Russia’s Ministry of Defence will acquire 114 Ka-52M combat helicopters by 2027. Piotr Butowski analyses the technical shape of the modernized rotorcraft
DURING HIS visit to the Progress helicopter factory at Arsenyev in February 2018, Russia’s deputy defence minister Yuri Borisov announced that the Ministry of Defence plans to sign the purchase contract for 114 Ka-52 Hokum B combat helicopters within the new State Armament Program for 2018- 2027. He said: “It will be a new modification of the helicopter”. He did not mention the designation, but – following Russian tradition – the upgraded helicopter will receive the designation Ka-52M. According to a Ministry of Defence release quoting Borisov, the defence minister spoke about two improvements implemented for the upgraded Ka-52M: a new optical targeting system and new extended range missiles.
More specifically, a new OES-52 electro-optical targeting system developed by the Moscow-based NPK SPP company will replace the current and much bigger GOES-451 targeting system produced by the UOMZ company at Yekaterinburg. According to Russian media, the prototype for the OES-52 was the French gyro-stabilised Safran STRIX targeting sensor used by the Tiger attack helicopter. Testing of the OES-52 system on a Ka-52 commenced in January 2015, and the system entered production in 2017 for Ka-52E helicopters delivered to Egypt. The OES-52 performs similar functions as the GOES- 451, but also houses five sensors; an infrared camera, an electrooptical camera, a laser rangefinder/ designator, laser beam riding for air-to-ground missiles, and a laser spot tracker. However, the OES-52 is smaller and lighter, weighing 177kg (390lb) compared to the GOES-451 weighing 220kg (485lb).
Helicopters produced for Russian Army Aviation, unlike the Egyptian examples, are still being fitted with the GOES-451 because export systems do not have to complete full evaluation by the Russian Ministry of Defence: the new OES- 52 has not yet received Russian certification.
Extended-range missiles
Two types of anti-tank guided missiles arm the Ka-52; the 9M120-1 Ataka 1 (AT-9 Spiral 2) with a maximum range of 6km (3.2 nautical miles) and the 9-A-4172K Vikhr 1 (AT-16 Scallion) with a range between 8 and 10km (4.3 and 5.4 nautical miles).
Both missile types have laser beam riding guidance provided by the electro-optical turret, while the Ataka 1 also has RF command guidance.
From official photographs made available to the press of Ka-52s operating in Syria, it is apparent the Ataka missile is the more popular weapon; Vikhr is seen less frequently. The typical weapon payload configuration consists of six missiles, a maximum of twelve.
Three new missile types could be integrated on the Ka-52M; the Khrizantema, which is an improved and enlarged Ataka; the Klevok (Hermes), which is a continuation of the Vikhr; and the next-generation LMUR missile, but it is not known which ones Borisov was referring to.
The 9M123 Khrizantema (AT-15 Springer) reaches the same 6km range as the Ataka but has a more powerful 152mm (6 inch) over-calibre warhead (i.e. the warhead’s diameter is greater than body’s diameter) able to penetrate 1.1 to 1.2m (43 to 47 inches) RHAe (rolled homogeneous armour equivalent). The missile has two guidance channels: semiautomatic laser beam riding guidance and automatic millimetre-wave radar homing. Thanks to this, two missiles can be simultaneously guided towards two separate targets. Khrizantema, mounted on an infantry combat vehicle chassis, entered service with the Russian ground forces in 2005.
The Klevok A (peck) is a further, much larger export version of the Vikhr (Hermes A) with a two-stage rocket motor enabling a maximum speed of 1,924kts (3,600km/h) and a range of 12 to 15km (6.8 to 8 nautical miles). It’s possible to extend the missile’s range to 20km (10.8 nautical miles) when radio mid-course correction is added to the basic inertial navigation. A Klevok A missile is 3.5m (11.5ft) long and weighs 110kg (243lb).
A small semi-active laser seeker manages terminal guidance, with two channels enabling simultaneous launching and homing of two missiles. The Hermes A missile has been under development for many years and is still presented by the manufacturer as its most important product for the future, but the true readiness status of this missile is unknown.
Similarly, the new-generation LMUR missile has not been unveiled to the Russian public yet, but we do know it’s a lightweight multifunction guided anti-armour and anti-aircraft missile fitted with a combined seeker featuring radar and imaging infrared channels, and an inertial autopilot. The missile can reach a target between 15 and 18km (8 to 9.7 nautical miles) away at supersonic speed. The upgraded Mi-28NM helicopter, which, like the Ka-52M, should enter series production in 2020, will be also armed with Khrizantema and LMUR missiles. LMUR is the acronym for Lyogkaya Mnogofunktsionalnaya Upravlaemaya Raketa or lightweight multifunction guided missile.
Two-band radar
Borisov made no mention of it, but the upgraded Ka-52M will also be fitted with a new radar and improved self-protection system. The current FH01 Arbalet 52 radar, made by the Phazotron-NIIR in Moscow, operates in the Ka-band (8mm wavelength) and is used for navigation, reconnaissance and preliminary target indication to optical sensors. Search range for a large ground target like a railway bridge is 25km (13.5 nautical miles), or 12km (6.5 nautical miles) for a tank.
