfounded doomer/NATO claim?

Oryx says 23. That seems too high. However Theres indeed plenty of footage of ka-52s getting destroyed, a bit more than Su-25s.

It is the only Attack Helicopter with L-370 Vitebsk system and ejection seats.

Apache also has DIRCM. Idk about the tiger, A129, etc.

limb wrote:
Oryx says 23. That seems too high. However Theres indeed plenty of footage of ka-52s getting destroyed, a bit more than Su-25s.

What I have seen are 7 destroyed with pictures to verify, however, I haven't done myself any checks of the previous destroyed Ka-52 or Ka-50. On some pictures you can only identify them by remaining bits that are not melted down from the mast-coxial system. If you have to verify such footage you always need at old footage. Ukros often have used images from Syria, Serbia, Lybia or other wars to show something that is in favor of their rhetoric of atrocities  or downed something. There was even own Berkut flight acrobatic team that was used early on to show how they killed russian MiG-29.
Oryx is a war-propaganda tool nothing more nothing less. They are openly anti-russian and don't count much of the video Dorito kills as Ukro-losses. By them Russia has already lost the war and almost the entire tank Fuhrpark.

limb wrote:
Apache also has DIRCM. Idk about the tiger, A129, etc.

The issue with both the Apache is the same as with Mi-28N, yes the system is modular and there are tip-wing pods with DIRCMs available for both, but the issue is due to no standardiztation that stuff is not necessary. It is the same stupid and criminal and incompetent mentality that was shown in the first Chechnian war with empty K5 ERA containers. Modularity is a great concept for many platforms however, human decision making, budgeting and sometimes pofigism to avoid later own maintenance, how do I know? Well I was in the Bundeswehr and the amount of Pofigism is actually criminal for even lax non-war climates.

Why do I criticize this aspect? Well, even that there are wing-tipped pods with DIRCMs they are still not used on all or at all Mi-28N during war time. I haven't seen any DIRCM configuration on any Mi-28N in this operation whatsoever. And wasting a few millions on a defensive suite that protects a platform worth multiple two-digit millions, along with human lifes that are not measurable let alone the operating and invested costs is just penny counting in my opinion. Same goes for APS on any tank.

This image was provided by Garry some long ass time ago.


So, that is my 5x cents of criticism on that subject.

If Dircm protect against manpads then why ka-52 got shoot down? Perhaps shoot by a-a guns? Or Dircm is not 100% affective always?

DerWolf wrote:If Dircm protect against manpads then why ka-52 got shoot down? Perhaps shoot by a-a guns? Or Dircm is not 100% affective always?

They do protect, but nothing is 100% safe. Flares work too, but why do you believe they don't protect from all cases?

If a system is not protecting something in 1 mln cases out of 1 mln cases, then it's not worth anything?

DIRCMs need a great deal of data to know there is something launched towards the platform it is designed to protect. This data is acquired through calculations from images over time of a missile that has an exhaust trail behind it. In UV-spectrum this images can be digitalized into real-time data to calculate if the object (SAM/MANPAD) qould be remotely close to the flight path of the helicopter. Only in this case the system will have enough data to have any meaningful amount of precise data of the incoming missile to point it's DICM dazzlers at the front part of the mizzle where the seekers are located.

This needs time to have enough data to calculate on. A delay of response just based on that is expected and MANPADS are freaking fast with Mach 2 against an almost immobile target like helicopters. So a stand-off distance from MANPAD/SAM/SHORAD to helicopter must be at least some 2 seconds. Then the DIRCM's need physically time to turn all at the same time to the missile, which we have no data on, how fast they can move. Then they need time to dazzle the incoming missile until it is safe to assume the missile is confused enough to deviate enough from it's interception path to not hit the helicopter.

I have no data nor have I seen any data regarding the minimum distance to place of launch against it, to have some high probability to work. I don't think you will find any such data either.

I think it is safe to assume that from many videos MANPAD launches are launched from some few hundred meters which is certainly not enough time for the DIRCM to react at all.

The Ka-52 Pilot of Gostomel storm that we have footage of, said, that his Ka-52 was targeted by over 15 MANPDAS before he was hit by an IGLA, which did not destroy his Ka-52 but forced him to emergency land 1-3km away from place of hit. Both Pilots were then saved by Mi-24 with two more providing CAS. The DIRCM most probably was overwhelmed by so many launches at very short time. I think personally that is impressive to defeat 15 MANPADS that are launched from relative short distance in such high intense conflict as this. The US wasn't even using much apaches in Serbia, which would have even with limited means high kill ratio against Apaches.

We will see more details and informations after this conflict when more data is available.

DerWolf wrote:If Dircm protect against manpads then why ka-52 got shoot down? Perhaps shoot by a-a guns? Or Dircm is not 100% affective always?

The Ka-52 brought down near Gostomel airport has some 7 MANPADS fired at it before it was finally damaged and had to land. Don't remember if it was a MANPAD or AAA fire that brought it down in the end

Another Ka-52 I remember being shot down was by an ATGM, the Ukrainian Struna system or whatever its called. The laser designator would be offset a little bit while the missile is in flight to prevent the helicopter's warning systems from picking up on it. With the laser beam being directed at the helicopter at the last moment to secure a hit

There are many ways in fact to shoot down Ka-52s without using MANPADs. It can be from longer-ranged SAM systems by radar, from something like the British Starstreak or ATGMs via optically-guided means, or by 23mm AAA for example.

The Ka-52 brought down near Gostomel airport has some 7 MANPADS fired at it before it was finally damaged and had to land. Don't remember if it was a MANPAD or AAA fire that brought it down in the end

That helicopter was forced to land but had its canopy doors still attached... in other words it landed with crew on board who stepped out of the aircraft... ejection seats not needed.

We have no idea what damaged it and forced it to land...

Another Ka-52 I remember being shot down was by an ATGM, the Ukrainian Struna system or whatever its called. The laser designator would be offset a little bit while the missile is in flight to prevent the helicopter's warning systems from picking up on it. With the laser beam being directed at the helicopter at the last moment to secure a hit

If it is laser beam riding there is no need to offset the beam... what can the helicopter do about being marked with a laser beam?

And the crew was crazy enough to hoover in a point probably aiming own missiles while hit from the back.
A lucky shot, nothing more.

Hugely ironic because western attack helicopters launch guided missiles from standoff distance in a hover... Soviet helicopters tend to launch attacks in forward flight to make themselves less vulnerable targets... against most enemies they will fire anything and everything at a helicopter if they see it and if you are making as much noise as a helicopter makes and launching missiles from a hover then every rifle and machine gun and rocket launcher is bound to be fired in your direction... a hovering helicopter is an easy target even for most ATGMs...

And while most people here are talking nonsense, the Russians are still perfecting their weapon systems...

TASS
October 28, 02:17

Source: new sighting system Ka-52M will expand the possibility of using weapons at night
The range of detection and recognition of the target of the thermal imaging channel of the upgraded sight was doubled, the source said.

MOSCOW, 28 October. /TASS/. The combat power of the modernized Ka-52M helicopter will be increased thanks to a new sighting system, which will make it possible to effectively use weapons at night. This was reported to TASS by a source in the military-industrial complex.

"The combat effectiveness of the Ka-52M helicopter will be significantly increased by installing a modernized sighting system, which will expand the possibilities of using weapons at night. The range of detection and target recognition of the thermal imaging channel of the modernized sight has been doubled," he said.

As the interlocutor of the agency explained, such improvements were required based on the experience of operating the Ka-52 helicopter in Syria, where the machines were mainly used at night.

During the operation in the Arab Republic, Ka-52 helicopters used Vikhr anti-tank guided missiles with a maximum range of about 8 km to hit targets. Upgrading the vehicle will also allow the use of new guided weapons. "Work is underway to install the Safar radar station, and work is underway to increase the range of the Vikhr missile to 10 km," the source said.

TASS does not have official confirmation of this information.

On September 2, a TASS source reported that the updated Ka-52M was tested during a military special operation in Ukraine. Earlier, a source from the news agency also reported that state tests of the upgraded machine were planned to be completed in October 2022.

About helicopter

The Ka-52M is a modernized version of the Ka-52 "Alligator" helicopter, taking into account the experience of its combat use. According to the developers, the Ka-52M missile armament is unified with the armament of another newest Mi-28NM attack helicopter, which made it possible to significantly increase the target engagement range. The first flight of a prototype of the modernized helicopter took place on August 10, 2020.

