Russian Attack Helicopter Kamov Ka 52 Alligator in Action

Published 2024-06-22

In the early 1980s, while the Ka-50 was facing off against the Mi-28 in state acceptance trials, the Kamov design team came up with a special variant of their helicopter: A dedicated "battlefield support" with more weapon hardpoints than the Ka-50, far more advanced optics and sensors, and an air-to-ground radar for surveying the battlefield. This new helicopter had so many different systems to operate, that it required a second crew member, therefore a tandem "side-by-side" cockpit was chosen for multiple reasons, one of which was to differentiate it from the Mi-24 and Mi-28 cockpit designs where the pilot sat behind the gunner. The finalized design of the new aircraft, now named the Ka-52, would receive two more wing-mounted hardpoints than its Ka-50 predecessor, in addition to a dedicated multimode A2G radar, and a day/night thermal sight (both of which the Ka-50 lacked). To keep flight performance on par with the Ka-50, the cockpit arbor and amount of ammo in the cannon was greatly reduced, and a new VK-2500 engine was developed for this helicopter. The first phase of trial testing was completed in 2008, and serial production of the Ka-52 was officially greenlit from that point as it entered service with the Russian VVS.

The Ka-52 "Alligator" (NATO reporting name: Hokum-B), introduced in Update 1.97 "Viking Fury", has similar weapons to the Ka-50, including the infamous 9K127 Vikhr ATGMs with excellent range and proximity fuses, and superior electronics with little impact on the great flight performance. The Alligator is a well-rounded attack helicopter that can seek and destroy ground targets and still pose a considerable threat to aircraft. The Ka-52 is also armed with a powerful 2A42 cannon with strong APDS belts, and the unguided SO-13OF rockets which can almost always destroy a tank in a single hit due to their massive HE payload. All in all, the Ka-52 is one of the best helicopters in all of War Thunder, and acts as a great reward at the end of the line for players who were patient enough to research their way up to it.

P.S. Welcome to our channel, where we bring you extensive reporting from Ukraine, providing invaluable insights into the ongoing conflict. Our dedicated team is committed to delivering comprehensive coverage, offering firsthand accounts and expert analysis directly from the ground. With our series of reports, interviews, and documentaries, we aim to shed light on the complexities of the situation in Ukraine. Stay tuned as we continue our mission of reporting from Ukraine, bringing you the latest developments and stories from the frontlines. For unparalleled coverage of the conflict, subscribe to our channel and join us in our journey of reporting from Ukraine. #welt #weltnachrichten #nachrichtenaktuell #parabellumrispondi

Footage from Russian Ministry of Defense via rutube.ru/video/b2903ef7eb08a4a2afe254b7f5df0a24/