The Russian-made Ka-50 attack helicopter is a combat vehicle designed to destroy enemy armored vehicles and enemy aircraft. The Ka-50 also has other names; during design it was designated “product 800”, and after entering mass production it was dubbed the “Black Shark”.
Due to the fact that this vehicle is single-seat, it copes well with traditional combat tactics and perfectly performs reconnaissance tasks. For reconnaissance, it was initially planned to use unmanned vehicles or the Ka-52 helicopter, but the Ka-50 helicopter can efficiently cope with such tasks independently.
When performing combat missions, the helicopter is first located at a base near the site of combat operations, where right in the cockpit the pilot can receive complete information about his location and the location of enemy forces. Weapons are aimed using modern equipment with an error of only a few meters. After delivering a precise strike on enemy forces, the helicopter leaves the area affected by air defense weapons.
The helicopter was designed and developed at the Kamov design bureau. The helicopter entered service in the Russian Federation in 1995, and serial production was discontinued in the winter of 2009. The refusal was made in favor of a newer and improved model of the Ka-52 two-seat attack helicopter.
The development of a new attack helicopter began in the winter of 1976 by decree of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union. The new device was supposed to replace the Mi-24 combat helicopter, which lacked combat power. The new project was also influenced by the appearance of an American analogue called AN-64. The appearance of the car was developed jointly by the Kamov and Mil bureaus. The Kamov Design Bureau specialized mainly in the production of marine helicopters; it was for this reason that the new machine was equipped with a double coaxial rotor, like marine models. It was the first land vehicle with this type of rotor. Mikheev was appointed chief designer, who from the very beginning abandoned standard similar helicopter models.
Due to the use of coaxial propellers, the helicopter received greater lift without losing power. This led to the fact that the helicopter acquired the ability to rise faster in the vertical plane and a greater maximum lift height. The blades of the new helicopter had a smaller diameter, which led to a higher rotation speed, which reduced flight resistance and made it possible to obtain high speed during horizontal flight. The overall weight of the vehicle was reduced due to the absence of a tail rotor. And at the same time, the helicopter has acquired greater survivability, since combat damage to the tail of the aircraft will not cause much damage and will not lead to a malfunction of the vehicle.
Another feature of this vehicle was the reduction in the number of crew to one pilot. The elimination of a co-pilot was made possible through the use of modern navigation and sighting equipment of domestic production. Using new technology, it was possible to automate a large number of devices and units. Using only one pilot resulted in cost and time savings in many positions. Firstly, significantly less armor can be used for one pilot, which will also lead to a reduction in the weight of the vehicle. Secondly, time and money were saved on pilot training in peacetime, since the number of personnel servicing the aircraft was reduced. And in combat times, single-seat helicopters will reduce the number of losses among pilots.
On the Ka-50 helicopter, for the first time, a new type of rescue system for the pilot was used, which did not exist before, namely, this device was equipped with an ejection seat.
The helicopter is equipped with a twin-engine power plant that transmits power to a coaxial main rotor. The helicopter has straight, elongated wings with high-quality tail in all planes. In the manufacture of the machine body, a large number of polymer materials and aluminum alloys were used, which again led to a reduction in the weight of the helicopter. 30% of the helicopter's total mass is made of composite materials. All this has led to simplification of the manufacture of parts and reduction of their cost, and most importantly, they have a significantly longer service life.
The fuselage is divided into three compartments: front, rear and tail. The structure is strengthened using spars. In the bow of the helicopter there is a pilot's cabin, which is completely sealed and equipped with reinforced armor. It protects the pilot from enemy armor-piercing bullets. The total weight of the vehicle's armor is about 350 kilograms. Half of the cockpit glass is made of transparent armor.
In the middle part of the helicopter there are boxes with ammunition for guns and fuel tanks of the vehicle. Electronic computer equipment for controlling all helicopter systems is also located here. This compartment contains mounts for engines and gearboxes, as well as elements of the steering system. At the rear of the vehicle there are blocks in which radio equipment is installed.
The wings of the Ka-50 are quite long, have a span of 7.3 meters and are swept in shape; they are designed to unload the propellers at high speeds. The wings have four places for attaching weapons. The wings make it possible to mount weapons or additional tanks weighing 2 tons. In addition, winches are installed on the wings, which allow lifting loads weighing up to 500 kilograms.
The helicopter landing gear consists of three struts that are retracted during flight. The front support is equipped with a pair of wheels, with which you can effectively steer on the ground. The chassis is equipped with a vibration damping system, which can safely break when the machine is overloaded. In an emergency or when the landing gear is not opened, the helicopter can be landed on its belly, while the wings protect the machine from tipping over.
The efficient flight of the vehicle is ensured by two gas turbine engines, each producing 2.2 thousand horsepower. The engines of the power plant are located on the sides of the hull in nacelles. The advantage of the engines is that they are equipped with automatic oil systems that provide lubrication of all components and assemblies. The oil system prevents overheating and wear of moving engine parts. The power plant has a high degree of safety, since it can continue to operate even with a complete loss of oil for another thirty minutes. The engines are equipped with centrifugal dust collection systems. To reduce visibility in infrared light, the device is equipped with screen-exhaust systems.
