There's something to be said for an attack helicopter commercial that fires a missile at the viewer in the first twelve seconds.
The Ka-52 Alligator is the latest version of the Ka-50 series attack and scout helicopters, and Russian defense exporter Rosoboronexport has a video tell tell you all about it. Fast, speedy, and packed with weapons, the Alligator actually resembles its namesake, with a long, wide snout and a squat, reptile-like profile.
Alligator's unique design a specialty of the Kamov design bureau. Kamov specializes in helicopters with contra-rotating helicopter blades, two sets of helicopter rotors that rotate in opposite directions. This eliminates the tail boom and tail rotor of conventional helicopters, making Kamov's designs shorter and better able to operate off a cramped Russian Navy destroyer.
Contra-rotating designs also increase engine output efficiency by avoiding diverting power to the tail rotor. The Alligator is powered by two VK-2500 engines generating 2,400 horsepower each. Each generates approximately 20 percent more horsepower than the GE T-700 engines used in the latest version of the AH-64 Apache. The unorthodox rotor configuration, combined with the high engine horsepower, allegedly give Alligator the highest horsepower to weight ratio of any attack helicopter in the world.
n the scout role, Alligator can skirt ahead of friendly forces, using its nose-mounted radar to detect targets and pass on enemy location data to friendly air and ground forces.
For the attack role, Alligator is packed with firepower. A chin-mounted 30-millimeter cannon is backed up by six wing-mounted weapons stations for carrying rockets and missiles, three per each wing. Each station can carry twenty 80-millimeter unguided rockets, middle stations can carry six anti-tank missiles or six Vikhir-1 multipurpose missiles, and external stations can carry two Igla air-to-air missiles.
The Alligator's most interesting feature is the crew ejection system. Few, if any other helicopters allow the crew to escape because ejection seats rocket upward—right into the rotors. Alligator solves this by ejecting the rotor blades, clearing the way for the pilots. Once the blades have fallen away ejector seats, the same as in fighter aircraft, propel the pilots up and away from the stricken aircraft.
Alligator does have some disadvantages. The helicopter's sensors are mounted on the chin, and not above the rotor blades like the AH-64 Apache Guardian. That means the Alligator is completely exposed to enemy fire when using its sensors. Although the Alligator has more weapons stations than the Apache for weapons, it can't carry as many anti-tank missiles than Apache. And despite the manufacturer's claims it "has no equal in conducting operations in the mountains," the Apache Guardian can outfly it to an altitude of 21,000 feet.
Alligator is in service with the Russian Air Force, and the Egyptian military is rumored to have more than 50 on order.
1 posted on 11/10/2015, 5:54:08 AM by sukhoi-30mki
