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.

Natural beauty is UN matched

Tourist Places in Pakistan

Natural beauty is UN matched. Pakistan have world most beautiful places for visit.

1) Concordia

The most beautiful place on Earth, Concordia, heart of the Karakoram range in Pakistan. Concordia is home to four of the world’s fourteen ‘Eight-Thousanders’. It is the best place for mountain hikers. The place is considered to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth. The sight provides breathtaking views of a number of notable peaks of Pakistan, such as the Godwin Austin, Gasherburn I, Broad Peak and others.

2) Lake Saif ul Malook

Lake Saif Ul Malook is quoted as “Heaven on Earth” by the people who visit this magical place. It is located in the Kaghan Valley near the city of Naran. It is known to be one of the highest situated lakes in Pakistan.

Visitors can reach the place by jeeps in summer season, however due to intense snow falls in winters; this place can only be reached through 3-4 hours of trekking.

3) Muzaffarabad

Muzaffarabad is the capital of Azad Kashmir. The city lies in the North of Pakistan. Apart from the promising sceneries and beautiful valleys, the city is home to two historical forts: the Red Fort (also known as the Chak Fort) and the Black Fort.

People from the South visit Muzaffarabad in summers to escape away from the heat and enjoy the pleasant weather.

4) Gorakh Hill Station

Gorakh is a hill station situation in the Dadu district in the province of Sindh. Situated at a height of 1,734 meters, is the only hill station in the province of Sindh. This is a hill station which is being developed at the moment. Though visits are possible but there is a need of proper hotels / motels in the area. This is the only place where it snows in winters.

5) Attabad Lake

Also known as the Hunza Lake, situated in the Hunza Valley was created as a result of the landslides in January 2010.  It is one of the biggest artificially created lakes of Pakistan.

6) Pir Sohawa

Pir Sohawa is the most visited place in Islamabad. It is located at an elevation of 5000 ft. It is located in a picturesque valley giving an excellent sight of the capital city. The place has a number of restaurants, where visitors can enjoy the food and the view along. This place will provide the visitors a view of the urban city on one side and as they turn their head on the other side, they’ll have a scenic view of the jungles and trees on Margalla hills.

7) Hingol National Park

The largest national park in Pakistan, located in the Makran coast in Balochistan. This national park covers part of the three districts of Balochistan namely: Gwadar, Lasbela and Awaran. Balochistan has a number of mud volcanoes and this park has a few of them.  This park also covers a large area where the Hingol river can be seen and thus this park supports a significant diversity of bird and fish. Hingol National Park is known to support at least 35 species of mammals, 65 species of amphibians and reptiles and 185 species of birds. Some 250 plant species were recorded in the initial surveys including 7 yet undescribed species. [source: Wikipedia]

8) Port Grand

Port grand is a newly constructed complex that has integrated together food, fun, sightseeing and shopping. This complex is situated in the biggest port city of Pakistan, Karachi. The complex depicts an overall atmosphere of modernism along with serenity. Port grand has been a blessing for the people of city of lights; Karachi. Port grand has been dedicated to building an open eco-friendly environment, with special focus on regeneration.

9) Khewra Salt Mine

World’s second largest salt mine, located in Khewra. It is a major tourist attraction with around 250,000 tourists visiting the place every year. There’s a train that takes the visitors inside the mine. Inside the salt mine, there are a number of replicas made with salt bricks of major tourist attractions in Pakistan such as the Badhshahi Mosque, Minar e Pakistan, Mall road of Murree etc.

10) Rani Kot Fort

Although neglected, Rani Kot holds the title for being the largest fort of the world, with a circumference of about 26 Kilometers. It is situated 90 kilometers from Hyderabad. It is a nomination for the World Heritage site list. The history for the site is unknown.

11) Hanna Lake

Hanna Lake is an alluring picnic place, situated near the city of Quetta. The lake has a vast variety of eye catching sights. The lake’s water is turquoise in color which gives a good contrast with the mountainous range around. You can take a boat ride or sit in the lake side restaurant and sip chai and enjoy the scenery.

A must visit place if you go to Quetta. This is the one of the biggest and most accessible tourist place in Balochistan.