The Ka-50's supporting system is represented by two coaxial propellers, which have three blades each. They are attached to the shaft using bushings and additional torsion bars. The main propeller is controlled by an automatic skew system. It should be noted that the upper main rotor rotates clockwise, and the lower rotor rotates counterclockwise. The propeller blades can withstand hits from projectiles up to 20 mm and still remain operational.
The Ka-50 helicopter is also equipped with a host of other systems that give the aircraft excellent flight and combat qualities.
Helicopter "Black Shark" Despite the fact that it was created more than 30 years ago, it is still one of the best combat helicopters used by the Russian army. The main advantage of this combat helicopter is the ability to fly low above ground level - the combat vehicle is capable of flying steadily only 1.5-2 meters above the ground, and if any obstacle arises, the vehicle is able to quickly gain the required altitude.
Helicopter "Black Shark" It began to operate only in 1995, since up to that moment it had undergone all kinds of tests, which lasted almost 13 years. To date, only 15 combat vehicles of this type have been created, two of which crashed: one helicopter crashed during the first tests in the year of its creation, and the second crashed in 1998.
An interesting fact is that helicopter "Black Shark" Until 2007, not a single country used coaxial rotorcraft in its army, and Russia became a real leader in this regard. What does the coaxial arrangement of screws give? Here it makes sense to list several advantages:
There are a number of other advantages, primarily related to the maneuverability of the Black Shark combat helicopter, also known by the name Ka-50.
Helicopter black shark photo which you can see in front of you, clearly demonstrates not only its fairly compact size, but also its so-called secretive shape, because few people know that a helicopter is difficult to detect by radar even at high altitudes, however, provided that the meter wavelength range is used.
As for the characteristics, the Black Shark helicopter can boast of its low weight, quite decent flight speed, averaging 270 kilometers per hour, which is slightly lower than the American Apache, but on the other hand, the maximum lifting altitude of the helicopter is more than 6 kilometers, which is beyond the power of almost any helicopter. The mass of the helicopter is only 7700 kilograms, but on the other hand, if necessary, the helicopter can lift an additional 3 tons of various weapons.
It is also worth noting that there are a huge number of facts about the Black Shark helicopter, including those related to those that have never been demonstrated before. A typical example of this is testing a helicopter landing without a tail, which naturally can happen in combat. The helicopter, of course, will not be able to continue the battle, but it will make an emergency landing without any damage to the pilot or the ammunition on board. There is even film about a helicopter "Black Shark", which was released in 1993, that is, before the real use of the combat vehicle in the Russian Air Force began.
The Black Shark helicopter is still in operation today, however, the production of combat vehicles has been temporarily suspended due to the high cost and inappropriateness of its use, however, we can confidently say that this means of military aviation is one of the best to this day in the whole world.
Helicopter K-50 “Black Shark”. Gallery.
Soviet/Russian single-seat attack helicopter designed to destroy armored and mechanized vehicles, air targets and manpower on the battlefield.
Since the helicopter is single-seat, it was planned to use combat tactics different from traditional ones, in which the Ka-50 received external target designation from a reconnaissance helicopter. It was proposed to use the two-seater Ka-52 as such a helicopter. At the same time, in the 1990s, projects of unmanned reconnaissance aircraft were created: Ka-37 and Ka-137.
The Ka-50 patrols in the waiting area until information arrives via a closed telecode communication channel. The information field of the Ka-50 cockpit provides information about the location of the helicopter, the terrain and the coordinates of the target. Target acquisition occurs with an accuracy of several meters. The helicopter strikes and immediately leaves the possible zone of destruction by air defense systems.
The helicopter, created by the Kamov Design Bureau under the leadership of chief designer Sergei Viktorovich Mikheev, was put into service in 1995.
Serial production was completed in January 2009, in the future it is planned to produce only its updated two-seat modification - the Ka-52.
By a resolution of the USSR Council of Ministers of December 16, 1976, it was ordered to begin the creation of a promising attack helicopter designed to destroy armored vehicles on the battlefield. The need to create a new vehicle instead of the Mi-24 currently in service was partly caused by the latter’s insufficient combat effectiveness, and partly by the development and testing in the United States of a new attack helicopter, the AH-64. The creation of the appearance of the new attack helicopter was entrusted, on a competitive basis, to the Mil Design Bureau and the Kamov Design Bureau (currently the Kamov Firm).
The Kamov Design Bureau, which had been producing naval helicopters for a long time, decided not to follow the path of its overseas colleagues, but to create a fundamentally new concept for a battlefield helicopter. Under the leadership of chief designer Mikheev, the prototype combat helicopter, named B-80 (product 800), received a coaxial rotor layout, traditional for naval helicopters from the Kamov Design Bureau, but first used on land combat vehicles. The choice of a coaxial design was determined by the higher thrust-to-weight ratio of the vehicle, due to the absence of loss of power from the power plant to the tail rotor drive, which, in turn, ensures a high rate of climb and a higher static ceiling. The smaller diameter of the main propellers determines the lower linear speed of the blade tips, which, in turn, reduces wave drag and allows the speed of movement of the apparatus as a whole to be increased. The elimination of the tail rotor transmission, on the one hand, reduced the weight of the machine, on the other hand, mechanisms disappeared, the damage of which in combat conditions would affect the survivability and efficiency of the helicopter.
