Ka-50N and Ka-50Sh

why didn't the russians continue the upgrades to the ka-50 for night time operations? did the cost for the upgrades were too much? who's in the know and can the know tell us? thanks!:smilewink:

Ka-50 is old design and they have better Mi-28N and Ka-52... Also doctrine changed and they prefer 2 pilots in cockpit than 1. In very big shortcut :P

Search forum for more details ;)

Sure they upgrade them... every Single KA 50 build after each other is an upgrade version of the older version.......nearly ........maybe they build 2 of the same version.

As Boberro mentioned, since the '80s (when Ka-50 first flew) many things have changed.

The USSR is no more, the Cold War is no more, large scale conflicts are rare and clashes between regular armies are even rarer. The battle environment has changed so does the requirements for the various equipment/weapons.

In other words, back in the '70s the A-10 designers would never think that their plane will hunt down irregular troops instead of heavily armored Russian tanks. Similar things happened to the Russian side.

Production line shifted to Ka-52 and the Russia's main attack helicopter is the Mi-28 but the Ka-50 is still in operational use but in very small numbers.

In other words, back in the '70s the A-10 designers would never think that their plane will hunt down irregular troops instead of heavily armored Russian tanks. Similar things happened to the Russian side.

I thought that the Ka-50 is very much influenced by the lessons learned with the Hind in Afganistan. I don't think that the Apache, the Mi-28 or the Tiger (especially the German one) are any better than the Black Shark, when it comes to hunting down irregular troops.

I reccon that the decision against the Ka-50 in favor of the Ka-52 was influenced by something else. As far as I know, the Black Shark was chosen by EA because of a military contract. Since military therefore also played BS a lot, I believe they came to the same conclusion as we did: Its an impressive helicopter with an autopilot that has a rather mean attitude.

so long

Mathias

I thought that the Ka-50 is very much influenced by the lessons learned with the Hind in Afganistan. I don't think that the Apache, the Mi-28 or the Tiger (especially the German one) are any better than the Black Shark, when it comes to hunting down irregular troops.

It is, take in consider you have two pilots instead of one. It is hard to focus on flying (often low and quite fast) while firing rockets\gun and not saying aiming it by TV... In Mi-28 gunner does what he is suppose to do using also example additional hardware like FLIR ect which helps to find main threats to eliminate first.

I reccon that the decision against the Ka-50 in favor of the Ka-52 was influenced by something else.

Ka-52 is just better, Russians understood it is better to have two pilots (I am sure they were thinking.... "er why do American hamburgers have two pilots and we one" :D Upgrading Ka-50 seemed also not effective, nobody wanted this chopper anyway.

Its an impressive helicopter with an autopilot that has a rather mean attitude.

It has big power of engines, but rest is pffff.... its time in this shape has gone.

Overall it is Russia, it is good to remember sometimes decisions are not being made rational.

I thought that the Ka-50 is very much influenced by the lessons learned with the Hind in Afganistan. I don't think that the Apache, the Mi-28 or the Tiger (especially the German one) are any better than the Black Shark, when it comes to hunting down irregular troops.

 

...

Actually I wasn't trying to say anything of these.

Ka-50, along with many other weapon systems, was designed in an era where everyone had in mind big clashes between regular armies and warfare where technology could dictate the winner. These times are over and with that all the doctrines that came with it and some of the equipment that was to be build for them will never be build.

Ka-50 was a highly specialized helicopter of that era, originally intended to be a heavy recon, CAS for special forces, but lacked in other operating areas (day and night capabilities). Then the Mi-28 can do what Ka-50 and Ka-52 does. So why having two or three different helicopters when your main needs are met by only one?

So why having two or three different helicopters when your main needs are met by only one?

Becuase i love single seat aircraft and i don't want to share with anyone else :thumbup:

Russians should have known what I want and adjusted their military to suit.:megalol: