The beginning of the 80s of the twentieth century marked a real breakthrough in the field of helicopter construction. Both in Europe and in the USA, helicopters began to appear, which, according to the creators, were capable of radically changing the character of modern combat. The entire progressive aviation world was eagerly waiting to see how the Russians, who were not used to having equipment worse than that of their potential enemy, would respond. Little was known about our developments in the West. Some photographs without proper quality, some information from intelligence services, but clear information, and even more so, technical details no one in the West received it. Different sources interpreted information about the creation of a new, and at that time still top-secret helicopter, in completely different ways.

Concept

From the very beginning, the helicopter was conceived by Soviet engineers as a response to the American AH-64 Apache. New fighting machine was developed in the absolute spirit of the Kamov Design Bureau: a twin-rotor coaxial design without a tail rotor. The niche for using the new helicopter was determined very quickly: direct support of ground troops, like the already respected Mi-24.

The design work was completed in December 1972, but the first flight, due to certain reasons, tests and inspections, took place only 10 years later, on June 27, 1982. The helicopter received the initial “working” name V-80SH1 (Helicopter of the 80s, attack) and was presented as an all-weather machine for performing complex and extremely complex combat missions at extremely low altitudes.

In its layout, the new “fighter”, which later received the designation KA-50, was significantly different from the previously designed vehicles of the Kamov Design Bureau. The KA-50 received an “airplane” fuselage and tail, retractable landing gear and a larger wing compared to other helicopters. A distinctive feature of the helicopter was the use of a crew of one pilot. This decision required the designers to use large number computer systems that made it easier for the pilot to pilot and use weapons.

The power plant for the Ka-50 was also designed with special care. A pair of TV3-117VMA gas turbine giants were installed on the sides of the upper fuselage. The powerful engines were equipped with screen-exhaust devices to reduce infrared signature in battle. In addition to the engines, special dust protection was installed, which reduced wear on the compressor blades. Otherwise, the engines had the same technical modes as most other helicopters.

Teeth, claws and Western curiosity

The Ka-50's unique sighting and aerobatic system allowed it to use weapons and simultaneously perform vigorous maneuvers. Onboard computer in automatic mode received target designations from any other helicopter, AWACS aircraft and any other ground-based complex and displayed information about the target on a special tactical situation indicator, and also duplicated the information on the windshield indicator. The presence of such information greatly facilitated the pilot’s choice of weapons and the process of using weapons.

In addition to the display systems, the Ka-50 used the Obzor-800 helmet-mounted target designation system, the peculiarity of which was that the pilot, using the helmet-mounted sight, immediately transmitted an attack signal through a converting device to the missile receivers located on the suspensions. By turning his head in one direction or the other, the pilot thereby oriented the missile homing heads in the desired direction. The use of this system made it possible to achieve a unique indicator - the target was captured one and a half seconds after aiming the sight at it.

Not one, not two, but four digital computers were responsible for managing all systems: the first controlled navigation, the second controlled target detection and the use of weapons, the third continuously tested all systems and components, and the fourth was a backup.

The built-in and external weapons of the Ka-50 were also performed at a high level. The Ka-50 has at its disposal an automatic 30-mm 2A42 cannon, with a rate of fire of up to 500 rounds per minute. The same gun was installed on BMP-2 armored infantry vehicles.

Compared to other aircraft guns, the 2A42 has a much larger mass and has a three times lower rate of fire, but its absolute advantage to this day remains the ability to hit lightly armored targets at a distance of up to 3000 meters. The 2A42 cannon used in the Ka-50 still has almost three times the mobility of the M-230 mobile cannon in the Apache helicopter. The gun receives power from high-explosive and fragmentation ammunition from two cartridge boxes, the total ammunition capacity of which is 460 rounds, with the ability to fire in bursts of 10 or 20 shots.

When deciding to use cannon weapons, the Kamov design bureau specialists chose the 2A42 Gryazev design for a reason. The decision to replace the conventional GSh-301 was dictated by the intention to increase the reliability of shooting in conditions of high levels of dust and poor cooling. low speeds and low altitudes.

The helicopter's suspended weapons are placed on four pylons, which, using special hydraulic drives, can be tilted forward and backward at an angle of up to 10 degrees. Up to 12 missiles of the Vikhr anti-tank complex from the Tula Instrument Design Bureau under the leadership of Arkady Shipunov are installed on these pylons.

The laser guidance system with a maximum launch range of up to 10 kilometers is capable of effectively dealing with any moving or stationary armored target. In addition to anti-tank missiles, almost any aircraft ammunition, the mass of which does not exceed 500 kg, can be suspended under the wing of the Ka-50. "Whirlwind" is capable of hitting enemy tanks with almost one hundred percent probability, even if they are equipped with systems active protection and dynamic armor.

The vehicle's survivability is ensured by a high level of armor. For the first time, it was possible to implement unique ideas for the passive protection of a helicopter in metal. The Kamovites borrowed the very idea of ​​armor from the Su-25 attack aircraft, the cockpit and fuselage of which could withstand up to two dozen hits from guns of various calibers. The helicopter's protection system has not yet been completely declassified, but it is known for certain that the protection complex includes equipment for detecting laser and radar irradiation, an automatic device for ejecting dipole reflectors and false thermal targets (LTC).

In addition to these means of protection, the helicopter can be equipped with a suspended container with an electronic jamming system capable of eliminating the possibility of launching a missile at it from a portable anti-aircraft complex, including modern Stingers. If the helicopter is nevertheless hit by enemy fire, autonomous fire extinguishing systems are installed in the engines and cockpit.

Another interesting novelty in terms of equipment placement was an ejection seat with a pull-out missile system. The K-37-800 system produced by NPP Zvezda, upon receiving the ejection command, shot off the rotor blades, as well as shot off the upper part of the cockpit canopy. Hundredths of a second after shooting off the blades jet system with the help of special engines, it pulled the pilot along with the seat using a specially designed halyard. After turning off the engines of the jet system, the seat belts were automatically cut and the back of the seat was “separated” from the pilot, releasing and extending the parachute canopy. The rescue system ensured the survival of the crew at speeds from 0 to 400 km/h and altitudes up to 4000 meters.

It is also worth mentioning the attention paid to the new combat vehicle by Western intelligence services. Sergei Mikheev, general designer of the Kamov Design Bureau, recalls:

“In order to mislead employees of foreign intelligence services, employees of the Kamov Design Bureau had to resort to many tricks. So, for example, to appearance the new combat vehicle did not become public knowledge, Kamov engineers imitated a double cabin on the helicopter body, putting together a special superstructure - they came up with an extra engine to further confuse foreigners. Even the cannon was placed with different sides. It was a kind of game of cat and mouse. In general, the work to maintain secrecy was, of course, unique. Until 1992, when the decision was made to show the KA-50 at the exhibition, no one received even a hundredth part of the information on this helicopter.”

Combat use of the Ka-50

One of the most important results of combat use at the end of 2000 was confirmation of the correctness of the decision in the use of sighting, flight and navigation systems.

A combat strike group (BUG) consisting of two Ka-50 helicopters and two ship-based KA-29s, converted into target designators, successfully completed the tasks of supporting ground formations and did not receive significant damage. A separate line in the report on combat use included a point about the successful and rapid adaptation of pilots to operating a single-seat aircraft. The computer took on all the hard work, thereby freeing the pilot from unnecessary actions.