The second feature of the B-80 was the reduction of the crew to one person. The abandonment of the weapons operator became possible thanks to the use of new developments in the domestic military-industrial complex in the field of sighting and navigation systems, which provide significant automation of operations for piloting an aircraft and using on-board weapons. The single-seat configuration of the helicopter made it possible not only to reduce the weight of the required armor and reduce the dimensions (and, consequently, the affected area of the vehicle), but also to reduce the cost of training personnel in peacetime, as well as reduce human losses during combat operations.
An interesting innovation, first used in helicopter construction, was the equipping of the cockpit with a pilot rescue system using an ejection seat.
After defending the preliminary design and layout in May 1981, the first flight prototype (tail number 010) was assembled, which made its first flight under the control of test pilot Bezdetnov on June 17, 1982. This machine was intended for flight testing and did not have many systems or standard engines. The second flight prototype (tail number 011), which took off on August 16, 1983, was equipped with all the main standard devices and was intended for testing weapons and aviation equipment.
In October 1983, a meeting was held with the participation of the Ministry of Defense and representatives of the aviation industry. The purpose of the meeting was to compare and choose between the B-80 and Mi-28 (competitive proposal from the Mil Design Bureau). The majority of participants spoke in favor of choosing the B-80 as a machine that has the best flight performance characteristics and has the best price/quality ratio. Comparative tests carried out in 1984, including 27 test flights, showed the superiority of the B-80 over the Mi-28. Based on the tests carried out, in October 1984, an order was signed by the Minister of Aviation Industry to prepare for mass production of the Kamov aircraft.
On April 3, 1985, during a study of the maximum flight conditions, as a result of the pilot exceeding the permissible negative overload, the blades overlapped and the helicopter (board number 010) crashed. The pilot (test pilot Hero of the Soviet Union Evgeniy Ivanovich Laryushin), trying to save the car, died.
To prevent such accidents in the future, the distance between the main rotors was increased and a system was installed that made it difficult to control when the blades were dangerously close. To continue flight testing, the third copy of the B-80 (tail number 012) was assembled in December 1985.
In September 1985, the second stage of comparative tests of the B-80 and Mi-28 was carried out, following which the commission of the Ministry of Defense issued a final conclusion on the selection of the B-80 as a serial attack helicopter.
In September 1991, the car was demonstrated at the Farnborough Aerospace Show near London.
From 1990 to 1993, the B-80, which received the new designation Ka-50, underwent two stages of state testing. And in November 1993, military testing of the vehicle began in order to develop tactics for its combat use. After fine-tuning the production vehicle to the proper technical level, on August 28, 1995, the Ka-50 helicopter was put into service by decree of the President of the Russian Federation. However, due to financial difficulties, only 10 production vehicles were assembled.
On June 17, 1998, while performing a flight as part of a training program for demonstration flights, the helicopter pilot, Boris Alekseevich Vorobyov, died. As the commission that investigated the accident established, the cause of the incident was the piloting of the helicopter outside the restrictions provided for in the Flight Operations Manual (flights with roll angles of up to 70, pitch angles of up to 60 and angular velocities on all axes of up to 60 degrees / s are allowed). In the fatal flight, in the 30th minute, at an altitude of about 50 m and a speed of less than 60 km/h, during an intense change in roll by 116 degrees and an energetic descent with a large dive angle, the rotor blades collided and the helicopter crashed. Hero of Russia, Boris Alekseevich Vorobyov, did not have time to use the rescue system and died.
From December 28, 2000 to February 14, 2001, two Ka-50 helicopters as part of a combat strike group (BUG) took part in hostilities on the territory of the Chechen Republic. Despite the high ratings, BUG was disbanded, and the Ministry of Defense, for unnamed reasons, gave preference to financing and purchasing modifications of the Mi-28, and to equip special army units it was supposed to order no more than a few dozen modifications of the Ka-50 (2006). As of 2006, a total of 15 helicopters were produced (including test vehicles). According to the general director of AAK Progress, Yuri Denisenko, in 2008, three “Black Sharks” were assembled at the enterprise, one of which was transferred to the 344th Center for Combat Use and Retraining of Army Aviation Flight Personnel. “Currently, the enterprise has two Ka-50 helicopters, which have already completed a flight test cycle and will be transferred to the Ministry of Defense in 2009. There are no new orders for the supply of the Ka-50, and now only the Ka-52 will be produced,” he said.
In 2005, the Chief of the Russian General Staff, Army General Yuri Baluevsky, stated that the Ka-50 and Ka-52 helicopters are necessary for special forces units. Although the main combat helicopter will be the Mi-28N “Night Hunter”
The Ka-50 is a twin-engine single-seat helicopter with coaxial rotors. The helicopter is equipped with a straight wing of relatively high aspect ratio and developed vertical and horizontal tail surfaces.