The best technical solutions are used in the design of the Ka-52M: a gyro-stabilized optoelectronic system with an increased range of detection and recognition of targets is used, a new digital drive that will improve the accuracy of aiming when firing from a cannon , new brake wheels with a disc brake system and aircraft tires with increased wear resistance.

According to a TASS source, the Ka-52M will have network-centric capabilities - to work together with unmanned aerial vehicles and interact with other helicopters and aircraft, and the vehicle will also receive an improved airborne defense system from all modern man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems and new ballistic protection.

https://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/16181767

The reason for that is like we have discussed before the cesna flight of Mathias Rust on the Red Square. Almost undetected for most of his flight and the Air Force was incapable of following or escorting such a small and slow plane with their fighter aircrafts. It was a shameful event for the Soviets and some heads had to roll. Some to this day believe it was a planned CIA provocation to test a few theories like Soviet's SAM, RADAR, Air Force capability as well use it to demonize the Soviets as evil for downing a simple innocent civilian aircraft.

He was detected just fine but the interceptors sent to intercept him were MiG-23s and could not keep station with such a slow target... they identified the target as being a cessna and therefore a low threat target and the tracking was handed to the local air defence units whose only resource to track such a slow target was helicopters, but of course helicopters have no radar and were not trained to find and track air targets, it was the helicopter units that had trouble finding him because they had no air to air sensors to help them.

This has nothing to do with the ABILITY of the Soviet air defense to destroy such targets.

Western experts rejoiced and said Soviet airspace is wide open to our cruise missiles, but if it had been cruise missiles they would have been moving much faster than 100 knots and the MiG-23s could easily catch them up and would not hesitate to shoot them down, and of course once identified as a missile the SAMs and other ground based air defence systems could be activated and shoot on sight too.

Even at 100 knots the MiG-23s still managed to identify the targets, so any missile flying very slow would have been shot down...

As the guy in charge said at the time, the west is fickle... they complain we shoot down a civilian airliner that is used by the american military for various purposes at 5am over top secret air bases in the far east, and then they complain and when we don't shoot down an obviously civilian light aircraft landing in Moscow.

BTW if the Hind had tracked down the aircraft in time they could very easily have brought the aircraft down... a Hind is faster than the cessna he flew and the four barrel 12.7mm gatling would have shredded the aircraft in a few short bursts... but then if they wanted to shoot it down an AA-8 from the MiG-23 could have done the job quickly and easily too or with its 23mm cannon it was so slow it would be like shooting a near stationary target.

Anyways, form that on most ATGM's had have the capability for auto-tracking/guidance against either slow or mid-speeds of 300m/s in tail engagement.

Tanks and ground vehicles are already moving targets and they could already hit moving targets... a Hind is fast enough to catch a cessna and from a tail firing position the cessna would have no chance even if the hind just used its gun... or someone in the cabin leaned out with a PKM.

If we would believe that this is still a requirement then it would be able to hit helicopters at any movement direction and speed while still relatively limited at engaging fixed wing aircrafts in head/tail on engagement with maybe a slight deviation from such course.

It was mentioned that one of the upgrade objectives of the Mi-28NM was to add capability to shoot down drones which included adding the capacity to fire air burst 30mm cannon shells. Missiles like Vikhr were designed from the outset to be dual air to air or air to ground missiles and for the former role include a proximity fuse.

The Ataka comes with air to air versions with expanding rod warheads for destroying air targets, so I don't think the normal rounds are fully dual purpose.

Kornet has specialised HE Frag versions with a range of 10km vs 8.5km for the HEAT model for soft ground and for air targets.

One other interesting aspect I would like to know is if the missile slows down during it's terminal guidance phase where the TV guidance sets in. I doubt the WSO will have for full 25km to TV guide the missile to it's target. UAV's are probably providing real time data to the aircraft and painting some target or providing it's GPS data, which the Casanova will be guided to until the TV guidance system sets in.

My understanding is that the missile flys on autopilot to the target location or the area the target is suspected but that its passive IIR seeker operates all the way so the operator could redirect the missile if it sees something of higher priority. The two way datalink allows the operator to watch the attack in real time and send commands to the missile if there are multiple targets to hit... its low flight speed it to allow time to select the most valuable target.