The reliability of the equipment should also be noted - there were no downtimes associated with failures of systems or components. Also, during the use of the technology, another significant advantage of the new machine emerged. This is how Colonel Alexander Rudykh, who piloted one of the Ka-50 helicopters, remembered him:

“We usually worked in pairs. The leader fired back and began to gain altitude, and I began working with unguided rockets. The missiles landed very smoothly and hit the ammunition depot. The warehouse jerked so hard that the mountains probably moved. The first thought was, well, that’s it, now both me and Seryoga (the pilot of the leading car) will be hooked. I look - it means that there is a wall of explosion ahead, with steep mountains on the sides. What to do - I pulled the handle on myself and began to gain altitude. I look around, but there is no leader. I ask him on the radio, but it turns out he has already left the fire. Then, when they were already sorting out the task, I asked him: “What was your vertical speed?” We didn’t count it exactly, but it turned out to be something like 35 meters per second. That is, it turns out that in just a little over 30 seconds he gained more than a thousand meters.”

For comparison, the AH-64 Apache helicopter's climb speed is only 8 meters per second. If an American had found himself in the same situation, he certainly would not have escaped from under fire. During subsequent reports to the design bureau, the pilots reported that thanks to the new sighting system, there were no misses on targets in 99% of cases.

Ilya Matveev, associate professor of the department of the Kazan Research Technical University - KAI and an expert in the field of avionics, in an interview with the Zvezda TV channel, shared an interesting opinion regarding the prospects of the Ka-50. The expert noted that the modernization potential of the Ka-50 project has not yet been exhausted.

“There is certainly still room for work there. For example, on the use of new materials, new control and guidance systems. You can also do enough by working on guided weapons, and I know that’s where the main focus is now.”.

The expert noted that all the best was taken from the Black Shark for other projects, including the Ka-52. A special place In the Ka-50 project, the expert focuses specifically on avionics systems.

“The avionics are really good. Despite the fact that new developments were applied to the Ka-50 practically from scratch, they turned out to be at least no worse than those of foreign helicopters, and in the field of weapons control they even far surpassed them.”,

- notes the expert.

A look at the future

Having created the Ka-50, the designers incorporated enormous capabilities into it. Despite the fact that only 15 of these machines were produced in different modifications, the Ka-50 was replaced by the more advanced Ka-52 - a two-seat helicopter, built according to the same design with two main rotors, but with two crew members at its disposal. , one of which pilots the vehicle, and the other is engaged in the use of weapons and monitoring the situation on the battlefield.

The new helicopter retained and expanded the entire range of weapons of its predecessor, received optical location systems, thermal imagers and modernized built-in and external weapons. The Russian Ministry of Defense signed a contract with the Russian Helicopters holding company for the supply of 140 Ka-52 helicopters until 2020, however, the defense department itself says that the number of machines will be increased in the future, which means that the “Black Shark” business is alive and well. serves the Fatherland faithfully.

12 facts about the Ka-50 attack helicopter

1. Our answer to Apache

The development of a second-generation attack helicopter in the USSR began in 1976. The leadership of the country's armed forces came to the conclusion that the Mi-24 flying infantry fighting vehicle no longer meets the requirements modern warfare. In addition, work has begun in the United States on a new generation attack helicopter, the AH-64 Apache. Two leading domestic helicopter companies - Design Bureau named after. M. L. Mil and Design Bureau named after. N. I. Kamova. Milevtsy proposed a Mi-28 helicopter project classical scheme, largely repeating the concept of the AH-64. At the Kamov Design Bureau, which was headed by S.V. Mikheev in 1974 after the death of the founder, they undertook to create something fundamentally new. The confrontation between these two areas constituted the main intrigue of the domestic combat helicopter industry for the next 40 years.

2. Axial symmetry

The main difference of the Ka-50 project was the use of Kamov’s proprietary design with coaxial propellers. Yes, it is technically more complex, but it has a number of fundamental advantages for an attack helicopter. Such a helicopter does not need a tail rotor, the rotation of which consumes a significant portion of the engine energy. In general, the efficiency of coaxial propellers is 22% higher than that of a single propeller of the same diameter, which means that the helicopter can be made more compact with the same load capacity. In addition, the absence of a tail boom with a long drive shaft, which cannot be protected even from bullets, increases the combat survivability of the vehicle. Coaxial helicopter with equal power engine has a 1000 m higher ceiling and a 5 m/s higher rate of climb.

3. One above the field is a warrior

A study of the characteristics of the promising American AH-64 helicopter showed that it is impossible to surpass it by creating a similar machine, since all domestic systems - control, weapons, communications and navigation - significantly exceeded those overseas in weight and size. The point was not only in the imperfection of electronics, but also in the more severe operating conditions adopted for military equipment in our country since the Second World War. Therefore, after some thought, the designers of the Kamov Design Bureau decided to make a single-seater car instead of a two-seater from the Americans and Milevians. Saving weight by reducing the crew solved all the problems of ensuring combat effectiveness. It was assumed that one person would serve as both a pilot and a weapons operator. They intended to ensure this not only through new control automation systems, but also through innovative application tactics. The Ka-50 was supposed to have an external target designation system, including from the command vehicle (whose project resulted in the reconnaissance and strike Ka-52) and unmanned Ka-37 and Ka-137 helicopters, which would relieve the pilot of target search functions. This system assumed the practical implementation of the principles of network-centric warfare in those years when this concept was just emerging in the minds of strategists.

4. Helicopter super-maneuverability

A significant advantage of the Ka-50 was better handling. Due to aerodynamic symmetry, it is easier to fly coaxial helicopters, which is important for facilitating the work of a single pilot. But the main thing is the ability to make pirouettes in the sky that are impossible for classical helicopters. Such unique shapes include, for example, a funnel: a helicopter at a speed of up to 180 km/h describes circles over the target, while its nose is constantly directed to the center, which allows it to continuously conduct targeted fire while simultaneously dodging return fire. The Ka-50 can jerk sideways or even backwards from a hover. It is capable of making a flat turn of 180% throughout the entire speed range, that is, turning the fuselage with all weapons without changing the direction of flight. All these elements of helicopter super-maneuverability distinguish the Ka-50 from other combat helicopters, just as the Su-27 at one time differed from any other fighters. In terms of aerobatic qualities, this is simply a car from another era.

5. Under armor

The Kamovites skillfully used the advantages of the innovative scheme. The single-seater vehicle made it possible to dramatically enhance the armor due to armored glass and steel plates included in the power structure of the structure. To protect the pilot, 300 kg of armor was used, which saves him from shots heavy machine gun. For comparison: only 90 kg is allocated to protect one crew member on the AH-64. The Ka-50 also became the world's first helicopter equipped with a pilot ejection system. Moreover, rescue, during which the propellers are shot, is possible at the entire range of altitudes and speeds.

