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The Ka-50 Black Shark entered service in the Russian Army during 1995.
It is a high performance combat helicopter with day and night capability, high survivability and fire power to defeat air targets and heavily armoured tanks armed with air defence weapons.

The Ka-52, designated Alligator, multi-role all-weather combat helicopter, is a two-seat modification of the Ka-50 combat helicopter.
Pilots accommodated side-by-side in one cockpit can fly this helicopter and handle all on-board systems.
The Alligator retained all combat capabilities of its predecessor, including the whole array of weaponry.
It is outfitted with a multifunctional on-board integrated electronic flight, navigation and weapon control system.
The Ka-52 Alligator can also be used as a trainer for the Ka 50.
The Ka-52 combat helicopter differs from its predecessor in the front part of the fuselage, shape of the cockpit and arrangement of round-the-clock observation/search and sighting systems.
Pilots are rigged with pressurized helmets fitted with built-in displays to provide for required flight and sighting data.

The development of the Ka-50 started in the year 1978, untill 1992 the Ka-50 was known by the codename V-80.
The Ka-50 can be used to defeat targets on the battlefield within wide ranges of launching high-precision supersonic antitank missile systems, including launches from more than a 6-km range within a stand-off zone of air defense artillery and air defense missile systems.

The Ka-50 helicopter is fitted with observation and sighting systems together with navigation, communication and other systems to enable one crew-member to pilot and engage hostile forces in combat.
A combination of various armaments to a maximum combat weapon load of 2 tons are selected according to the combat mission, including anti-tank missiles, unguided aerial rockets of different calibres, air-to-air missiles, guns, bombs and other weapons.
The helicopter has small mid-mounted wings fitted with four underwing suspension units and wingtip countermeasures pods.
Up to 12 Vichr supersonic antitank missiles with unified warheads against ground armoured and air targets can be mounted on the helicopter's two underwing external stores.
The Ka-50 is armed with a 2A42 quick-firing 30-mm gun, which has an unrestricted azimuth and elevation range mounting for use against airborne or ground targets.
The gun is mounted near the centre of gravity of the helicopter for consistent accuracy.
The gun is equipped with 460 rounds of ammunition, two types of ammunition are carried; high-fragmentation and explosive incendiary rounds and armour-piercing rounds.
The pilot selects the type of ammunition in flight.
The weight of the ammunition is 0.39 kg each round, the muzzle velocity is 980 m/s and the range is up to 4 km!

The Ka-50 is powered by two TV3-117VMA turboshafts engines each providing 2,200 horsepower.
The power plant is fitted with deflectors and separators to prevent dust ingestion in the air intakes which protects the engines from wear when taking off from unprepared sites.
The engines are placed on either side of the fuselage to enhance the combat survivability. The helicopter also has an auxiliary power unit (APU) for selfcontained operation.
The coaxial rotor design provides a hovering ceiling of 4,000 metres and vertical rate of climb of 10 metres per second at an altitude of 2,500 metres.
The rotor blades are made from polymer materials.
The coaxial-rotor configuration results in moments of inertia values relative to vertical and lateral axes being between 1.5 to 2 times less than the values found in conventionally designed combat single rotor helicopters with tailrotors.
Absence of the tail rotor enables the helicopter to perform flat turns within the entire flight speed range.
A maximum vertical g-load of 3.5 combined with low moments of inertia give the Ka-50 a high level of agility and manoeuvrability.

Two separately mounted engines at a maximum distance reduce the probability of their simultaneous damage.
The powerplant has an operational life of 30 minutes without oil, giving the pilot the opportunity to land in a safe location in the event that the oil system is damaged in combat.
The helicopter also has duplicated and stand-by hydraulic and power systems and main control circuits.
Extensive all-round armour installed in the cockpit protects the pilot against 12.7 mm armour piercing bullets and 23 mm projectile fragments.
The rotor blades are rated to withstand several hits of ground-based automatic weapons providing the capability of safe flight completion after sustaining impact.
Protection of fuel tanks against explosion hazards and fuel leakage is provided by porous fuel tank fillers and fuel tank self-sealing covers, and a comprehensive fire extinguishing system is installed.
Engine exhaust heat screens reduce the thermal signature of the helicopter and flare dispensers protect the helicopter against heatseeking missiles.

KA-50 Hokum Videos | 61 Videos Available!
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