For instance that missile fired to hit that vehicle going over the pontoon bridge... for all we know it might have been launched to kill that vehicle or perhaps just to take out the bridge itself and then the operator noticed the vehicle crossing and engaged the target of opportunity... there was only one vehicle visible in the first attack and then a second missile attacks the same bridge and shows the destroyed vehicle... that second missile was to destroy a section of the bridge the first one was launched against perhaps?

Third gen uncooled thermals are relatively cheap and they are now producing them in numbers so this is not likely to be a half million dollar missile like Javelin is.

Apache also has DIRCM. Idk about the tiger, A129, etc.

Those huge side windows on Apaches are made of Plexiglass... you could cup a ball point pen in your hand and push it through that amazing protection...

Serbia had less MANPADS than the Orcs do but the west would not risk their super helicopters in Kosovo... nothing flew below 8km altitude.

If Dircm protect against manpads then why ka-52 got shoot down? Perhaps shoot by a-a guns? Or Dircm is not 100% affective always?

DIRCM protects against IR and optically guided weapons... and there is a wide range of other weapons on a battlefield that will be fired at low flying aircraft.

And not just in Russia... there was a world balloon race where a balloon was floating across Europe and entered eastern european airspace... I think it was hungarian airspace, and they sent out some Hinds to look at it and eventually shot it down.

I remember it because there was an article in Air Forces Monthly... a British Aviation magazine that had the news article that talked about the brutal murder of the guys in the balloon that was obviously civilian and what barbarians those Hungarians or possibly Bulgarians were and that dozens of bullets were fired into the balloon to bring it down... ie they used excessive force against an unarmed civilian aircraft minding its own business even if it was off course.

The following month there was a reply from those barbarians who shot it down to say they approached the balloon and there was no response to radio contact and no visible crew on board... it had been deemed a hazard to aircraft because it was at a dangerous height and was approaching very busy flight lanes and as it seemed to be empty they had orders to shoot it down. The four barrel gatling gun on the Hind is not capable of firing single shots so a burst of rounds was used to collapse the balloon and bring it down quickly.

31.10.2022
Izvestia.ru

Army Aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces is 74 years old


Image source: Photo: IZVESTIA


On October 28, the Army Aviation of the Aerospace Forces (VKS) of the Russian Federation celebrates the 74th anniversary of its founding.
It is noted that as part of the Aerospace Forces, army aviation solves fire, airborne transport, reconnaissance, as well as special tasks.

The army aviation is currently armed with modern aviation systems, which act as one of the main means of achieving goals in armed conflicts. They solve not only combat and special tasks, but also tasks to eliminate the consequences of natural and man-made disasters.

In addition, army aviation is involved in a special military operation.

“I can say with confidence that army aviation pilots during a special military operation show great skill in performing assigned tasks, work with a heavy load day and night, in simple and difficult weather conditions, and have an excellent level of training,” said the head of the army aviation of the VKS Colonel Igor Romanov.
According to him, all aviation equipment demonstrates good combat capabilities and reliability in harsh operating conditions during the special operation. He noted that the modern types of Ka-52 and Mi-28 helicopters, as well as new modifications of the Mi-8, have especially proven themselves. According to Romanov, aviation equipment has the ability to use different types of weapons, as it is equipped with modern sighting systems, defense systems and closed communications, which ensures the effective use of combat vehicles.

It is reported that the aviation units of the army aviation are actively re-equipped with new aviation systems.

“This year, according to the plan for re-equipping helicopter units and formations, the delivery of upgraded Mi-28NM, Ka-52M combat helicopters, Mi-8AMTSh-VN airborne combat helicopters and Mi-26T2 transport helicopters is underway. Most of these machines have already arrived in helicopter regiments and will be delivered by the end of the year, in accordance with the plan, ”Colonel Romanov emphasized.

Army aviation dates back to 1948, when the first helicopter squadron was formed in Serpukhov. Initially, helicopters performed only auxiliary tasks - delivering mail, reports, adjusting artillery fire, and aerial reconnaissance. Later, with the improvement of methods of conducting combat operations, as well as with the modernization of helicopters and aviation weapons, the tasks of army aviation expanded.

Earlier, on October 21, the crews of Ka-52 attack helicopters, also known as Alligators, destroyed a stronghold of Ukrainian militants.