Photo: Anton Denisov

6. Cannon shot

The Ka-50 was equipped with powerful weapons. For example, the 30 mm caliber 2A42 gun was not an aircraft gun, but a tank gun, borrowed from the BMP-2. It was much more suitable for the conditions of use on board a helicopter (dust and dirt of field airfields, smoke and fumes of the battlefield, intensive use without cooling). But it was heavy, so placing it on a movable turret, as was done on the Mi-28 following the example of the AN-64, did not look right the best solution. On the Ka-50 they decided to mount the gun next to the cockpit, near the center of gravity. By the way, when testing the portability of its shots for the pilot, an original domestic technique was used: a wrench was placed on the dashboard, and if after a burst from the cannon it did not fall to the floor, then the ergonomics were considered acceptable. As for accuracy, despite the fact that the hydraulic drive rotated the Ka-50 cannon only 11 degrees instead of 110 degrees for the Mi-28, the shooting accuracy of the Ka-50, due to its more rigid placement and the unique agility of the coaxial helicopter, was four times greater than the accuracy of the Mi cannon fire -28 and three times - AN-64.

Well, the main caliber of the Ka-50 was the Whirlwind ATGM with a combat range of 8000 m, which exceeded the range of air defense systems on the enemy battlefield. The range of the Mi-28 ATGM “Attack” was only 5300 m.

7. Helicopter in a tailspin

Of course, the coaxial design also has disadvantages. In addition to the higher mass of the transmission, there is also a risk of rotor overlap during vigorous vertical maneuvers, without which the operation of attack helicopters is impossible. For this reason, two Ka-50s were lost. The first time this happened was on April 3, 1985. The helicopter got into a so-called ring vortex, something like a helicopter spin, when the rotors, during a sharp descent, end up in their own wake and lose efficiency in the turbulent flow. Test pilot Evgeny Laryushin died on this flight while trying to save the car.

After this incident, the designers increased the distance between the propellers, but in 1998, during a flight, the propellers again collided with the death of the vehicle and the pilot. This time the pilot put the car into such a sharp dive that the control system confused the pitch with the heading and abruptly shifted the roll indicator to 180 degrees. The misled pilot tried to parry the deviation, and the sharp maneuver caused the propellers to clash. The crash happened so quickly that the pilot Boris Vorobyov did not have time to eject and died.

In both cases, the disasters occurred due to the fault of pilots who exceeded operational limits, but opponents of the Ka-50, of whom there are always many of an innovative idea, now have extra arguments against this machine. At the same time, they forgot that classical helicopter accidents caused by the collision of rotors with the tail boom in similar situations happen no less often.

8. Wereshark

“Black Shark,” by the way, was not the first nickname for the Ka-50. In 1992, this helicopter appeared at the Farnborough Air Show (UK) with the inscription Werewolf (“Werewolf”) on the tail. But already in 1993, the film “Black Shark” was released, the name of which was assigned to the main character of this action film - Ka-50. One of the main requirements for an attack helicopter is the ability to use it at night, for which the Ka-50 was equipped with special equipment and painted black. The unusual coloring and predatory outlines became the basis for the characteristic nickname.

The Ka-50 took part in combat operations not only in the movies. In 2000-2001, a combat group was created of two “Black Sharks” and one Ka-29 as a target acquisition helicopter, which carried out strikes against terrorists in the mountains of Chechnya for two months.

9. Secret view

The Ka-50 was indeed unusual not only in concept, but also in appearance with its aircraft fuselage (the option of installing a Su-25 attack aircraft cabin on it was even considered, but it turned out to be insufficiently armored). For the time being, its very appearance was so secret that during testing it was painted Aeroflot blue, and simulators of portholes were attached to the sides. During one of the flights, such a “sticker” came off and got into the engine air intake. They managed to land the car on one engine, but since then they have stopped using such camouflage.

Photo: Anton Denisov

10. Test by combat

The Ka-50 took part in hostilities not only in the movies. In 2000–2001, a combat group was created consisting of two “Black Sharks” and one Ka-29 as a target acquisition helicopter, which carried out strikes against terrorists in the mountains of Chechnya for two months. The helicopter confirmed its capabilities in practice. Thus, the Mi-24s, which backed up the Ka-50 during sorties, often lost sight of their “wards”, they made such sharp maneuvers, as if disappearing into thin air. The helicopter’s excellent aerobatic qualities were especially evident in the mountains, when it was necessary to operate in narrow gorges in a rarefied atmosphere and poor weather conditions. So, one day, while avoiding a collision with a rock, one of the Ka-50s showed an indicated rate of climb of 30 m/s. Imagine: a colossus weighing 10 tons soared to the height of a 12-story building in one second.

11. Unexpected ending

The Ka-50 made its first flight on June 17, 1982. Its confrontation with the Mi-28 in the struggle for the title of main attack helicopter continued over the next 20 years. Two stages of comparative tests were envisaged: in 1984, the flight qualities of the machines were compared, in 1985, their capabilities for using weapons were compared. At both stages, the Ka-50 was recognized as the winner, after which it was decided to select it as a serial attack helicopter. But so that the money spent on the development of the Mi-28 does not go to waste, they also decided not to close this project and prepare a simplified attack helicopter for export on its basis. The country's leadership understood that such a complex, expensive and innovative machine for modern warfare as the Ka-50 was not needed by third world countries, our traditional arms buyers. But the classic Mi-28 with two crew members will come in handy.

However, the situation has changed. The USSR ceased to exist, and for Russia the main threat was not a large-scale clash with NATO countries, but many local conflicts that flared up on its borders. Therefore, the serial production of the Ka-50 was limited to 15 copies, after which this machine was discontinued, and in 2009 the Mi-28N “Night Hunter” was adopted as the main attack helicopter of the Russian armed forces.

12. Everything is just beginning

However, one should not think that the Ka-50 has sunk into oblivion without a trace. On its basis, a two-seat version of the Ka-52 Alligator was created, which was put into service as a reconnaissance and attack helicopter and, together with the Mi-28N, is produced in a large series by enterprises of the Russian Helicopters holding company. The Ka-52 is 85% the same Ka-50, but with more powerful electronics. The Alligator has become heavier, but is capable of performing the same tricks in the sky as the Black Shark. The development of the Ka-50 was also its ship version - the Ka-52K, which is sometimes called “Katran” in the press, although there is no official confirmation of this name yet. The Ka-52K was supposed to become the main striking force of the Russian-French Mistral-class helicopter carriers. The deal fell through, but Egypt is showing interest in purchasing two almost completed ships. A preliminary contract has been concluded for the supply of 46 Ka-52Ks to this country. Whether it will be implemented - time will tell. But in any case, coaxial combat helicopters have already found their place in the new high-tech Russian army. No one else in the world has such combat vehicles.

On May 9, 1995, 50 years after the surrender of Nazi Germany, the most grandiose Victory Parade took place on Poklonnaya Hill. A large amount of modern military equipment at that time took part in it. One of the highlights of the program was the participation of the newest Ka-50 Black Shark combat helicopters at that time. As the main attack helicopter, this helicopter was supposed to constitute an era in the history of world helicopter construction, its concept was so unusual from the very beginning. Alas, for various reasons this era did not take place. Or perhaps it is just beginning?

Photo: Russian Ministry of Defense, RIA Novosti

Overall material rating: 4.6

On May 9, 1995, 50 years after the surrender of Nazi Germany, the most grandiose Victory Parade was held on Poklonnaya Hill. A large amount of modern military equipment at that time took part in it. One of the highlights of the program was the participation of the newest combat helicopters at that time, the Ka-50 “Black Shark”.