An aircraft-type helicopter fuselage constructed with extensive use of composite materials and aluminum alloys.
Composite materials make up up to 30% of the total weight of the structure. Such a widespread use of polymer composite materials has made it possible, in comparison with metal analogues, to reduce the weight of individual structural elements by 20-30%, increase the reliability and survivability of the helicopter, increase the service life of individual airframe units by 2-2.5 times, and reduce the labor intensity of the production of complex structural elements in 1.5-3 times (due to reducing the number of parts, shortening the cycle of riveting and assembly work), reduce the labor intensity of planned work by 2 times.
The fuselage is divided by technological connectors into the front, rear and tail sections. The longitudinal strength structure of the hull is represented by spars and stringers, the transverse one is formed by frames. The outer contours of the body, which are three-layer composite panels made of a metal frame and honeycomb core, which are attached to the power set. Access to devices and mechanisms occurs not through the usual narrow hatches and necks in aviation, but through wide folding panels.
In the front part of the fuselage there is a pilot's cabin and a nose compartment with surveillance and search equipment and Shkval-V guidance equipment, as well as a niche for the front landing gear. The sealed cockpit is quite heavily armored and provides protection against armor-piercing bullets with a caliber of up to 12.7 mm and shell fragments with a caliber of up to 23 mm. The armor, formed by spaced steel and aluminum sheets with a total mass of 350 kg, is introduced into the load-bearing structure of the hull.
The cockpit glazing is made partly of transparent armor (front and side windows) and partly of plexiglass (top window, as well as the door windows and the right canopy). The cockpit door located on the left side and the right wing of the canopy are equipped with squibs for emergency release. For emergency escape from the helicopter, it is possible to manually open the right and top windows. To view the rear hemisphere, on vehicles starting with the fourth prototype (tail number 014), a mirror is provided above the upper window (on more modern vehicles two separate mirrors are installed).
At the rear of the fuselage there are two cartridge boxes for the gun, fuel tanks, electronic equipment for various purposes, brackets for mounting engines, main and intermediate gearboxes, a hydraulic system and elements of the steering system, and helicopter wings are located under the engines. The main landing gear is attached to the bottom of the fuselage, and a cannon mount is mounted on the starboard side, near the center of mass of the helicopter. All systems and units are located in such a way that the least important devices cover the most critical ones.
The tail part of the fuselage is made integral with the keel. It contains blocks of radio-electronic equipment.
The helicopter's supporting system consists of two three-bladed propellers with a diameter of 14.5 m located coaxially. The blades are connected to the shaft using hingeless bushings and torsion bars. The orientation of the blades is controlled using the upper and lower swashplates.
The top screw rotates clockwise (top view), the bottom one rotates counterclockwise.
The fiberglass-fiber plastic blades, rectangular in plan (chord 0.53 m), developed at TsAGI, consist of a hollow spar of variable curvature connected to a tail section, the skin and end ribs of which are made of hardboard. The tips of the blades are swept.
The blades retain their functionality even with numerous hits from projectiles of up to 20 mm caliber. They are equipped with pyrotechnic devices for shooting during ejection.
The crew rescue system is based on the K-37-800 rocket-parachute system produced by NPP Zvezda.
When a command to eject is received, the rotor blades are shot off and the upper part of the cockpit canopy is shot off. After this, the jet system is activated, which pulls the back of the seat with the pilot fastened by the halyard. Once the jet engine is turned off, the harness is automatically cut and the seat back is separated from the pilot, retracting the parachute. This system provides crew rescue in the speed range from 0 to 400 km/h and altitudes from 0 to 4000 meters.
Since shot off blades can pose a danger to nearby allied equipment, and also taking into account the increased combat potential of the helicopter, proposals have been made to change the tactics of combat use of attack helicopters.
In addition to ejection, the pilot can leave the helicopter using a parachute.
The basis of the helicopter’s electronic system is the sighting, flight and navigation complex “Rubicon” (K-041). The complex provides determination of the helicopter’s coordinates, its speed and course. The complex's memory stores information about the coordinates of airfields, turning points of the route, targets and landmarks. The Rubicon complex carries out automated self-monitoring without the use of ground equipment and detects failures (down to the subsystem, and in the most important systems - up to the unit). The complex is based on a digital computer system, which includes five digital computers (digital computers): combat, navigation, information display systems, external target designation systems and one weapon control system.
The Radian flight and navigation complex provides automated piloting and air navigation in interaction with other systems of the complex. Information about the coordinates of two airfields, six intermediate route points, ten operational targets and four landmarks can be entered into the memory of the digital computer system. The complex includes:
Autopilot;
- vertical and heading information complex, which determines the helicopter’s position in space, flight direction, measures acceleration components and calculates speed from them;
-information complex of altitude and speed parameters;
-a system for displaying the helicopter position on the map;
- Doppler velocity and drift angle meter, which is radar equipment;
-magnetic compass;
- a radio altimeter, which is used to measure the true flight altitude over any surface in the range from 0 to 300 m.
