Best Attack Helicopters in The World

Ever since Daedalus fashioned wings of feathers and wax for himself and his son Icarus, humans have yearned to master powered, heavier-than-air flight. In the early 20th century, a few daring inventors turned the dream into reality by designing and building flying machines that actually lived up to their names. Everyone knows the story of the Wright brothers and their famed flight across the dunes of Kitty Hawk, N.C., so we won't dwell here on their accomplishments or how airplanes work. Instead, we want to focus on a lesser-known personality -- Igor Sikorsky -- and his vision of the modernhelicopter: an aircraft without wings that achieves vertical flight from the rotation of overhead blades.

One thing that has characterized the helicopter since its invention in the 1930s has been the absurdity of the machine. The contraption simply looks unable to deliver on its promise, which is to fly up and down, backward and forward, right and left. The famous U.S. broadcast journalist Harry Reasoner discussed this apparent paradox in a 1971 commentary he delivered about the use of helicopters in the Vietnam conflict.

An airplane by its nature wants to fly. … A helicopter does not want to fly. It is maintained in the air by a variety of forces and controls working in opposition to each other, and if there is any disturbance in this delicate balance, the helicopter stops flying, immediately and disastrously. There is no such thing as a gliding helicopter.

Reasoner laid bare the fundamental reality of helicopters -- that the machines have complex designs and that flying them is extraordinarily complicated. The pilot has to think in three dimensions and must use both arms and both legs constantly to keep a helicopter in the air. Piloting a helicopter requires a great deal of training and skill, as well as continuous attention to the machine.

AH-64D Apache Long Bow

The multi-mission AH-64D Apache Longbow is the next-generation version of original AH-64A Apache. With its fire-control radar, the aircraft is known as the AH-64D Apache Longbow. Without the radar, the combat-proven aircraft is called the AH-64D Apache.

Between 1984 and 1997, Boeing produced 937 AH-64As for the U.S. Army, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The combat-proven AH-64A is still in service and includes the following features:

Two high-performance turboshaft engines and maximum cruise speed of 284 kph

Laser, infrared, and other systems (including target acquisition designation sight/pilot night vision sensor) to locate, track, and attack targets

A combination of laser-guided precision Hellfire missiles, 70mm rockets, and a 30mm automatic cannon with up to 1,200 high-explosive, dual-purpose ammunition rounds

The combat-proven AH-64D Apache and AH-64D Apache Longbow share the following history and characteristics:

Testing in the late 1990s, delivery in 1997, in production for the U.S. Army and several international customers

Selection by the U.S. Army, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, The Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Republic of Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom (as the AH Mk1)

Ability to assimilate advancements in digital connectivity, sensors, weapon systems, advanced training devices, and maintenance support systems

The radar-equipped AH-64D Apache Longbow features numerous enhanced capabilities, including:

Longer-range weapons accuracy and all-weather/night fighting

Detection of objects (moving or stationary) without being detected

Classification and threat-prioritization of up to 128 targets in less than a minute

Integrated sensors, networking, and digital communications for situational awareness, management of the combat arena in real time, and digital transmission of images and target locations to joint operations battlefield commanders

The AH-64 Apache has been developed since its inception using incremental technology insertions at regular intervals to ensure that the world's most capable multi-role combat helicopter meets the needs of the warfighter today and in the future.

Kamov KA-50/KA-52

Kamov Ka-52 Alligator (NATO reporting name: Hokum B) is an all-weather combat helicopter developed by Kamov Design Bureau. The Ka-52 is a twin-seat version of the Ka-50 helicopter. It has been designed to attack armoured and unarmoured ground targets and low-speed air targets.

The first airframe construction of Ka-52 began in mid 1996 and the first finished helicopter rolled out in December 1996. The aircraft took its maiden flight in June 1997. Serial production commenced in October 2008.

The helicopter complies with Russian and international regulations for military helicopters. It can perform combat operations, day or night, in all weather conditions. It can also be used as a training helicopter.

Russia placed an order for 36 Ka-52s in late 2009. First batch of three production helicopters was handed over to the Russian Army Aviation Combat and Conversion Training Centre (CCTC) in Torzhok in December 2010. Russia ordered more than 140 Ka-52 helicopters for its air force in September 2011.

Russia plans to equip the French-built Mistral-class assault ships with Ka-52 helicopters by the end of 2012.

Ka-52 design and features

Based on the Ka-50 airframe, the front fuselage section of the Ka-52 was redesigned to incorporate a two-seat side-by-side cockpit. The Ka-52 features a wider nose due to reduced cockpit armour and the nose-mounted radome. The 30mm cannon and six wing-mounted hardpoints of the Ka-50 were retained in the Ka-52. The helicopter has a catapult crew rescue system integrating an ejection and rocket-parachute.

"The Ka-52 has six external wing stores for anti-tank missiles, rockets and air-to-air missiles."

Two radar systems are mounted, one for aerial targets and another for ground targets, on the mast and nose respectively. Samshite night / daytime thermal sighting system is housed in two spherical turrets, one above the cockpit and the other below the nose. The electronic devices fitted to the helicopter largely reduce the chances of it being visible to enemy forces.

The helicopter has a TV, Facelift Image Replacement (FLIR), laser range-finder, and target designator.

The FLIR is integrated with a Shkval electro-optical sighting system. A ball-shaped structure is fitted under the fuselage for optical sight and windows are provided in the nose turret for the laser range-finder and IR camera.

Avionics

The multi-functional avionics suite of Ka-52 consists of a multi-level digital computer-based system, a Topowl helmet-mounted sight display, observation, search and targeting systems. The multiplexed bus system coordinates several tasks including piloting, navigation and weapons control on the battlefield. Other systems include navigation and attack system for helicopters (NASH) and Nadir 10 navigation system.

The built-in control mechanism allows the crew to operate the helicopter in an autonomous mode in field conditions. On-board flight information is displayed on two colour and two monochrome multi-function displays.

Weapon systems

The Ka-52 has six external wing stores for anti-tank missiles, rockets and air-to-air missiles. The helicopter is armed with six laser-guided Vikhr anti-tank missiles and two B8V-20 rocket pods for S-8 80mm air-to-surface rockets.

"The Ka-52 features electronic protection and means of active countermeasures."

The Vikhr missile can engage armoured ground targets within the range of 8km to 10km. Twin Igla missile launchers fitted under each wingtip countermeasure pod can fire four Igla light air-to-air missiles.

A 30mm Shipunov 2A42 automatic cannon is fitted on the starboard side of the fuselage. The gun has a dual feed for HE-T and AP-T rounds.

It can engage ground targets within a range of 1,500m as well as low flying targets within a slant range of 2,500m.

Countermeasures

The Ka-52 features electronic protection and means of active countermeasures. The helicopter is equipped with active IR and electronic jamming units, Pastel (L150) RWR, Mak (L136) IR and Otklik (L140) laser warning systems. UV-26 flare / chaff dispensers fitted on wingtip fairings can fire flare / chaff decoys to deceive incoming anti-aircraft missiles.

Engines

Ka-52 is powered by two VK-2500 (TV3-117VMA-SB3) turbo-shaft engines rated at 1,863kW. The prototype is fitted with two TV3-117VMA turbo-shaft engines. The fuel tanks are made of explosion-proof materials.

Ka-52 performance

The Ka-52 can fly at a maximum speed of 310km/h. Cruising and lateral speeds of the helicopter are 250km/h and 80km/h respectively. The maximum take-off weight is 10,800kg. The helicopter can climb at a rate of 10m/s to a maximum altitude of 3,600m. The practical flight range is 520km. The helicopter can perform flight operations within the minimum air space and gain an attack position in less time.

 MI-28H Havoc (Russia)

The Mil Mi-28 (NATO reporting name ‘Havoc’) is a Russian all-weather, day-night, military tandem, two-seat anti-armor attack helicopter. It is a dedicated attack helicopter with no intended secondary transport capability, better optimized than the Mil Mi-24 for the role. It carries a single gun in an undernose barbette, plus external loads carried on pylons beneath stub wings.

A-129/T-129 (Italy/Turkey)

The Agusta A129 Mangusta is an attack helicopter originally designed and produced by Agusta in Italy. It was the first attack helicopter to be designed and produced wholly in Western Europe.
The TAI/AgustaWestland T-129 ATAK is a derivative version of the A129, and its development is the responsibility of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), with AgustaWestland as the primary partner.