The development of a second generation attack helicopter in the USSR began in 1976. The leadership of the country's armed forces has come to the conclusion that the Mi-24 flying infantry fighting vehicle no longer meets the requirements of modern warfare. In addition, work has begun in the United States on a new generation attack helicopter, the AH-64 Apache. Two leading domestic helicopter enterprises - Design Bureau named after. M. L. Mil and Design Bureau named after. N. I. Kamova. The Milevtsy proposed the Mi-28 project, a classic helicopter that largely replicates the concept of the AH-64. The Kamov Design Bureau, which was headed by S.V. Mikheev in 1974 after the death of the founder, undertook to create something fundamentally new. The confrontation between these two areas constituted the main intrigue of the domestic combat helicopter industry for the next 40 years.

The main difference of the Ka-50 project was the use of Kamov’s proprietary design with coaxial propellers. Yes, it is technically more complex, but it has a number of fundamental advantages for an attack helicopter. Such a helicopter does not need a tail rotor, the rotation of which consumes a significant portion of the engine energy. In general, the efficiency of coaxial propellers is 22% higher than that of a single propeller of the same diameter, which means that the helicopter can be made more compact with the same load capacity. In addition, the absence of a tail boom with a long drive shaft, which cannot be protected even from bullets, increases the combat survivability of the vehicle. A coaxial helicopter with equal engine power has a 1000 m higher ceiling and a 5 m/s higher rate of climb.

Elements of helicopter super-maneuverability distinguish the Ka-50 from other combat helicopters, just as the Su-27 at one time differed from any other fighters

A study of the characteristics of the promising American AH-64 helicopter showed that it is impossible to surpass it by creating a similar machine, since all domestic systems - control, weapons, communications and navigation - significantly exceeded those overseas in weight and size. The point was not only in the imperfection of electronics, but also in the more stringent operating conditions adopted for military equipment in our country since the times of the Great Patriotic War. Therefore, after some thought, the designers of the Kamov Design Bureau decided to make a single-seater car instead of a two-seater from the Americans and Milevians. Saving weight by reducing the crew solved all the problems of ensuring combat effectiveness. It was assumed that one person would serve as both a pilot and a weapons operator. They intended to ensure this not only through new control automation systems, but also through innovative application tactics. The Ka-50 was supposed to have an external target designation system, including from the command vehicle (whose project resulted in the reconnaissance and strike Ka-52) and unmanned Ka-37 and Ka-137 helicopters, which would relieve the pilot of target search functions. This system assumed the practical implementation of the principles of network-centric warfare in those years when this concept was just emerging in the minds of strategists.

A significant advantage of the Ka-50 was better handling. Due to aerodynamic symmetry, it is easier to fly coaxial helicopters, which is important for facilitating the work of a single pilot. But the main thing is the ability to make pirouettes in the sky that are impossible for classical helicopters. Such unique shapes include, for example, a funnel: a helicopter at a speed of up to 180 km/h describes circles over the target, while its nose is constantly directed to the center, which allows it to continuously conduct targeted fire while simultaneously dodging return fire. The Ka-50 can jerk sideways or even backwards from a hover. It is capable of making a flat turn of 180% throughout the entire speed range, that is, deploying the fuselage with all weapons without changing the direction of flight. All these elements of helicopter super-maneuverability distinguish the Ka-50 from other combat helicopters, just as the Su-27 at one time differed from any other fighters. In terms of aerobatic qualities, this is simply a car from another era.

The Kamovites skillfully used the advantages of the innovative scheme. The single-seater vehicle made it possible to dramatically enhance the armor due to armored glass and steel plates included in the power structure of the structure. To protect the pilot, 300 kg of armor was used, which saves him from shots from a heavy machine gun. For comparison: only 90 kg is allocated to protect one crew member on the AH-64. The Ka-50 also became the world's first helicopter equipped with a pilot ejection system. Moreover, rescue, during which the propellers are shot, is possible at the entire range of altitudes and speeds.

The Ka-50 was equipped with powerful weapons. For example, the 30 mm caliber 2A42 gun was not an aircraft gun, but a tank gun, borrowed from the BMP-2. It was much more suitable for the conditions of use on board a helicopter (dust and dirt of field airfields, smoke and fumes of the battlefield, intensive use without cooling). But it was heavy, so placing it on a movable turret, as was done on the Mi-28 following the example of the AN-64, did not seem to be the best solution. On the Ka-50 they decided to mount the gun next to the cockpit, near the center of gravity. By the way, when testing the portability of its shots for the pilot, an original domestic technique was used: a wrench was placed on the dashboard, and if after a burst from the cannon it did not fall to the floor, then the ergonomics were considered acceptable. As for accuracy, despite the fact that the hydraulic drive rotated the Ka-50 cannon only 11 degrees instead of 110 degrees for the Mi-28, the shooting accuracy of the Ka-50, due to its more rigid placement and the unique agility of the coaxial helicopter, was four times greater than the accuracy of the Mi cannon fire -28 and three times - AN-64.

Well, the main caliber of the Ka-50 was the Whirlwind ATGM with a range of 8000 m, which exceeded the range of air defense systems on the enemy battlefield. The range of the Mi-28 ATGM “Attack” was only 5300 m.

Of course, the coaxial design also has disadvantages. In addition to the higher mass of the transmission, there is also a threat of overlapping of the propellers during vigorous vertical maneuvers, without which operation attack helicopters impossible. For this reason, two Ka-50s were lost. The first time this happened was on April 3, 1985. The helicopter got into a so-called ring vortex, something like a helicopter spin, when the rotors, during a sharp descent, end up in their own wake and lose efficiency in a turbulent flow. Test pilot Evgeny Laryushin died during this flight while trying to save the car.

After this incident, the designers increased the distance between the propellers, but on June 17, 1998, in Torzhok, the propellers again collided in flight with the death of the vehicle and the pilot. This time, the pilot put the car into such a sharp dive that the control system confused the pitch with the heading and abruptly shifted the roll indicator to 180 degrees. The misled pilot tried to parry the deviation, and the sharp maneuver caused the propellers to clash. The disaster happened so quickly that the head of the Combat Training Center army aviation Hero of Russia, Major General Boris Vorobyov did not have time to eject and died.

In both cases, the disasters occurred due to the fault of pilots who exceeded operational limits, but opponents of the Ka-50, of whom there are always many for an innovative idea, now have extra arguments against this machine. At the same time, they forgot that classical helicopter accidents caused by the collision of propellers with the tail boom in similar situations happen no less often.

“Black Shark,” by the way, was not the first nickname for the Ka-50. In 1992, this helicopter appeared at the Farnborough Air Show (UK) with the inscription Werewolf (“Werewolf”) on the tail. But already in 1993, the film “Black Shark” was released, the name of which was assigned to the main character of this action film - Ka-50. One of the main requirements for an attack helicopter is the ability to use it at night, for which the Ka-50 was equipped with special equipment and painted black. The unusual coloring and predatory outlines became the basis for the characteristic nickname.

The Ka-50 was indeed unusual not only in concept, but also in appearance with its aircraft fuselage (the option of installing a Su-25 attack aircraft cabin on it was even considered, but it turned out to be insufficiently armored). For the time being, its very appearance was so secret that during testing it was painted Aeroflot blue, and simulators of portholes were attached to the sides. During one of the flights, such a “sticker” came off and got into the engine air intake. They managed to land the car on one engine, but since then they have stopped using such camouflage.

