Russian Air Force receives new Mi-28N attack helicopters

MOSCOW, January 22 (RIA Novosti) - Two new Mi-28N Night Hunter helicopter gunships will be transferred to the Russian Air Force on Tuesday by the manufacturer, an AF spokesman said.

The Mi-28N is the latest variant of the Mi-28 attack helicopter, manufactured by the Rostvertol plant in southern Russia. It has been designed to conduct hunter-killer missions against enemy main battle tanks, helicopters, ground forces and armored equipment day or night in adverse weather conditions.

"Air Force Commander Col. Gen. Alexander Zelin flew this morning to Rostov-on-Don to attend the official transfer of two Mi-28N helicopters to an air unit in the Tver Region [Central Russia]," Col. Alexander Drobyshevsky said.

The Night Hunter is powered by two TV3-117VMA turbo-shaft engines developing 2,200-shp each. The armored cockpit protects the crew from small arms fire and absorbs the impact energy during emergency landings, ensuring outstanding survivability.

Its combat range with internal fuel tanks is 450 kilometers (about 280 miles), but with external fuel tanks may be extended to 1,100 km (about 680 miles).

Rosvertol launched mass production of the Mi-28N helicopters last year.

Russia's Defense Ministry is planning to purchase 67 Mi-28N Night Hunter attack helicopters in the next few years and to fully replace the Mi-24 Hind choppers in the armed forces by 2015.