12) Lahore Fort

Lahore Fort, also called “Shahi Qila” is a fort in the historical city of Lahore. The Fort is connected with the Badshahi mosque through Alamgiri Gate. The fort was built during the reign of Akbar in 1605. The design of the fort is a pristine depiction of the Muslim architecture. It also contains Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace), Naulakha Pavillion, Diwan e Khaas, Diwan e Aam and many other places to visit inside the fort.

13) Mohen jo daro

Mohen jo daro is a sindhi phrase that means Mound of the Dead. It is situated around 30 Kilometers from the city of Larkana. The site was discovered in 1922. It is an archeological site which has the honor of being one of the 51 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Southern Asia. It is believed that Mohen Jo Daro was constructed back in 2600 BC and was one of the major urban sites in that period.

14) Ziarat

Ziarat is the capital of Ziarat district in Balochistan. It is a very good family resort place and offers a number of tourist attractions such as the Juniper forest, Jinnah’s Ziarat residency and a small dam. Ziarat is famous for the variety of fruits mainly cherries and apples. A must visit place in summers as the weather becomes really pleasant.

15) Makli Graveyard

Makli Graveyard is one of the largest necropolises in the world, with a diameter of approximately 8 kilometers, Makli Hill is supposed to be the burial place of some 125,000 Sufi saints. It is located on the outskirts of Thatta. 18/07/2010

The city of Thatta , formerly commanding the delta of the Indus, was the capital of Lower Sindh from the 14th century. Since 1592, it was governed in the name of the Mughal emperors of Delhi. After the province was ceded to Nadir Shah of Persia in 1739, Thatta has fallen into neglect.

Thatta's monuments include the Jama Mosque, built by Shah Jahan in 1647-49 and lined with glazed tiles. There are also the tombs of Jam Nizamuddin (reigned in 1461-1509), several Tarkhan rulers and Mughal officials. A vast old necropolis with thousands of graves may be found at the nearby Makli Hills.

One of the largest necropolises in the world, with a diameter of approximately 8 kilometers, Makli Hill is supposed to be the burial place of some 125,000 Sufi saints. It is located on the outskirts of Thatta, the capital of lower Sind until the seventeenth century, in what is the southeastern province of present-day Pakistan.

Legends abound about its inception, but it is generally believed that the cemetery grew around the shrine of the fourteenth-century Sufi, Hamad Jamali. The tombs and gravestones spread over the cemetery are material documents marking the social and political history of Sind.

Imperial mausoleums are divided into two major groups, those from the Samma (1352–1520) and Tarkhan (1556–1592) periods. The tomb of the Samma king, Jam Nizam al-Din (reigned 1461–1509), is an impressive square structure built of sandstone and decorated with floral and geometric medallions. Similar to this is the mausoleum of Isa Khan Tarkhan II (d. 1651), a two-story stone building with majestic cupolas and balconies. In contrast to the syncretic architecture of these two monuments, which integrate Hindu and Islamic motifs, are mausoleums that clearly show the Central Asian roots of the later dynasty. An example is the tomb of Jan Beg Tarkhan (d. 1600), a typical octagonal brick structure whose dome is covered in blue and turquoise glazed tiles. Today, Makli Hill is a United Nations World Heritage Site that is visited by both pilgrims and tourists.

Makli necropolis is one of the largest in the world. The graveyard is situated a few kilometers away from Thatta. It is believed to be the resting place of over 125,000 rulers and saints. This is one of the sites in the World Heritage list.

The major attractions of the site are the unique engraved inscriptions on the graves. It is one of the most stunning archaeological sites in Pakistan, covering an area of approximately 15 square kilometers.

16) Karachi beach

Karachi is not only about tall buildings, market places, buzzing traffic horns… The densely populated city Karachi is blessed with a range of beach spots where people can go and enjoy a calm holiday. These places are an oasis of serenity amidst the bustling city.

Although these beaches have been well polluted by the industrial waste but still there are some virgin spots where people can enjoy and have a sense of calm. Some of the well known beach spots in Karachi are: Seaview, Cape Monze, Clifton Beach, French Beach, Gadani, Hawke’s Bay, Manora Island, Paradise Point and Sandspit Beach.

17) Shah jahan Mosque

Shah Jahan Mosque is situated in Thatta and is considered as a master piece of Mughal architecture. The mosque was built in 1647 AD on the orders of Shah Jahan, the Mughal Emperor. The mosque has 93 domes and 33 arches and no minarets.

The mosque has been designed with Turkish art work with beautiful mosaic tiles and floor work. The mosque is a worth visiting place in order to realize the design aesthetics of the Mughal Emperors.

+Badshahi Mosque

Badshahi Mosque (built 1672-74)

 

About

·         Lahore, Pakistan

The Badshahi Mosque or the 'King's Mosque' in Lahore, commissioned by the sixth Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1671 and completed in 1673, is the second largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia and the fifth largest mosque in the World. Epitomising the beauty, passion and grandeur of the Mughal era, it is Lahore's most famous landmark and a major tourist attraction. 

Capable of accommodating 5,000 worshippers in its main prayer hall and a further 95,000 in its courtyard and porticoes, it remained the largest mosque in the world from 1673 to 1986, when overtaken in size by the completion of the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad. Today, it remains the second largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia and the fifth largest mosque in the world after the Masjid al-Haram of Mecca, the Al-Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina, the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca and the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad.

Badshahi Mosque

Badshahi mosque is one of the few significant architectural monuments built during Emperor Aurangzeb's long rule from 1658 to 1707. It is presently the fifth largest mosque in the world and was indisputably the largest mosque in the world from 1673 to 1986 when the Faisal Mosque was constructed in Islamabad. Although it was built late in the Mughal era in a period of relative decline, its beauty, elegance, and scale epitomize Mughal cultural achievement like no other monument in Lahore.

Construction of the mosque began in 1671 under the direction of Muzaffar Hussain (Fida'i Khan Koka), Aurangzeb's brother-in-law and the governor of Lahore. It was originally planned as a reliquary to safeguard a strand of the Prophet's hair. Its grand scale is influenced by the Jama Mosque of Delhi which had been built by Aurangzeb's father Shah Jahan. The plan of Badshahi mosque is essentially a square measuring 170 meters on each side. Since the north end of the mosque was built along the edge of the Ravi river, it was not possible to install a north gate like the one used in the Jama Mosque, and a south gate was also not constructed in order to maintain the overall symmetry. Within the courtyard, the prayer hall features four minarets that echo in minature the four minarets at each corner of the mosque's perimeter.

The prominence of the mosque in the imperial vision was such that it was constructed just a few hundred meters to the west of Lahore Fort. A special gate facing the mosque was added to the fort and designated the Alamgiri gate. The space in between--the future Hazuri Bagh garden--was used as a parade ground where Aurangzeb would review his troops and courtiers. The Hazuri Bagh appears to be at a lower level than the mosque since the latter was built on a six meter plinth to help prevent flooding.

The mosque did not fare well during the rule of Ranjit Singh, the Maharaja of the Sikh Empire. When Ranjit Singh took control of Lahore in 1799 the mosque's courtyard was used as a stable and the hujras (cells) around the perimeter were occupied by his soldiers. Ranjit Singh himself used the adjacent Hazuri Bagh as his official royal court. When William Moorcroft of England visited Lahore in 1820, he recorded that the mosque as being used as an exercise ground for the Sipahi infantry. Twenty years later, a moderate earthquake struck lahore and collapsed the delicate marble turrets at the tops of each minaret. The open turrets were used as gun emplacements a year later when Ranjit Singh's son, Sher Singh, occupied the mosque to bombard Lahore Fort during the Sikh civil war.

After the British took control of Lahore in 1846 they continued to use Badshahi Mosque as a military garrison. It was not until 1852 that the British established the Badshahi Mosque Authority to oversee the restoration of the mosque so that it could be returned to Muslims as a place of worship. Although repairs were carried out, it was not until 1939 that extensive repairs began under the oversight of architect Nawab Zen Yar Jang Bahadur. The repairs continued until 1960 and were completed at a cost of 4.8 million rupees.