The Ka-50 took part in hostilities not only in the movies. In 2000–2001, a combat group was created consisting of two “Black Sharks” and one Ka-29 as a target acquisition helicopter, which carried out strikes against terrorists in the mountains of Chechnya for two months. The helicopter confirmed its capabilities in practice. Thus, the Mi-24, which backed up the Ka-50 during sorties, often lost sight of their “wards”, they made such sharp maneuvers, as if disappearing into thin air. The helicopter’s excellent aerobatic qualities were especially evident in mountain conditions, when it was necessary to operate in narrow gorges in a rarefied atmosphere and poor weather conditions. So, one day, while avoiding a collision with a rock, one of the Ka-50s showed an indicated rate of climb of 30 m/s. Imagine: a colossus weighing 10 tons soared to the height of a 12-story building in one second.

Design of the helicopter, designated B-80 (or “product 800”), began in January 1977, and the Ka-50 made its first flight on June 17, 1982. Its confrontation with the Mi-28 in the struggle for the title of the main attack helicopter continued throughout the next 20 years. Two stages of comparative tests were envisaged: in 1984, the flight qualities of the machines were compared, in 1985, their capabilities for using weapons were compared. At both stages, the Ka-50 was recognized as the winner, after which it was decided to select it as a production attack helicopter. But so that the money spent on the development of the Mi-28 does not go to waste, they also decided not to close this project and prepare a simplified attack helicopter for export on its basis. The country's leadership understood that such a complex, expensive and innovative machine for modern warfare as the Ka-50 was not needed by third world countries, our traditional arms buyers. But the classic Mi-28 with two crew members will come in handy.

However, the situation has changed. The USSR ceased to exist, and for Russia the main threat was not a large-scale clash with NATO countries, but many local conflicts that flared up on its borders. Therefore, serial production of the Ka-50 was limited to 15 copies, after which this machine was discontinued, and in 2009 the Mi-28N “Night Hunter” was adopted as the main attack helicopter of the Russian armed forces.

However, one should not think that the Ka-50 has sunk into oblivion without a trace. On its basis, a two-seat version of the Ka-52 “Alligator” was created, which was put into service as a reconnaissance and attack helicopter and, together with the Mi-28N, is produced in a large series by enterprises of the Russian Helicopters holding company. The Ka-52 is 85% the same Ka-50, but with more powerful electronics. The Alligator has become heavier, but is capable of performing the same tricks in the sky as the Black Shark. The development of the Ka-50 was also its ship version - the Ka-52K, which is sometimes called “Katran” in the press, although there is no official confirmation of this name yet. The Ka-52K was supposed to become the main striking force of the Russian-French Mistral-class helicopter carriers. The deal fell through, but two almost completed ships were bought by Egypt. A preliminary contract has been concluded for the supply of 46 Ka-52K to this country. Whether it will be implemented - time will tell. But in any case, coaxial combat helicopters have already found their place in the new high-tech Russian army. No one else in the world has such combat vehicles.

Product “800”, according to NATO codification - Hokum A

Soviet/Russian single-seat attack helicopter designed to destroy armored and mechanized vehicles, air targets and manpower on the battlefield.

Since the helicopter is single-seat, it was planned to use combat tactics different from traditional ones, in which the Ka-50 received external target designation from a reconnaissance helicopter. It was proposed to use the two-seater Ka-52 as such a helicopter. At the same time, in the 1990s, projects of unmanned reconnaissance aircraft were created: Ka-37 and Ka-137.

The Ka-50 patrols in the waiting area until information arrives via a closed telecode communication channel. The information field of the Ka-50 cockpit provides information about the location of the helicopter, the terrain and the coordinates of the target. Target acquisition occurs with an accuracy of several meters. The helicopter strikes and immediately leaves the possible zone of destruction by air defense systems.

The helicopter, created by the Kamov Design Bureau under the leadership of chief designer Sergei Viktorovich Mikheev, was put into service in 1995.

Serial production was completed in January 2009, in the future it is planned to produce only its updated two-seat modification - the Ka-52.

History of creation

By a resolution of the USSR Council of Ministers of December 16, 1976, it was ordered to begin the creation of a promising attack helicopter designed to destroy armored vehicles on the battlefield. The need to create a new vehicle instead of the Mi-24 currently in service was partly caused by the latter’s insufficient combat effectiveness, and partly by the development and testing in the United States of a new attack helicopter, the AH-64. The creation of the appearance of the new attack helicopter was entrusted, on a competitive basis, to the Mil Design Bureau and the Kamov Design Bureau (currently the Kamov Firm).

OKB Kamov, long time producing naval helicopters, decided not to follow the path of their overseas colleagues, but to create a fundamentally new concept for a battlefield helicopter. Under the leadership of chief designer Mikheev, the prototype combat helicopter, called B-80 (product 800), received a coaxial rotor layout, traditional for naval helicopters from the Kamov Design Bureau, but used for the first time on land combat vehicles. The choice of a coaxial scheme was determined by the higher thrust-to-weight ratio of the machine, due to the absence of power loss power plant on the tail rotor drive, which, in turn, provides a high rate of climb and a larger static ceiling. The smaller diameter of the main propellers determines the lower linear speed of the blade tips, which, in turn, reduces the wave drag and allows the speed of movement of the vehicle as a whole to be increased. The elimination of the tail rotor transmission, on the one hand, reduced the weight of the machine, on the other hand, mechanisms disappeared, the damage of which in combat conditions would affect the survivability and efficiency of the helicopter.

The second feature of the B-80 was the reduction of the crew to one person. Refusal from the weapons operator became possible thanks to the use of new developments of the domestic military-industrial complex in the field of sighting and navigation systems, providing significant automation of piloting operations aircraft and the use of airborne weapons. The single-seat layout of the helicopter made it possible not only to reduce the weight of the required armor and reduce the dimensions (and, consequently, the affected area of ​​​​the vehicle), but also to reduce the cost of training personnel in peacetime, as well as reduce human losses during hostilities.

An interesting innovation, first used in helicopter construction, was the equipping of the cockpit with a pilot rescue system using an ejection seat.

After defending the preliminary design and layout in May 1981, the first flight prototype (tail number 010) was assembled, which made its first flight under the control of test pilot Bezdetnov on June 17, 1982. This car was intended for flight testing and did not have many systems or standard engines. The second flight prototype (tail number 011), which took off on August 16, 1983, was equipped with all the main standard devices and was intended for testing weapons and aviation equipment.

In October 1983, a meeting was held with the participation of the Ministry of Defense and representatives of the aviation industry. The purpose of the meeting was to compare and choose between the B-80 and Mi-28 (competitive proposal from the Mil Design Bureau). The majority of participants were in favor of choosing the B-80 as a machine that has the best flight characteristics and has the best price/quality ratio. Comparative tests carried out in 1984, including 27 test flights, showed the superiority of the B-80 over the Mi-28. Based on the tests carried out, in October 1984, an order was signed by the Minister of Aviation Industry to prepare for mass production of the Kamov aircraft.

