Mi-28

Mi-28
Name	Mi-28
Caption	A Russian Aerospace Forces Mi-28N in flight.
Type	Attack helicopter
National origin	Soviet Union / Russia
Manufacturer	Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant
Designer	Marat Tishchenko
First flight	10 November 1982
Introduction	2006
Status	In service
Primary user	Russian Aerospace Forces
Produced	1982–present
Number built	~150+
Variants with their own articles	Mi-28N, Mi-28NM

Mi-28. The Mil Mi-28 (NATO reporting name: Havoc) is a dedicated, all-weather, day-night military tandem-seat attack helicopter designed by the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant in the Soviet Union during the late Cold War. Developed as a direct competitor to the United States Army's Boeing AH-64 Apache, it emphasizes ruggedness, high survivability, and powerful armament, operating without secondary transport capabilities. Entering service with the Russian Aerospace Forces in the 2000s, it has seen combat in several conflicts and has been exported to a number of allied nations.

Development and design

The development of the Mi-28 was initiated in the 1970s by the Mil design bureau under chief designer Marat Tishchenko, following the Soviet Ministry of Defence's requirement for a new-generation dedicated gunship. It was designed to succeed the Mil Mi-24 in the pure attack role, offering superior agility and survivability, and entered a protracted competition with the Kamov Ka-50. Key design features include a heavily armored cockpit with titanium-ballistic glass tubs for the pilot and weapons officer, infrared-suppressing engine exhausts, and a rotor system designed to withstand hits from 12.7 mm rounds. The airframe incorporates composite materials and is engineered to meet stringent crashworthiness standards, similar to those of the United States Air Force. Initial prototypes, powered by Klimov TV3-117 engines, first flew in 1982, but the program faced delays after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Operational history

After years of testing and evaluation, the upgraded Mi-28N night-attack variant was officially accepted into service with the Russian Army in 2006. Its first major operational deployment occurred during the Russo-Georgian War in 2008, where it provided close air support. The helicopter has been extensively used by the Russian Aerospace Forces in the Syrian civil war, conducting strikes against ISIL and other militant targets, which provided valuable combat experience. It has also seen action during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, where it has been employed in anti-armor and fire support roles, though several units have been reported lost to man-portable air-defense systems and other surface-to-air missile threats. The Algerian Air Force has also deployed its Mi-28s in counter-insurgency operations in the Sahara.

Variants

The primary initial production version was the basic Mi-28A, which lacked integrated night-fighting systems. The definitive and most produced variant is the **Mi-28N** ("*Nochnoy*" – night), featuring a radar mounted above the rotor head, forward-looking infrared and low-light television sensors, and enhanced Klimov VK-2500 engines for improved high-altitude performance. An export model derived from this is designated **Mi-28NE**. The latest modernization is the **Mi-28NM** ("*Modernizirovannyy*"), which includes an upgraded NPP Zvezda targeting system, a new main rotor with composite blades, communications for network-centric warfare, and the ability to control unmanned aerial vehicles like the Lancet. A dedicated navalized version proposed for the Russian Navy was the **Mi-28NМ**, though it was not adopted.

Operators

* Algeria – The Algerian Air Force operates 42 Mi-28NEs as of 2023. * Iraq – The Iraqi Air Force received over a dozen Mi-28NEs, with deliveries beginning in 2014. * Russia – The primary operator; the Russian Aerospace Forces and Russian Army Aviation operate over 100 Mi-28N and Mi-28NM helicopters. * Uganda – The Ugandan Air Force operates a small fleet.

Specifications (Mi-28N)

General characteristics * **Crew:** 2 (pilot, weapons officer) * **Length:** 17.01 m (55 ft 10 in) * **Height:** 3.82 m (12 ft 6 in) * **Empty weight:** 8,600 kg (18,960 lb) * **Max takeoff weight:** 11,500 kg (25,353 lb) * **Powerplant:** 2 × Klimov TV3-117VMA or VK-2500 turboshaft engines * **Main rotor diameter:** 17.20 m (56 ft 5 in)

Performance * **Maximum speed:** 324 km/h (201 mph, 175 kn) * **Range:** 450 km (280 mi, 240 nmi) * **Service ceiling:** 5,700 m (18,700 ft)

Armament * **Guns:** 1 × 2A42 30 mm autocannon * **Hardpoints:** 4 pylons under stub wings, with provisions to carry combinations of: * **Air-to-ground missiles:** 9K121 Vikhr or 9M120 Ataka anti-tank guided missiles * **Rockets:** B-8V20A pods for 80 mm S-8 or B-13L pods for 122 mm S-13 rockets * **Air-to-air missiles:** R-73 or Igla-V for self-defense

Avionics * N025 radar mounted above rotor * GOES-342 electro-optical targeting system * Helmet-mounted display system * Electronic countermeasures suite

Category:Attack helicopters Category:Military aircraft of the Soviet Union Category:Military aircraft of Russia