Increasing Their Combat Ability, Russia Equip Mil Mi-28 NM Helicopters With S-13B Rockets

JAKARTA - If nothing goes wrong, by the end of this year Russia will receive more than 200 new and upgraded aircraft and helicopters, ranging from engines, aviation to weapons.

One that has increased combat capability is the Mi-28NM Helicopter. Quoting TASS August 27, this helicopter gets new ammunition which is said to combine the capabilities of several S-13 122mm air rockets, namely the S-13B.

The new S-13B rocket can be included in the standard armament of Sukhoi fighter aircraft and Mi-28NM 'Night Hunter' attack helicopters, said Executive Director of Research and Production Company Tecmash (part of the Technodynamics Group in state technology company Rostec) Alexander Kochkin on the sidelines of the forum. Army-2021 some time ago.

"The use of rockets on various types of aircraft and helicopters requires their acceptance, a specific flight test set on each aircraft. Now, the S-13 NAR rocket system has been accepted for operation on the Su-24M, Su Aircraft -25, Su-35, Su -30MK2, Yak-130, and MiG-29BM as well as Mi-28N helicopters", he explained.

"This new munition combines the multiple rocket capabilities of the S-13 122mm air rocket armament", Kochkin continued.

Compared to S-13T and S-13OF munitions, the S-13B air rocket has a three-position activation unit that activates, before triggering the instantaneous detonation, deceleration of the warhead.

“If the switch is turned on, instant detonation, we will get a result similar to the effect produced by the S-13OF ammunition. Explosions will occur on the surface to attack lightly armored combat devices. If we activate the maximum deceleration, the effect will be similar to the impact produced by the S-13T rocket", said Tecmash's executive director.

The S-13B rocket carries an upgraded warhead, so it is capable of hitting targets such as aircraft in hangars, airfield runways, and other protected targets, as well as targets in open space.

Prior to the S-13 B rocket, the Mil Mi-28NM helicopter was also equipped with next-generation missiles and rockets, including bombs of various calibers, said the Chief Designer of the Combat Helicopter Program at the National Mil and Kamov Helicopter Center (part of the Russian Helicopter Group within the state technology company). Rostec) Vitaly Shcherbina.

To note, the Mi-28NM helicopter made its debut flight on October 12, 2016, and is an upgraded version of the Mi-28N combat helicopter. The Mi-28NM has a dual control system. Compared to the Mi-28N where the operator in the front cabin is limited in piloting capabilities, the upgraded version offers the possibility of full control from any cabin. And most recently, the Mi-28NM is also capable of interacting with kamikaze drones.

"The inclusion of kamikaze drones in the combat air arsenal is one area of interaction between the Mi-28NM and UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)", Shcherbina said.

Under this scheme, a Mi-28NM attack helicopter can launch one or more kamikaze drones from its board when it enters a designated area, the design chief explained.

"After detecting enemy targets, the helicopter crew takes out the acquisition targets and exercises control of their destruction", Shcherbina said.