On April 3, 1985, during a study of the maximum flight conditions, as a result of the pilot exceeding the permissible negative overload, the blades overlapped and the helicopter (tail number 010) crashed. Pilot (test pilot Hero) Soviet Union Evgeniy Ivanovich Laryushin), trying to save the car, died.

To prevent such accidents in the future, the distance between the main rotors was increased and a system was installed that made it difficult to control when the blades were dangerously close. To continue flight testing, the third copy of the B-80 (tail number 012) was assembled in December 1985.

In September 1985, the second stage of comparative tests of the B-80 and Mi-28 was carried out, following which the commission of the Ministry of Defense issued a final conclusion on the selection of the B-80 as a serial attack helicopter.

In September 1991, the car was demonstrated at the Farnborough Aerospace Show near London.

From 1990 to 1993, the B-80, which received the new designation Ka-50, underwent two stages of state testing. And in November 1993, military tests of the vehicle began in order to develop tactics for its combat use. After fine-tuning the production vehicle to the proper technical level, on August 28, 1995, the Ka-50 helicopter was put into service by decree of the President of the Russian Federation. However, due to financial difficulties, only 10 production vehicles were assembled.

On June 17, 1998, while performing a flight as part of a training program for demonstration flights, the helicopter pilot, Boris Alekseevich Vorobyov, died. As the commission that investigated the accident established, the cause of the incident was the piloting of the helicopter outside the restrictions provided for in the Flight Operations Manual (flights with roll angles of up to 70, pitch angles of up to 60 and angular velocities on all axes of up to 60 degrees / s are allowed). In the fatal flight, in the 30th minute, at an altitude of about 50 m and a speed of less than 60 km/h, during an intense change in roll by 116 degrees and an energetic descent with a large dive angle, the rotor blades collided and the helicopter crashed. Hero of Russia, Boris Alekseevich Vorobyov, did not have time to use the rescue system and died.

From December 28, 2000 to February 14, 2001, two Ka-50 helicopters as part of a combat strike group (BUG) took part in hostilities on the territory of the Chechen Republic. Despite the high ratings, BUG was disbanded, and the Ministry of Defense, for unnamed reasons, gave preference to financing and purchasing modifications of the Mi-28, and to equip special army units it was planned to order no more than a few dozen modifications of the Ka-50 (2006). As of 2006, a total of 15 helicopters were produced (including test vehicles). According to the general director of AAK Progress, Yuri Denisenko, in 2008, three “Black Sharks” were assembled at the enterprise, one of which was transferred to the 344th Center for Combat Use and Retraining of Army Aviation Flight Personnel. “Currently, the enterprise has two Ka-50 helicopters, which have already completed a flight test cycle and will be transferred to the Ministry of Defense in 2009. There are no new orders for the supply of Ka-50, and now only Ka-52 will be produced,” he said.

In 2005, the head of the Russian General Staff Army General Yuri Baluevsky said that the Ka-50 and Ka-52 helicopters are necessary for special forces units. Although the main combat helicopter will be the Mi-28N “Night Hunter”

Design

The Ka-50 is a twin-engine single-seat helicopter with coaxial rotors. The helicopter is equipped with a straight wing of relatively high aspect ratio and developed vertical and horizontal tail surfaces.

Fuselage

An aircraft-type helicopter fuselage constructed with extensive use of composite materials and aluminum alloys.

Composite materials make up up to 30% of the total weight of the structure. So wide application polymer composite materials made it possible, in comparison with metal analogues, to reduce the weight of individual structural elements by 20-30%, increase the reliability and survivability of the helicopter, increase the service life of individual airframe units by 2-2.5 times, and reduce the labor intensity of production complex elements structures by 1.5-3 times (due to reducing the number of parts, shortening the cycle of riveting and assembly work), reduce the labor intensity of planned work by 2 times.

The fuselage is divided by technological connectors into the front, rear and tail sections. The longitudinal strength structure of the hull is represented by spars and stringers, the transverse one is formed by frames. The outer contours of the body, which are three-layer composite panels made of a metal frame and honeycomb core, which are attached to the power kit. Access to devices and mechanisms occurs not through the usual narrow hatches and necks in aviation, but through wide folding panels.

In the front part of the fuselage there is a pilot's cabin and a nose compartment with surveillance and search equipment and Shkval-V guidance equipment, as well as a niche for the front landing gear. The sealed pilot's cabin is quite heavily armored and provides protection against armor-piercing bullets with a caliber of up to 12.7 mm and shell fragments with a caliber of up to 23 mm. Armor formed by spaced steel and aluminum sheets total mass 350 kg, introduced into the power structure of the body.

The cabin glazing is made partly from transparent armor(front and side windows) and partially made of plexiglass (top window, as well as door windows and the right clerestory window). The cockpit door located on the left side and the right wing of the canopy are equipped with squibs for emergency release. For emergency escape from the helicopter, it is possible to manually open the right and top windows. To view the rear hemisphere, on vehicles starting with the fourth prototype (tail number 014), a mirror is provided above the upper window (on more modern vehicles two separate mirrors are installed).

At the rear of the fuselage there are two cartridge box for a gun, fuel tanks, electronic equipment for various purposes, brackets for mounting engines, main and intermediate gearboxes, a hydraulic system and elements of the steering system, helicopter wings are located under the engines. The main landing gear is attached to the bottom of the fuselage, and a cannon mount is mounted on the starboard side, near the center of mass of the helicopter. All systems and units are located in such a way that the least important devices cover the most critical ones.

The tail part of the fuselage is made integral with the keel. It contains blocks of radio-electronic equipment.

The helicopter's supporting system consists of two three-bladed propellers with a diameter of 14.5 m located coaxially. The blades are connected to the shaft using hingeless bushings and torsion bars. The orientation of the blades is controlled using the upper and lower swashplates.

The top screw rotates clockwise (top view), the bottom one rotates counterclockwise.

The fiberglass-fiber plastic blades, rectangular in plan (chord 0.53 m), developed at TsAGI, consist of a hollow spar of variable curvature connected to a tail section, the skin and end ribs of which are made of hardboard. The tips of the blades are swept.

The blades retain their functionality even with numerous hits from projectiles of up to 20 mm caliber. They are equipped with pyrotechnic devices for shooting during ejection.

Crew rescue system

The crew rescue system is based on the K-37-800 rocket-parachute system produced by NPP Zvezda.

When a command to eject is received, the rotor blades are shot off and the upper part of the cockpit canopy is shot off. After this, the jet system is activated, which pulls the back of the seat with the pilot fastened by the halyard. After shutdown jet engine the seatbelts are automatically cut and the seatback is separated from the pilot, retracting the parachute. This system provides crew rescue in the speed range from 0 to 400 km/h and altitudes from 0 to 4000 meters.

Since shot off blades can pose a danger to nearby allied equipment, and also taking into account the increased combat potential of the helicopter, proposals have been made to change the tactics of combat use of attack helicopters.

In addition to ejection, the pilot can leave the helicopter using a parachute.

Navigation, piloting, guidance and weapons control systems, communications

Base electronic system The helicopter is equipped with a sighting, flight and navigation complex “Rubicon” (K-041). The complex provides determination of the helicopter’s coordinates, its speed and course. The complex's memory stores information about the coordinates of airfields, turning points of the route, targets and landmarks. The Rubicon complex carries out automated self-monitoring without the use of ground equipment and detects failures (down to the subsystem, and in the most important systems- to the block). The complex is based on a digital computer system, which includes five digital computers (digital computers): combat, navigation, information display systems, external target designation systems and one weapon control system.

The Radian flight and navigation complex provides automated piloting and air navigation in interaction with other systems of the complex. Information about the coordinates of two airfields, six intermediate route points, ten operational targets and four landmarks can be entered into the memory of the digital computer system. The complex includes:

Autopilot;
- vertical and heading information complex, which determines the helicopter’s position in space, flight direction, measures acceleration components and calculates speed from them;
-information complex of altitude and speed parameters;
-a system for displaying the helicopter position on the map;
- Doppler velocity and drift angle meter, which is radar equipment;
-magnetic compass;
- a radio altimeter, which is used to measure the true flight altitude over any surface in the range from 0 to 300 m.

To target guided weapons, the Shkval-V sighting system is used, which provides target designation to missiles using television equipment and a laser beam. The complex is equipped with a visual field stabilization system and an automatic target tracking device, based on the principle of storing a visual image of the target. The television equipment of the complex has a wide and narrow field of view, angles of deviation of the line of sight: in azimuth +...-35°, in elevation from +15 degrees. up to?80 deg. The complex also serves as a survey and search system. After target recognition and acquisition, target tracking occurs automatically.

The Obzor-800 helmet-mounted target designation system, recording the rotations of the pilot’s head, issues preliminary target designation commands to the Shkval-V complex and the homing heads of air-to-air missiles. Target designation is carried out by turning the pilot's head within +...-60 degrees. horizontally and?20 degrees...+45 degrees. vertically.

Direct weapon control is handled by the SUO-800M weapon control system, which also provides the pilot with signals that the weapon is ready.

The Ranet system is used to display combat, navigation and flight information on the HUD and MFD.

The helicopter is equipped with control and warning alarm systems (SAS), which constantly test the machine's devices and issue signals in case of failures. To record flight data for the last three hours, the UZ Tester system is used.

Communication equipment includes VHF radio stations for communication with ground command and control points, home airfields and other helicopters. The helicopter is equipped with a system and transponder for determining the nationality of “friend or foe,” as well as a system that transmits the coordinates and state of the helicopter to the base.

Defense system

The helicopter's protection system includes equipment for detecting laser and radar irradiation of the helicopter and an automatic ejection device for dipole reflectors and false thermal targets. The helicopter is equipped with passive and active fire extinguishing systems.

Modifications

Model name	Brief characteristics, differences
KA-50	Serial modification.
	Ka-50, converted into a night modification. It differs from the standard one by the Samshit-50T thermal imaging sighting system installed in the ventral nose.
	Night modification of the Ka-50 for round-the-clock combat missions. Created on the basis of government order No. 1420-355 of 1987. The first flight took place on March 4, 1997. It differs from the standard modification in that it has a rearranged bow section, in which, along with the daytime one, there is also a nighttime thermal imaging channel of the Rubicon-N sighting, flight and navigation complex. The radar is located in the hub fairing. Satellite navigation equipment was added and some electronic and optical equipment components were replaced. Instruments and devices in the cockpit were rearranged and added.
Ka-50-2 "Erdogan"	Modified version of the Ka-50 with tandem crew accommodation, modified weapons and electronics. Designed to participate in a tender announced by Turkey in 1997. Israeli specialists participated in the creation of electronics.
Ka-52 "Alligator"	Modified two-seat night version of the Ka-50.

TTX

Specifications

Fuselage length: 14.21 m
-Height: 4.93 m
- Rotor diameter: 14.50 m
-Length with rotation screws: 15.96 m
-Wingspan: 7.44 m
-Weight:
- empty: 7700 kg
-normal take-off weight: 9800 kg
-maximum take-off weight: 10800 kg
-weight payload: 2800 kg
- fuel mass:
-internal stock: 1487 kg
- in PTB: 1732 kg
-Power plant: 2 x turboshaft TV3-117VMA
-Power:
-in emergency mode: 2700 hp
-on takeoff mode: 2400 hp
-cruising mode: 1750 hp

Flight characteristics

Speed:
-cruising: 265 km/h
-maximum: 310 km/h
-maximum permissible in a shallow dive: 390 km/h
-maximum achieved in a dive (test): 460 km/h
- Flight range:
-without PTB: 520 km
-with PTB: 1160 km
-Allowable roll angle: +...-70 degrees.
-Allowable pitch angle: +...-60 degrees.
-Maximum operational overload: 3 G

Armament

Built-in small arms and cannon: 1 x 30 mm 2A42, ammunition 460 rounds (selective ammunition supply, variable rate of fire)
-Suspension points: 4
-Suspension weight: 2000 kg
- Suspended rifle-cannon: 2 x 23-mm UPK-23-250 cannons in suspended containers, ammunition 2 x 500 rounds
-Unguided rocket:
-NAR S-13 - 2 x 5 pcs.
-NAR S-8 - 4 x 20 pcs.
-heavy NURS S-24
-Guided rocket:
-ATGM “Whirlwind” - 2 x 6 pcs.
-X-25ML
- “Air-to-air”:
-Needle-B - 2 x 2 pcs. (not located on pylons)
-R-73
-Bomb:
-FAB-500, -250, -120, -100
-KMGU-2
-ZB-500
-RBC-500, -250

Thirty years ago, on June 17, 1982, the first flight of the experimental B-80 helicopter, which later received the name Ka-50 (“Black Shark”), took place.

During the entire testing and operation of this machine, two Ka-50 disasters occurred. On April 3, 1985, test pilot Hero of the Soviet Union Evgeny Laryushin crashed in an experimental Ka-50 machine. And on June 17, 1998, in Torzhok (Tver Region), the head of the Army Aviation Combat Training Center, Hero of Russia, Major General Boris Vorobyov, died as a result of the Black Shark crash. Both Ka-50 crashes occurred due to the fact that the helicopters maneuvered sharply, resulting in the rotors overlapping.

The Ka-50 has a coaxial rotor layout; the tail rotor is excluded. Due to this scheme, the designers managed to reduce the diameter of the screws and general dimensions helicopter. The Ka-50 has an airplane-type fuselage and tail, a retractable three-post landing gear with a front strut, and a relatively large wing. The most important feature of the Ka-50, which distinguishes it from all combat helicopters built and under development, is the use of a crew of one pilot, which required a high degree of automation in controlling the helicopter and its weapons.

Crew - 1 person.

Maximum take-off weight - 10800 kg

Normal take-off weight - 9800 kg

Maximum mass of expendable combat load - 1811 kg

Normal mass of expendable combat load - 610 kg

Empty helicopter weight - 7692 kg

Maximum flight speed - 300 km/h

Cruising flight speed - 270 km/h

Static ceiling - 4000 m

Dynamic ceiling - 5500 m

Flight range with normal take-off weight - 460 m

Ferry range - 1160 km

Length with rotating screws - 16 m

Height - 4.93 m

Main rotor diameter - 14.5 m

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources

Black shark

On June 17, 1982, a prototype of the Russian army combat helicopter Ka-50, nicknamed the Black Shark, took off. It was the first helicopter in the world equipped with an ejection seat, ensuring the rescue of the pilot in any flight mode.