To target guided weapons, the Shkval-V sighting system is used, which provides target designation to missiles using television equipment and a laser beam. The complex is equipped with a field of view stabilization system and an automatic target tracking device, based on the principle of storing a visual image of the target. The television equipment of the complex has a wide and narrow field of view, angles of deviation of the line of sight: in azimuth +...-35°, in elevation from +15 degrees. up to?80 deg. The complex also serves as a survey and search system. After target recognition and acquisition, target tracking occurs automatically.
The Obzor-800 helmet-mounted target designation system, recording the rotations of the pilot’s head, issues preliminary target designation commands to the Shkval-V complex and the homing heads of air-to-air missiles. Target designation is carried out by turning the pilot's head within +...-60 degrees. horizontally and?20 degrees...+45 degrees. vertically.
Direct weapon control is handled by the SUO-800M weapon control system, which, among other things, gives the pilot signals about the readiness of the weapon.
The Ranet system is used to display combat, navigation and flight information on the HUD and MFD.
The helicopter is equipped with control and warning alarm systems (SAS), which constantly test the machine's devices and issue signals in case of failures. To record flight data for the last three hours, the UZ Tester system is used.
Communication equipment includes VHF radio stations for communication with ground command and control points, home airfields and other helicopters. The helicopter is equipped with a system and transponder for determining the nationality of “friend or foe,” as well as a system that transmits the coordinates and state of the helicopter to the base.
The helicopter's protection system includes equipment for detecting laser and radar irradiation of the helicopter and an automatic ejection system for dipole reflectors and false thermal targets. The helicopter is equipped with passive and active fire extinguishing systems.
Model name |
Brief characteristics, differences |
KA-50 |
Serial modification. |
| Ka-50, converted into a night modification. It differs from the standard one by the Samshit-50T thermal imaging sighting system installed in the ventral nose. | |
| Night modification of the Ka-50 for round-the-clock combat missions. Created on the basis of government order No. 1420-355 of 1987. The first flight took place on March 4, 1997. It differs from the standard modification in that it has a rearranged bow section, in which, along with the daytime one, there is also a nighttime thermal imaging channel of the Rubicon-N sighting, flight and navigation complex. The radar is located in the hub fairing. Satellite navigation equipment was added and some electronic and optical equipment components were replaced. Instruments and devices in the cockpit were rearranged and added. | |
Ka-50-2 "Erdogan" |
Modified version of the Ka-50 with tandem crew accommodation, modified weapons and electronics. Designed to participate in a tender announced by Turkey in 1997. Israeli specialists participated in the creation of electronics. |
Ka-52 "Alligator" |
Modified two-seat night version of the Ka-50. |
Fuselage length: 14.21 m
-Height: 4.93 m
- Rotor diameter: 14.50 m
-Length with rotation screws: 15.96 m
-Wingspan: 7.44 m
-Weight:
- empty: 7700 kg
-normal take-off weight: 9800 kg
-maximum take-off weight: 10800 kg
- payload weight: 2800 kg
- fuel mass:
-internal stock: 1487 kg
- in PTB: 1732 kg
-Power plant: 2 x turboshaft TV3-117VMA
-Power:
-in emergency mode: 2700 hp
-on takeoff mode: 2400 hp
-cruising mode: 1750 hp
Speed:
-cruising: 265 km/h
-maximum: 310 km/h
-maximum permissible in a shallow dive: 390 km/h
-maximum achieved in a dive (test): 460 km/h
-Range of flight:
-without PTB: 520 km
-with PTB: 1160 km
-Allowable roll angle: +...-70 degrees.
-Allowable pitch angle: +...-60 degrees.
-Maximum operational overload: 3 G
Built-in small arms and cannon: 1 x 30 mm 2A42, ammunition 460 rounds (selective ammunition supply, variable rate of fire)
-Suspension points: 4
-Suspension weight: 2000 kg
- Suspended rifle-cannon: 2 x 23-mm UPK-23-250 cannons in suspended containers, ammunition 2 x 500 rounds
-Unguided rocket:
-NAR S-13 - 2 x 5 pcs.
-NAR S-8 - 4 x 20 pcs.
-heavy NURS S-24
-Guided rocket:
-ATGM “Whirlwind” - 2 x 6 pcs.
-X-25ML
- “Air-to-air”:
-Needle-B - 2 x 2 pcs. (not located on pylons)
-R-73
-Bomb:
-FAB-500, -250, -120, -100
-KMGU-2
-ZB-500
-RBC-500, -250
In 1976, a decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR was issued, according to which two leading helicopter design bureaus (named after Kamov and Mil) were entrusted with the development of a new attack helicopter. This was due to the start of testing in the United States of the AH-64 Apache helicopter and the fact that the Mi-24s in service had insufficient combat effectiveness.
Design Bureau named after. Before developing the Black Shark, Kamov was designing civil and naval helicopters and had never created attack ground vehicles. In many ways, this determined the unique qualities of the new combat vehicle: the designers followed their own path, without repeating the experience of either Russian or foreign colleagues.
