Mi-24

Mi-24
Name	Mil Mi-24
Caption	Mi-24 in service
Role	Attack helicopter / Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant transport
Manufacturer	Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant
First flight	1969
Introduced	1972
Status	In service
Primary user	Soviet Air Force
Number built	~2,000

Mi-24 is a large, armored, twin-engine attack helicopter and low-capacity troop transport developed by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant for the Soviet Air Force during the Cold War. Combining close air support, anti-armor capability, and limited infantry carriage, it became a prominent element of Warsaw Pact aviation and saw global export to states and non-state actors. The type influenced helicopter doctrine across NATO and Warsaw Pact arenas and appeared in conflicts from Ogaden War to the 2014–2015 Russo-Ukrainian conflict.

Development

Design work began at Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant under chief designer Mikhail Mil as part of a Soviet requirement to replace the Mi-8 and field a dedicated gunship and assault platform. Prototypes were built at Kazan Helicopter Plant and tested at LII (Flight Research Institute), with the first flight in 1969. The program responded to lessons from Yom Kippur War and Vietnam War rotorcraft operations and competed with Western types like the Bell AH-1 Cobra and Boeing AH-64 Apache in doctrine debates. Production lines at Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant and Rostvertol delivered batches to the Soviet Air Force, Soviet Naval Aviation, and exports to client states including East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Afghanistan, and Angola.

Design

The helicopter used twin turboshaft engines and a distinctive heavily armored cockpit to protect crew against small arms and shrapnel, incorporating components manufactured by Motor Sich and avionics from Nizhny Novgorod. It combined a four- to eight-man cabin for assault troops with stub wings for ordnance carriage, enabling carriage of anti-tank guided missiles such as 9K114 Shturm and rocket pods used in actions like the Angolan Civil War. Survivability features mirrored upgrades seen on contemporaries like the Westland Lynx and the Eurocopter Tiger—armor plating, self-sealing fuel tanks, and redundant systems. Sensors and weapon aiming evolved across service life with integrations paralleling those of NATO types during modernizations performed by facilities in Kazan, Ulan-Ude, and collaborative work with firms in India and Poland.

Operational history

The type entered service with the Soviet Air Force in the early 1970s and was deployed extensively in the Soviet–Afghan War (1979–1989), where it performed escort, close air support, and assault tasks against insurgent forces such as Mujahideen. Exported fleets saw action in the Iran–Iraq War, Angolan Civil War, Nicaraguan Revolution, and Gulf War (1990–1991), engaging with forces from Iraq to Ethiopia. In post-Soviet conflicts, it operated in the First Chechen War, Second Chechen War, and later in Syrian Civil War and the Russo-Ukrainian War (2014–present). Operators adapted tactics influenced by experiences from Operation Desert Storm and lessons from engagements involving platforms like the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and Mil Mi-8.

Variants

Multiple export and domestic variants addressed gunship, troop transport, and electronic warfare roles. Factory-upgraded models included enhanced avionics, engine improvements, and armament suites comparable to upgrades made to AH-64 fleets. Specialized subtypes served as dedicated attack platforms, heavy assault transports, and reconnaissance versions used by units in Hungary, Poland, and Czech Republic during Warsaw Pact service. Licensed and indigenous modifications occurred in countries such as India and Syria, while later modernization packages were produced by enterprises in Russia and partner firms in Belarus.

Operators

Primary operator historically was the Soviet Air Force and successor state Russian Aerospace Forces. Export customers encompassed a wide range of states: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Cuba, Czech Republic, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Hungary, India, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Mozambique, Nicaragua, North Korea, Poland, Romania, Syria, Ukraine, Yemen, among others. Operators used the platform in national air arms, paramilitary formations, and during coalition operations with forces such as those from United Nations missions and regional alliances.

Specifications

Typical mid-production specification set included: twin Isotov/TV3-117 turboshaft engines, maximum takeoff weight around 12,000 kg, cruise speed near 270 km/h, ferry range roughly 450–1,000 km depending on load and external tanks, service ceiling about 4,500 m, and armament capacity including anti-tank missiles like 9M17 Phalanga or 9K114 Shturm, rocket pods, and an undernose gun system. Crew commonly comprised pilot and weapons officer, plus transport capacity for up to eight infantry. Avionics and defensive aids evolved with upgrades comparable to powerplant and mission systems used on later-generation rotorcraft.

Incidents and losses

The helicopter suffered losses across theaters due to enemy fire, accidents, and maintenance issues. High attrition occurred in Soviet–Afghan War operations against Mujahideen MANPADS and in the First Chechen War where dense air defenses and small-arms fire downed several airframes. Export operators reported shootdowns during the Iran–Iraq War and the Gulf War (1990–1991). More recent conflicts such as the Syrian Civil War and the Russo-Ukrainian War (2014–present) recorded losses from anti-aircraft artillery, guided missiles, and ground fire. Notable incidents prompted investigations by defense ministries in Russia, Poland, and India and led to survivability upgrades and revised operational doctrines mirroring analyses conducted after engagements involving types like the AH-64 Apache.

Category:Helicopters