Use of an 800mm (31.5 inch) wide mechanical array antenna is made possible by the wide side-by-side cockpit that creates considerable free space in the helicopter’s nose.
A new FH02 radar system has been developed for the Ka-52M and features one more X-band (30mm wavelength) channel, which enables considerably longer range, but unfortunately at the cost of resolution.
In the basic configuration, the manufacturer proposes two separate antennas: a slotted array for the Ka-band and active electronic scanning array (AESA) for the X-band. This solution allows simultaneous search of air and land space, the use of advanced algorithms for target detection and tracking, and better reliability.
According to Phazotron-NIIR, a railway bridge can be detected from 32km (17.2 nautical miles) range in Ka-band or from 125km (67.5 nautical miles) in X-band. Tanks can be detected from 20km (10.8 nautical miles) or 35km (18.8 nautical miles) respectively.
Angular resolution is 0.8o for the millimetre channel, but only 3.2o for the centimetre channel. Additionally, the radar is capable of detecting aerial targets with a 5m2 (54ft2) radar cross section from 90km (49 nautical miles).
Weight of the new radar does not exceed 80kg (176lb) compared to 100kg (220lb) in the current version.
The disadvantage of a radar with two antennas, particularly with one active electronically scanned, is its high price and sophisticated cooling requirements.
As a low-cost solution, Phazotron proposes retaining the current parabolic mechanically scanned antenna for both channels. This variant is cheaper and simpler to produce, but has limited tactical capabilities, because only one channel, Ka or X, can operate at a time.
Vitebsk self-defence’s upgrade
In June 2015, Russia commenced full-scale series production (only small batches had been produced) and introduced the L370 Vitebsk selfdefence system made by NII Ekran of Samara for army helicopters.
Production standard Ka-52s are fitted with the L370P2 Vitebsk suite comprising an L140 Otklik (response) laser, L370-2 ultraviolet warning sensors, and an L370-5 directional infrared countermeasures (DIRCM).
The L370-5 jammer generates modulated infrared and ultraviolet radiation within a 7° angle, and has two rotating jamming modules installed on the sides of the lower part of the fuselage, just ahead of the main landing gear.
The Vitebsk system also controls the launch of 26mm (1 inch) flares or radar decoys from two 32-round UV-26 dispensers housed in each wingtip fairing.
Subsequent Ka-52 helicopters are due to receive the L370V52 Vitebsk 52 suite in its full configuration, comprising an L370-1 radar warning sensor and an L370-3 radar jammer. Reportedly, the radar warning receivers have been fitted to Ka-52E helicopters delivered to Egypt since the summer of 2017.
Development of the Vitebsk system commenced as early as the early 1990s so further development was planned a long time ago.
An upgrade of the Vitebsk system received a big boost from Russia’s intervention in Syria, where the system is used on Ka-52, Mi- 8AMTSh and Mi-35M helicopters.
In March 2017 Yuri Borisov told Russian press: “The Vitebsk suite will be modernized to work in a broader band of frequencies and at long ranges, to provide the best protection of aircraft against attacks by modern air-to-air and portable surface-to-air missiles.”
Vitebsk will be upgraded in stages under a Monoblock programme starting with the DIRCM modules implemented by Monoblock, while the SKB Zenith design team has developed a new L418-5 infrared jammer to replace the L370-5 module. Functionally, the L418-5 is similar to the L370-5, but comprises new technology to reduce the system’s weight and cost. The new jammer is angular in shape; the previous system was a rotating ball. Ka-52Es built for Egypt were the first helicopters to be equipped with L418-5E jammers.
Kursk-based Aviaavtomatika is developing the new SV-370 (Sistema Vybrosa) decoy launching system featuring 26mm (1 inch) dispensers as part of the Monoblock programme.
Back in August 2013, the Russian Ministry of Defence ordered R&D work from SKB Zenith dubbed Zabor (fence), under which a new generation jamming system is being developed.
Deliveries
On March 13, 2007, the Arsenyev factory received the first contract for a batch of 24 Ka-52 helicopters for the Russian Air and Space Force for delivery by 2011. The first helicopters produced in 2009 and 2010 took part in the type’s evaluation.
Delivery of the first Ka-52s was to an operational unit at Chernigovka, just 60km (32 nautical miles) from the Arsenyev production plant, on May 23, 2011.
On March 1, 2011, the Ministry of Defence placed another order for 146 Ka-52s by 2020. As of early 2018, the Russian Air and Space Force had about 110 Ka- 52s assigned to operational bases at Chernigovka, Korenovsk near the Caucasus (since 2013), Ostrov near Pskov (2014) and Khabarovsk (2014), as well as the evaluation and crew conversion centre at Torzhok and the Russian air base at Khmeimim in Syria.
Ka-52s were being delivered to the Russian Air and Space Force at a rate of about 15 helicopters a year; following the 114-aircraft order, by 2027 the Air Force will be receiving Ka-52Ms at a similar rate.
Since 2017, the production rate has been increased to fulfil the first export order for 46 Ka-52E helicopters, placed in 2015 by Egypt. The first helicopters arrived at the newly-created Egyptian Air Force 111th Air Wing last summer for a total of 15 by the year end; no details about the implementation of this plan are known.