The first unique feature of the future “Shark” was the use of a coaxial design: the main rotors are located one above the other and rotate in opposite directions. With this design, the helicopter does not require a tail rotor in the tail, which means the machine becomes less vulnerable, and engine power is not wasted on the drive. In addition, the presence of two propellers can significantly reduce their length and the wave resistance of the device, and therefore make the helicopter more maneuverable and faster: the Ka-50 is one of the few helicopters in the world that is capable of performing a “dead loop”, “battle funnel”, move backwards and sideways at speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour.
The disadvantage of the coaxial design is the greater vulnerability of the rotor blades. In modern wars, a helicopter takes a hit primarily from small arms, and its most vulnerable part is the blades. Since the Ka-50 has two main rotors, the likelihood that a bullet will pierce the blade is greater than with conventional helicopters. To compensate for this shortcoming, the designers used a unique five-spar blade design, which is capable of maintaining load-bearing qualities even after being hit by a bullet.
Another drawback of this scheme is the “snapping” effect of the propellers, which killed two experimental Ka-50 helicopters. The fact is that the blades of a combat helicopter are located closer to each other than those of naval vehicles, and at supercritical angles of attack they come into contact with each other, which leads to their destruction and disaster. After investigating the causes of accidents, Ka-50 pilots were prohibited from flying with roll angles of up to 70 degrees and angular velocities on all axes of up to 60 degrees / s.
The world's first single-seat combat attack helicopter, the Ka-50 "Black Shark", has a high level of automation of combat missions and survivability on the battlefield. Photo: RIA Novosti
A unique feature of the Ka-50 is that it is single-seat: all attack helicopters of that time were two-seat. The second crew member is the operator responsible for guiding the missiles to the target. The developers of the “Black Shark”, relying on new achievements of the domestic defense industry, came to the conclusion that the pilot can also perform the functions of an operator. The layout made it possible to significantly reduce the weight of the device, and most importantly, to reduce the cost of training personnel: few people know that the cost of training the crew of a combat helicopter is often higher than the price of the machine itself!
The disadvantage of this scheme is that if the pilot is killed or injured, the helicopter will most likely crash. To avoid this, the developers have provided an automated system, thanks to which the combat vehicle can independently return to base in “autopilot” mode. To be fair, it is worth saying that the pilot in not all two-seater helicopters can transfer control to the operator. For example, in many modifications of the Mi-24 this feature is not available.
The cockpit is protected with special aircraft armor that can withstand multiple 23mm shells hitting the side, and the glass can protect the pilot from small arms fire. The main components of the helicopter are also covered with armor: the fuel system, the engine. In addition, the Ka-50 uses a unique ejection system, in which the supporting blades are shot off. The K-37 ejection seat is capable of saving the pilot at all flight speeds and altitudes, including zero.
The Ka-50 is a unique helicopter not only in its flight characteristics, but also in its electronic content. The instrument panel consists of several LCD screens that display all the information about what is happening on the battlefield. The flight is largely automated: the pilot’s work is simplified by the on-board computer. To conduct reconnaissance of ground targets, the helicopter is equipped with infrared and television sensors, which make it possible to identify a target at a distance of up to 20 kilometers at night and 13 kilometers during the day, which means that the Ka-50 is capable of striking without entering the affected area of air defense and MANPADS. It is extremely important that all instruments for helicopters are produced in Russia, at the Ramenskoye Design Bureau: the production and repair of machines do not depend in any way on foreign suppliers.
Up to two tons of weapons can be installed on the helicopter’s pylons, and depending on the mission, they can be different: from anti-tank missiles with an automatic laser beam guidance system to unguided missiles. In addition, the helicopter is equipped with a 2A42 30 mm cannon, which can fire both high-explosive fragmentation shells at a speed of 550 rounds per minute and armor-piercing shells. The disadvantage of the gun is its location: it cannot rotate in all directions, since it is on board the helicopter. However, according to the developers, this disadvantage is compensated by the maneuverability of the machine.
From December 28, 2000 to February 14, 2001, two “black sharks” took part in hostilities on the territory of the Chechen Republic. The helicopters carried out 49 sorties, often in bad weather conditions, during which more than 100 firing sessions were carried out (920 missiles and 1,600 cannon charges were expended). In general, the combat use of the Akula was considered successful: the helicopter turned out to be better than the Mi-24 in terms of navigation, combat effectiveness and maneuverability. In addition, good cabin armor, the presence of an ejection system and flight automation allowed the pilot to be less nervous, concentrating on the combat mission.
The experience of modern wars suggests that aviation is used most often in places where there are neither their own planes or helicopters, nor a serious air defense system. Therefore, it is quite difficult to imagine a situation when “Shark” and “Apache” “meet”. In addition, modern combat helicopters are designed primarily for firing at ground targets, and not at air targets: although there was an idea to arm the Ka-50 with air-to-air missiles to destroy enemy aircraft, it was decided to abandon it.
The combat use of the AH-64 and Ka-50 took place in different conditions, so it is impossible to compare the effectiveness of these machines. If we talk about characteristics, then comparing the single-seat Ka-50 and the two-seat Apache is not entirely correct. However, the two-seat modification of the Ka-52 Alligator is in no way inferior to the American helicopter. Moreover, in 2004, former Air Force Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Mikhailov said that the Alligator was far ahead of its competitors in the West in terms of efficiency and cost.