By the mid-1970s, the main combat helicopter in the USSR was the . However, the leadership of the Ministry of Defense gradually developed the opinion that this vehicle does not fully meet the requirements of the army. Created according to the concept of a “flying infantry fighting vehicle,” the helicopter could not only conduct assault operations, but also transport a squad of paratroopers, but this had to be paid for by some reduction in combat effectiveness. In addition, at the end of 1972, work began in the United States on the DAN program, which resulted in the new combat helicopters YAH-63 from Bell and YAH-64 from Hughes. The latter, called "Apache", was accepted for serial production and began to enter service with the US Army in the mid-1980s.
On December 16, 1976, the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR adopted a resolution on the development of a new generation combat helicopter, which could be a worthy response to an overseas opponent. The main task of the promising machine was determined to be the destruction military equipment- primarily tanks on the battlefield and in the near front line. The resolution provided for the creation of competitive projects in the experimental design bureaus of N.I. Kamov and M.L. Mil, one of which was to be selected for mass production. As a result, the project of Kamov's bureau won.
The design of a new army combat vehicle, designated B-80, began at the N.I. Ukhtomsk Helicopter Plant. Kamov in January 1977. The work was headed by the head of the design bureau - chief (later General) designer Sergei Mikheev.
When determining the appearance of the new machine, various options were studied, but the choice was made in favor of the coaxial design proprietary to the Design Bureau, which had a number of serious advantages over the traditional single-rotor design. The absence of power losses on the tail rotor drive and the corresponding increase in the thrust of the main rotors made it possible to achieve a higher static ceiling and vertical rate of climb. Based on the results of flight tests and other experimental studies, it was found that the efficiency of the coaxial helicopter's supporting system is on average 16-22% greater than that of a single-rotor helicopter. With equal power of the power plant, the advantage in the static ceiling for a coaxial helicopter is about 500-1000 m, and in the vertical rate of climb - 4-5 m/s.
Another fundamental feature of the B-80 project was the decision to make the helicopter single-seat, and to compensate for the absence of an operator on board by using a highly automated sighting and navigation system, which would allow the pilot to avoid excessive psychological and physical stress. By the end of the 1970s. the level of domestic industry made it possible to create such systems: already on the Ka-25 and Ka-27, automation of the search for a submarine, navigation and flight modes, organization of group work of helicopters. The possibility of creating a single-seat combat rotorcraft was confirmed by the experience of using front-line strike aircraft, on most of which the pilot combined the functions of pilot and navigator.
Reducing the crew to one person would not only make it possible to obtain a significant gain in the weight of the helicopter (which was especially important given the existing level of development of avionics equipment, which had worse weight and size indicators compared to Western analogues), and therefore improve its flight characteristics, but also reduce costs for training flight personnel, reduce the number of combat units, i.e. achieve direct savings on the maintenance of army aviation. It was also important to reduce human losses in a combat situation. The helicopter included a pilot ejection system, which was new not only in the Soviet helicopter industry, but also in the world.
The Vikhr anti-tank missile system, created by the Tula Instrument Design Bureau, was chosen as the main weapon system of the B-80. Its distinctive feature was laser guidance and automatic target tracking, which guaranteed high shooting accuracy regardless of range. The missile's launch range exceeded the radius of destruction of foreign air defense systems "Chapparel", "Roland" and "Rapier". The presence of contact and non-contact fuses and a powerful cumulative fragmentation warhead made it possible to use the missile to destroy both armored vehicles and air targets.
In addition to the ATGM and cannon, the customer wished to place a number of other weapon systems on the helicopter. As a result, the B-80 arsenal included NAR units, UPK-23-250 cannon containers, aerial bombs, small cargo containers (KMGU), and, in the future, air-to-surface and air-to-air guided missiles.
Particular attention was paid to ensuring the safety of the pilot. The cabin was completed
fully armored using spaced metal plates with a total weight of more than 300 kg. This armor was introduced into the power structure of the fuselage, which made it possible to reduce weight costs. Tests at the State Aviation Systems Research Site confirmed that pilot protection is guaranteed when 12.7 mm bullets and 20 mm shell fragments hit the helicopter.
The beginning of the practical stage of the competition for a promising combat helicopter was determined in August 1980 by a decision of the Commission of the Presidium of the USSR Council of Ministers on Military-Industrial Issues. They were tasked with building two pairs of prototypes of the B-80 and the B-80, intended for comparative tests. In the same year, a single tactical and technical specification for these vehicles was issued by the Ministry of Defense.
The defense of the draft design and layout of the B-80 took place in April-May 1981, and a year later its first one came out of the workshops of the Ukhtomsky Helicopter Plant prototype. It still lacked a number of systems, for example, a cannon and an ejection seat, and also had non-standard TVZ-117V engines.

On June 17, 1982, test pilot Nikolai Bezdetnov performed the first hover on it, and on July 23, the helicopter made its first flight in a circle, which was intended to evaluate flight performance and test helicopter systems.
The appearance of the new car was very unusual - an “aircraft” long streamlined fuselage and a single-seat cabin, two engines on the sides, a retractable landing gear, and of course, the calling card of the Kamov company - coaxial rotors. The first B-80 had to fly literally a couple of kilometers from the Moscow Ring Road, where the flight test complex of the Ukhtomsky Helicopter Plant was then located in the area of ​​Novoryazanskoye Highway. The program was kept a great secret, and the tests took place near the capital, in full view of many prying eyes, which forced
OKB specialists take original camouflage measures. To hide the true purpose of the new machine, they decided to turn the first B-80 into a transport one. To do this, additional windows and doors were painted on the sides of the fuselage, painted in a non-military blue color, with bright yellow paint. To make it more believable, thin transparent covers were riveted onto these windows. On one of the flights, such a cover broke off and landed in the engine air intake. The helicopter was able to land on one engine, and after that the window simulators were abandoned, but the B-80 continued to fly in its camouflage, causing bewilderment among casual eyewitnesses.
In October 1984, the USSR Minister of Aviation Industry issued an order to prepare serial production of the B-80 at the Progress aircraft plant in the Far East, which was producing the Mi-24 at that time.
In 1990, a decree was issued on the construction at the Arsenyev plant of an installation series of 12 V-80SH-1 helicopters, which soon received the new designation Ka-50.
The Ka-50 entered the world stage shortly after the collapse of the USSR. In March 1992, General Designer S. Mikheev made a report on the new helicopter at an international symposium in the UK. In August of the same year, the prototype was shown publicly in flight at the Mosaeroshow in Zhukovsky near Moscow, and in September the second production Ka-50 (board 020) made its debut abroad at the international air show in Farnborough (UK), where it became the highlight of the program.
The Ka-50's baptism of fire took place during the anti-terrorist operation carried out by the Russian Army in Chechnya. A combat strike group consisting of two serial Ka-50s and one Ka-29 reconnaissance and target acquisition helicopter arrived here in December 2000. The “Black Shark” - this is the nickname the K-50 received - first used a weapon against the enemy on January 6, 2001. Subsequently, the successful completion of combat missions in difficult mountain conditions confirmed the advantages of the new helicopter, its high power capacity and maneuverability.

This day was the coldest in the history of meteorological observations. 1966 year, when the average daily temperature in Moscow was +3.8 degrees Celsius, and the warmest was in 1892year. That day the temperature rose to +30.8 degrees.

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