On October 15, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation published footage of the combat work of the crews of Mi-28 attack helicopters of various modifications during a special operation. It is noted that inflicting fire damage from the air makes it possible to disorient the enemy, cover the actions of advancing units, deactivate minefields and provide corridors for the passage of assault groups to the attacked objects.
Before that, on October 13, Izvestia correspondent Kirill Olkov showed the combat work of Ka-52 helicopters. It is noted that in the arsenal of "Alligators" are guided anti-tank missiles "Whirlwind", which hit without a miss, destroying buildings and armored vehicles of the enemy.

https://vpk.name/news/647400_armeiskoi_aviacii_vks_rf_ispolnilos_74_goda.html

A saboteur destroyed 2 Ka-52s under repair in the veretye airbase in Pskov. The airbase has no security, allowing him to just walk up to the ka-52s and plant explosives on them.

https://t.me/historywarweaponmain/66193

Tricky bastards. They fear the ka-52.

I didn't see any explosion.

He took the time to film himself placing explosives but was too scared to stick around and film the results of his brave deed?

Don't buy it.

November 3, 04:21

The developer of the Ka-52M said that the helicopter received a system for monitoring the condition of structures

According to Nikolai Lvov, General Director of the IRT Research Center, the same system will be adapted for use in advanced military aircraft.

MOSCOW, 3 November. /TASS/. The modernized Ka-52M helicopter was the first to receive a system for monitoring the state of structures, the same system will be adapted for use in advanced military aircraft. This was announced in an interview with TASS by Nikolai Lvov, director general of the development company NRC IRT.

According to him, after the successful completion of Khrustal's research work on the development of a monitoring system for aircraft structures, the Russian Defense Ministry became interested in this topic.

"We made a system for the blades at the flying laboratory of the Mi-24 helicopter. Then we made systems of a more advanced generation for the composite structures of the wing of a promising military aircraft. At present, we have already completed state tests of the system, which is an integral part of the Ka-52M helicopter. At present At the moment, the system is serially supplied and installed on all modernized machines, it is included in the basic package," he said.

As Lvov clarified, the information received today from the Ka-52M helicopters includes data on the performance of the main elements of the helicopter's design and, in general, on the state of the helicopter, including its residual resource, on the resource of individual elements.

All information about the state of the helicopter is collected and stored on an electronic on-board storage device. The technician, after landing the car, takes the information, saves it on a special laptop, where the appropriate software is installed. The results are displayed in the form of a detailed menu, where the aircraft technician can select any board (helicopter), view its state as a whole, as well as the state of individual units. The menu displays the state of controlled structures and assemblies in different colors - green (everything is fine), yellow (an additional inspection of the structure is required), red (critical situation).


https://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/16234767

GarryB wrote:I didn't see any explosion.

He took the time to film himself placing explosives but was too scared to stick around and film the results of his brave deed?

Don't buy it.

Oh, come on man.   Any  competent  saboteur wouldn't stick around.  You know better then that my friend.


And yes this happened.

https://www.aex.ru/news/2022/11/1/249501/

November 1, 2022, AEX.RU - An explosive device was allegedly found at an airfield in the Pskov region, where two Ka-52 helicopters were damaged as a result of explosions . This became known on Tuesday, November 1, Izvestia writes .

As noted, the device was discovered on the afternoon of October 31 during an inspection of the scene with helicopters by security officers. A suspicious object measuring 40x10 cm was attached to the fuselage of a Mi-28 helicopter, which is also located at this airfield.

According to preliminary data, the power of the explosive was 400 g of TNT. The security forces are still on the scene.

As one of the possible versions of the state of emergency with helicopters, the investigation considers sabotage.

The day before it was reported that two Ka-52 helicopters were damaged in explosions in the Pskov region. The incident took place late in the evening on Sunday, October 30, on the territory of a helipad in the Ostrovsky district. Then there were three explosions, as a result of which the Ka-52 helicopters belonging to the 2nd squadron of the 17th army aviation brigade of the Western Military District (ZVO) suffered.

Later it became known that at the time of the incident, the helicopters were undergoing scheduled repairs in the technical and operational part of the helipad. They were partially removed equipment and units.

During the explosions, the skin of both helicopters was damaged.

The causes of the explosions have not been established to date, the circumstances of the incident are being investigated.

It's yet another mark for a long list of demonstrated incompetents.

And this I why I don't share you're optimism  at all Flaming