In 1993, the film “Black Shark” was released, its main character was a real combat helicopter, which later participated in hostilities in Chechnya. The film takes place in Afghanistan, although the Ka-50 had no real combat use in this country.
The enormous popularity of the film was ensured by the fact that for the first time the latest military equipment, which was classified in the USSR, was shown on screens, and one of the roles was played by a professional military man, Hero of the Soviet Union, Major General Valery Vostrotin. Soon after the film's release, the Ka-50 became the most popular Russian military helicopter. However, this did not prevent the production of “black sharks” from ending in 2009. The reason was criticism of the single-seat design and the development of a two-seat modification of the Ka-52 helicopter.
Currently, 11 Ka-50 helicopters are in service with the Russian Air Force. A total of 15 cars were built.
This helicopter Ka 50, which first took to the air on June 17, 1982, will later be called "Black Shark", but for now this is only a prototypeB-80. Back in 1976, the Mil and Kamov Design Bureau began work on a project for a new attack helicopter on a competitive basis. This vehicle was intended to destroy manpower and equipment on the battlefield and low-speed air targets.
At the end of the seventiesbecame insufficiently effective for combat operations, and the start of testing by the AmericansAn-64"Apache" pushed management to create a new attack helicopter.
Chief designer S. Mikheev and the Kamov Design Bureau chose a special path to create the concept of a new machine. For the first time, coaxial rotors of shortened diameter were used, which made it possible to increase the thrust-to-weight ratio and rate of climb and, in the absence of a tail rotor, to direct power to the main rotors. In this case, a transmission was no longer needed to transmit rotation to the tail rotor and the weight of the helicopter was reduced, and as a result, the survivability of the machine increased.
Advances in the military-industrial complex in the field of sighting and navigation systems have made it possible to reduce the crew to one person and reduce the weight of the helicopter due to the necessary armor that protects only one pilot. For the first time in helicopter manufacturing, the aircraft was equipped with an ejection seat to rescue a pilot.
In June 1982, test pilot Bezdetnov performed a test hover on a prototype number 010. This helicopter was not fully equipped and was intended only to test its flight qualities. Already the second copy of 011 had a power plant and the necessary systems to continue testing.
In 1984, the Kamov Design Bureau showed better results compared to the Mil Design Bureau, and the then Minister of Aviation Industry signed an order for productionB-80. In April 1985, test pilot E.I. Laryushin, testing the helicopter at extreme conditions as a result of overlapping blades, died while saving the machine.
To eliminate such incidents, they decided to increase the distance between the main rotors and installed an automatic system that creates forces on the control stick when the blades are dangerously close.
In September 1985, after the final stage of comparative tests,B-80approved by the Moscow Region commission for mass production. Until 1995, there were state and then military tests, and after them, on August 28, 1995, the President of the Russian Federation signed a decree on the capture of an attack helicopter, calledinto service with the Russian army. But at this time the state was experiencing significant financial difficulties and only 10 cars were produced.
The coaxial design of the main rotors without a tail rotor led to a reduction in their diameter and the overall dimensions of the vehicle. Uthe fuselage, horizontal tail and rudder are made like an airplane, the wing is unusually large for a helicopter and works to unload the rotors.
The rectangular rotor blades consist of five spars, which is important; if one of them is damaged, the blade continues to work. The landing gear is tricycle, the nose strut rests against the fuselage niche, and the main struts are pressed against the sides of the body. Armor made of combined materials protects the pilot's cockpit and vehicle components. No fear of being hit 23 mm projectile, and the armored glazing of the cabin can withstand bullet damage.
An ejection seat with a pulling-type rocket system located inside allows you to leave the helicopter from zero altitude and at any speed. The rotor blades and canopy are shot off during ejection.
The vital components and equipment of the vehicle are protected by armor that weighs 350 kg. In the compartment behind the pilot's cockpit, the designers placed the fuel and hydraulic system units and the main gearbox. On the rear of the helicopter body there is a rudder and a horizontal stabilizer with side fins.
At the bottom of the wing plane there are pylons for weapons or drop tanks, and at the end of the wing there are launchers for shooting false thermal targets.
Two gas turbine enginesTV3-117VMAspaced on both sides of the body and placed in engine nacelles with dust protection devices. Exhaust shielding devices are installed to reduce the visibility of the vehicle in the infrared spectrum.
To start the engines, an AI-9 auxiliary power unit is provided. If one of the engines fails, the control system automatically increases the power of the working power plant.
The helicopter's combat survivability is achieved through duplication and protection of vital components and assemblies. There are two fuselage fuel tanks, below and partially on the side, a fire extinguishing system is installed, and the tanks themselves are filled with cellular polyurethane foam for safety.
Television and infrared search equipment installed on the helicopter makes it possible to identify a target during the day at a distance of 20 km, and at night at a distance of 13 km. The machine is equipped with an on-board computer to automate the flight and reduce the workload on the pilot. Flight information is displayed on LCD screens located on the instrument panel.
As a result of the efforts of the designers,Almost the only helicopter in the world that performs a loop, a combat funnel and is capable of flying at a speed of 100 km/h backwards and sideways.
After the action movie "Black Shark" successfully shown on screens, this name stuck with, where this helicopter was filmed in the leading role, which later successfully operated as part of a combat group in Chechnya.
Maintaining secrecy, during tests from airfields near Moscow, the car was painted in “civilian” livery and window simulators were glued to the sides. During the flight, such a simulator came unstuck and got into the air intake of the power plant, creating an emergency situation. After that, the helicopter flew without windows.
Checking the survivability of the vehicle, test pilots shot off the tail, but the vehicle continued to fly, maintaining stability and landing.
On an automated system was involved, which, in the event of injury or death of the pilot, returned the helicopter in “autopilot” mode to the departure airfield independently.
Since 2009, the helicopter has not been mass-produced; it has been replaced by a two-seater, more maneuverable and convenient for combat operations, butremains in service.
The Black Shark helicopter with its maximum flight altitude deserves special treatment among Russian combat aircraft. The Ka-50 helicopter gained popularity and its name thanks to a film about the war in Afghanistan of the same name. But what really happened? What is the maximum flight altitude of the Black Shark helicopter? The answers are in the article!
Back in 1976, the United States began testing the ultra-modern Apache combat helicopter (AN-64). In response, the Council of Ministers of the USSR instructs the design bureaus of Kamov and Mil to develop an attack combat helicopter that will be better than the then Mi-24, which was in service with the army and had low indicators of combat effectiveness and maximum helicopter flight altitude.
“Black Shark” (Ka-50) was the first combat vehicle project of this design bureau, which made this helicopter unique in many respects. Already in 1992, the first prototype was at Mosaeroshow-92 in Zhukovsky, and at the British International Air Show in Farnborough it became the “highlight” of the program.
Bureau named after Kamov went his own way when developing the helicopter, without borrowing the experience of either foreign or domestic developments. The following innovative solutions made the machine unique:
All this together made it possible to obtain a maximum flight altitude of the Black Shark helicopter of up to 5500 meters, resistance to side winds, and the ability to carry out a combat mission at any time of the day and in any weather.
This system assumes that the helicopter rotors are located on top of each other and rotate in the opposite direction. This allows you to reduce the length of the propellers, reduce wave drag, and get rid of the tail rotor in the tail. All this makes the car more maneuverable and faster. The Ka-50 performs such maneuvers as a “loop” and a “combat funnel”, moves backwards and sideways, maintaining a speed of 100 km/h. Not all cars in the world can do this. However, in combat, the most vulnerable part of a helicopter is the blades, and the presence of two propellers increases the likelihood of them being hit by small arms fire. To minimize losses, the designers introduced a five-spar blade structure - this preserves the vehicle's combat capability when the propeller blades are punctured. The maximum flight altitude for the Black Shark helicopter was recommended as follows - 4,000 meters.
Another problem is the "propeller whipping" during an angular attack. It was for this reason that two experienced pilots died. Analysis of accidents led to a ban on the Ka-50 allowing a roll of 70° during flights, and limiting angular speeds to 60 degrees/s.
And alignment is not the only innovative solution. At that time, all combat vehicles had a crew of two pilots, so the one-man crew of the Ka-50 was unique. This provided both advantages - reducing the weight of the machine and reducing pilot training time, and disadvantages - increasing the likelihood of losing the machine in the event of injury or death of the pilot. The armored cabin and state-of-the-art ejection system reduced these risks. Electronics, an autopilot system and nearly two tons of modern weapons have become the leading features of the Black Shark helicopter, which has the highest flight altitude ever recorded.
The first prototype took off in 1982, and in 1995 these helicopters already became part of the aviation of the Russian ground forces. A combat operation in difficult terrain and in terrible weather conditions during the second Chechen campaign in 2000 showed that the Black Shark is a highly effective combat helicopter. As part of a group of Ka-29, Mi-24 and two Ka-50 units, the combat strike operation was carried out perfectly. In total, these two helicopters made 49 combat missions and carried out more than one hundred firing exercises. In total, 15 combat vehicles were built at the Progress plant in Arsenyev, 11 units of the “Black Shark” and today they serve in the Russian Air Force.
The combat vehicle received its official name thanks to cinema. In the 1993 film of the same name, the predatory shape of the fuselage and the black color of the car gave it a resemblance to a dangerous sea predator. The authors of the film came up with the idea of calling the car a shark and, accordingly, black. The film took place in Afghanistan, although the Ka-50 did not participate in this campaign. The film was the first to show a real classified project of military equipment, and one of the main characters was Hero of the Soviet Union, combat Major General Valery Vostrotin.
For many years, the most popular combat vehicle was the “Black Shark” with the maximum flight altitude of a helicopter. Photos of the car were placed on posters about military operations as the most spectacular. Production of these machines ceased in 2009, but the Ka-50 was not a thing of the past - the Ka-52, nicknamed “Alligator,” became a continuation of the life of the machine.
