Success for the Mi-28 in the first round of the Swedish attack helicopter tender

Published: 11/18/1999

According to Yevgeny Yablonsky, deputy chief designer of Mil, the Mi-28 attack helicopter has won the first stage of the Swedish tender for an attack helicopter in competition with the US AN-64 Apache. According to reports published in the Russian Military News, the Mi-28 demonstrated reliability, good weapon systems and strong flight performance to win this part of the tender. The helicopter now moves to the second stage of the tender, delayed according to reports, by Swedish financial constraints until 2001, against the AN-64. Mil may have the benefit by that date, of the availability of the night capable variant of the Mi-28, the Nochnoy Okhotnik (Night Hunter) Mi-28N in the tender, considerably improving the aircraft"s capability, according to Yablonsky. The success of the Mi-28 in the Swedish tender will certainly do nothing to defuse the debate within the Russian military concerning the inconclusive adoption of the Ka-50 against the Mi-28 by Preseidential decree in the mid nineties. The former, still only present in small numbers in army aviation, being considered to be unreliable according to recent comments by the Head of Army Aviation. For the Ka-50-2 still awaiting the results of the Turkish tender, this remains a difficult time, as they could fall victim of the recent resurgence of the military against the politicians as a result of the unrest in Southern Russia. It seems that the decision to buy the Ka-50 over the Mi-28 could yet be reversed, despite the recent bringing forward of Ka-50 orders by Prime Minister Putin. Putin particularly is going to be heavily dependent on military support during next year"s presidential elections, given his small power base among Russia"s industrial oligarchs and the military can potentially deliver almost 1.5% of the vote. The army therefore, may yet get what they want, which is reportedly the Mi-28. Budget concerns may however, yet win the day and the only significant helicopter business done with the Russian Army may be upgrades of the Mi-24 workhorse.

Article ID: 1099