Airforces

20 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com

NEWS

// OCTOBER 2018 #

Russia & CIS

THE SINGLE aviation

unit of the Viys’kovo-

Mors’ki Syly (VMS,

Ukrainian Navy) – the 10

mors’ka aviatsiyna brihada

(mabr, naval aviation

brigade) at Kul’bakino

air base near Mykolayiv

• recently took part in
  a series of exercises.
  Its most prominent
  asset is its Mi-14 fleet,
  consisting of one Mi-14PS
  search-and-rescue (SAR)
  helicopter (‘34 Yellow’)
  and three Mi-14PL anti-
  submarine warfare
  (ASW) helicopters (‘
  Yellow’ to ‘37 Yellow’).
  All four are now fully
  operational after three
  of them were overhauled
  at the ‘Aviakon’ repair
  plant in Konotop (see
  Ukrainian Mi-14 overhaul

problem solved, August

2 017, p26). Performing

standard ASW and SAR

tasks, the four Mi-14s took

part in See Breeze 2018

• a multinational maritime
  exercise held in Ukraine
  and the Black Sea during
  July 9-21. A full Exercise
  Report will appear in the
  upcoming November issue.
  On August 24, flying out
  of nearby Vasyl’kiv air base,
  all four Mi-14s attended
  the flypast over Ukraine’s
  capital Kiev during a military
  parade celebrating the
  27th anniversary of the
  country’s independence.
  Finally, during August
  28-30, all the Mi-14s
  took part in a large VMS
  exercise titled Shtorm-
  (Storm-2018). Relocating
  to the unpaved airstrip

at the former Ochakiv air

base – along with all other

airworthy 10 mabr aircraft

• the Mi-14s and their
  ground crews operated in
  wartime conditions from
  an auxiliary airfield.
  Soon after arriving here
  on August 28, the three
  Mi-14PLs were outfitted with
  ASW load-outs after which
  they conducted a search-
  and-destroy ASW mission
  with a simulated torpedo
  launch. The following day,
  Mi-14PL ‘37 Yellow’ carried
  out an ASW sortie with
  the Krivak-III-class frigate
  Het’man Sahaydachnyy.
  Later that day, the Mi-14PLs
  also demonstrated an
  important secondary
  capability – transport and
  (re)supply of troops with
  underslung cargo – including

heavy loads such as artillery

pieces and vehicles.

Further 10 mabr assets

are expected to return to

active service soon. The

two Ka-27PLs (‘20 Yellow’

and ‘22 Yellow’) should

receive a two-year service

life extension at ‘Aviakon’

(see Ukraine to begin

Ka-27 overhauls, October

2017, p24), while the two

Be-12 amphibians (an ASW

Be-12PL ‘02 Yellow’ and a

SAR Be-12PS ‘05 Yellow’)

are planned to receive

a one-year service life

extension after undergoing

thorough inspections and

all necessary repairs at

the local NARP repair

plant (also in Kul’bakino),

which won the contract for

this work on August 28.

Vladimir Trendafilovski

Russian

Helicopters

unveils

modernised

helicopters

RUSSIAN HELICOPTERS

presented upgraded

versions of its Mi-28NE

Night Hunter, Mi-35M and

Mi-35P attack helicopters

for the first time during

the International Military-

Technical Forum ARMY

2018, held in Kubinka,

Moscow Region, from

August 21-26. All three

were on static display

at the exhibition.

The upgrades to the

Mi-28NE primarily relate

to the weapons capability

and include the new

Khrizantema-M anti-

tank missile with a dual

guidance system, enabling

engagement at a range

of up to 6.2 miles (10km).

Modernised Ataka missiles

with laser guidance are

also now fitted to the

helicopter, while bombs up

to 1,102lb (500kg) can also

be carried. Additionally,

the rotor blades have

been modified and engine

power increased to

improve performance in

hot and high conditions,

while also increasing cruise

speed. A larger tailplane

enhances controllability,

while the new variant can

also be used for remote

operation of UAVs.

The modernised Mi-35P

features an OPS-24N-

1L observation-sight

system, with a third-

generation matrix long

wavelength thermal

imager, TV camera and

laser rangefinder. A new

digital flight simulator

based on the PKV-

automatic flight control

system increases stability

and automatic piloting.

A modernised sight and

computing system will

improve the accuracy

of target engagement.

The new Mi-35M has

considerably more

equipment options and

can be further upgraded

to integrate Igla-S air-

to-air guided missiles

and the President-S

onboard defence system

with a laser station for

suppression of infrared

homing man-portable air-

defence system missiles.

Additional equipment

can include VOR/ILS

systems and a radio

rangefinder. Dave Allport

Upgraded Tu-22M3M rolled out

Above: The fi rst upgraded Tu-22M3M being rolled out at the S P Gorbunov production facility in Kazan. The upgraded

‘Backfi re-C’ will be capable of carrying Kh-32 cruise missiles and Kinzhal hypersonic weapons. UAC

PJSC TUPOLEV has

unveiled the first

extensively upgraded

Tu-22M3M long-range

bomber. The aircraft

was rolled out on August

16 at the Kazan Aviation

Plant prior to commencing

ground and flight testing.

Maiden flight was expected

in September. Following

initial factory tests,

expected to be concluded

by the end of December,

it will be handed over to

the ministry of defence

for state joint tests. Once

these trials are completed,

a decision will be taken

on modernising an

initial batch of aircraft to

Tu-22M3M configuration.

Current plans envisage

upgrading 30 examples

to this standard.

The modernisation

significantly expands the

combat capability of the

type. Work will cover

a new avionics suite,

similar to that on the

Tu-16 0M, replacing 80%

of the existing equipment,

including new navigation,

communications and

sighting systems, engine

controls, automatic

fuel management and

electronic warfare

equipment. Dave Allport

Ukraine’s Mi-14 fl eet

at full strength

Above: Mi-14PLs ‘36 Yellow’ (c/n 78495, left) and ‘37 Yellow’ (c/n 78461) arrive at the former Ochakiv air base at the start of the

Shtorm-2018 exercise on August 28. Ukraine MoD Press Service via author

20-21 RussiaNews AFM Oct2018.indd 20 10/09/2018 13:59: