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This week in Russian Aerospace After graduating from Moscow Aviation Institute in 1971, Sinelshikov worked at AAK Progress on improving the fuselage, control system and undercarriage of the Mi-24. In November 1975 he joined MVZ, Mil's Helicopter Plant of Moscow. Before becoming deputy chief of the design bureau in 1987, Sinelshikov participated in various programs, including the Article 280, Mi-36, Mi-8F, Mi-24, Mi-28, Mi-30 and a helicopter-fighter. In 1988, he was elected design bureau chief. In 1992 Sinelshikov became first deputy general designer. In 1997 he was appointed MVZ general designer and general director. Vital data on the Mi-28N The Mi-28N and Kamov Ka-50 are competing to fulfil the Russian Army Aviation requirement for a night-capable anti-tank helicopter, a replacement to the Mi-24 created 25 years ago. The Mi-28N is based on the Mi-28A, a daylight helicopter first flown in December 1982. So far, only one prototype has been built, the Aircraft 014. The Mi-28N differs from the Mi-28A in having a much more advanced avionics suite, being integrated by Ramenskoye Instrument-Building Design Bureau, RPKB. The suite includes a mast-mounted radar from NPO Almaz, intended for both target-acquisition and navigation functions. Flying at night, the pilot will use night-goggles, either the second-generation Skosok from Orion, which are already in service, or a fourth-generation model from Geofizika, which has not passed state acceptance trials yet. Geofizika is also contracted to build a helmet-mounted indication system. The Mi- 28N is also equipped with a forward-looking infra-red locator (FLIR), which, in the form of first experimental unit, will be installed on the Aircraft 014 later this year. Primary weapons in the Mi-28N arsenal are the Igla heat-guided air-to- air missile, the Ataka radio-guided missile and the 30-mm 2A42 cannon. The Ataka has three versions differing by warheads. A tandem cumulative warhead is able to destroy armoured vehicles with dynamic protection. A vacuum-blast warhead is intended for destruction of buildings and other "soft" targets. The third warhead is needle-type with proximity fuse. Its primary task is to destroy aerial targets. The Mi-28N can carry eight Ataka missiles under each of its stub wings. In comparison with the AH-64D Longbow Apache, the 10,5-t Mi-28N is some 2.5 t heavier, partly due to its more powerful cannon with a lethality factor four times that of the M230. Russian army aviation commander Colonel General Vitaly Pavlov, who flew both the AH-64A and Mi-28A, says that in general the two helicopters have similar flight performance. Two Klimov TV-3-117 engines of 2,200 hp each allow the Russian aircraft to show a maximum level speed of 300 km/h and maximum climb at sea-level of 13.6 meters per second. Mil plans to complete the Mi-28N test program by the year 2000. The second development prototype is now being produced at Rostvertol in Rostov-upon-Don. Mil is also going to prepare a third prototype, which either be built at the company's pilot plant in Panki or converted from one of the existing Mi-28A daylight helicopters. Interview with Georgy Sinelshikov, general director and general designer of Mil's Helicopter Plant of Moscow. Q: What is new about Mil's newest combat helicopter, the Mi-28? A: The Mi-28's design has incorporated brand-new technologies in its non-greasing hub and anti-torque rotor. The Mi-28 has a principally-new crew-rescue system - additional amortisation saves the crew in the case of touching the ground with a vertical speed of up to 12.5 meters per second. In the design of the basic daylight Mi-28 we incorporated all the means to increase survivability over the battlefield. All essential systems are redundant, with the cockpit being fully armour-protected. The heavily-armoured cockpit saves the crew in the case of the helicopter being hit by 20 millimeter shells. The blade can sustain flight some half-an-hour after a direct hit with a 30-mm shell. The latest modification, the Mi-28N, has a fully-digital flight-control and navigation on-board complex of the four-plus generation. The machine combines a platform and on-board complex of nearly fifth generation which recently made its appearance in the world. The helicopter carries a new piece of weaponry, the 30 millimeter moveable cannon. The cannon moves plus or minus 110 degrees sideways and +15/-40 degrees upwards/downwards. Only Russian helicopters carry such a powerful cannon. And precise aiming with the cannon in a large area is a good thing. Regarding the accuracy of fire... during trials in Sweden, the Swedish pilots flew the Mi-28 themselves, trying firing with all sorts of weapons. They did not make a single miss - every weapon hit the target. The helicopter also carries the Ataka missile able to penetrate even through dynamic armour. Generally speaking, the aircraft meets all requirements of the modern war doctrine. Q. How does the Mi-28N differ from the basic Mi-28? The Mi-28N is a night helicopter able to work in any weather. Its on-board complex is fully-digital so that its capabilities can be expanded further without limits because everything depends on what programs you download into the computer. The better the software, the better the complex works. For this machine we have a program enabling terrain-follower, like in the cruise missiles. A digital map is loaded into the computer memory and the aircraft either flies itself among hills at the automatic mode or helps the pilot follow the terrain. All flight data is presented on liquid-crystal screens, allowing more information to be displayed in a more convenient form. This reduces the load on the crew, which is of particular importance when flying at a very low height. The other merit of the Mi-28N is that it carries a low-level locator, which detects targets remaining undetected. The helicopter does not have to expose itself when searching for a target; it is enough to expose only the mast-mounted antenna. Q. Is there any new instrumentation in the cockpit? I cannot show you the cockpit for [secrecy] reasons, so you will have to take my word for it that it meets the highest standards. Information is presented on liquid-crystal displays meeting all latest ergonomic requirements. In fact, the cockpit is of fifth generation. Q. What differs the Mi-28 from other helicopters? The most important thing is that it has a powerful moveable cannon with a wide zone of movement. It enables the operator to fire at targets while the pilot maneuvers. Both are free to do their jobs. Our crew-rescue system is passive, we do not use parachutes. To our mind, the pilot does not have enough time to eject when flying at a height of 5 meters. Our system could save a pilot's life should the helicopter hit the ground. Another major difference from western aircraft is that the crew is fully protected from 20 millimeter shells. We have proved it by performing firing tests. Q. Why did you choose the classic layout? Our machine features conventional, classic, layout, as do all anti-tank helicopters abroad. They all have a single main rotor and a tandem layout of the crew. This layout is based on the experience of wars in Vietnam and Afghanistan. The classic layout is optimal for combat helicopters, which was proved during the Desert Storm and in Chechnya. It meets all modern requirements to the new-generation combat aircraft, whereas the side-by-side layout does not allow an effective handling of aircraft at extremely low height - the combat helicopters should be capable of flying at 5 meters above the ground. Q. How much does the Mi-28N cost? We are expecting series-built airframes to cost twice as less as the American models. According to the latest data, the Americans sold 30 Longbow Apache helicopters for $1 billion (USD). Q. Which foreign countries want to buy the helicopter? Sales are the responsibility of Rosvooruzhenie (Russian Armament), and they say until contracts are signed, we had better keep silent about our foreign contacts. Generally speaking, foreigners show an interest in this machine. Q. Do you prepare the helicopter for mass production? If we did not believe that the machine could enter series production, we would not develop it. We do believe in it and usually work without payment, on enthusiasm alone. Q. Can foreign orders improve the financial situation at the helicopter plant in Moscow? If we get orders, and foreign orders in particular, then, undoubtedly, the financial situation at our enterprise will improve. We have a very good relationship with Rosvooruzhenie (Russian Armament) - they are promoting the aircraft on the international market, helping us with money, advertising and knowledge. Q. It seems Russian-made helicopters are not so popular with foreign customers as they used to be. Is that true that in the past helicopter sales abroad were so big that all of Russia's military-industrial complex lived on them? Mil does not sell helicopters - mass production factories and Rosvooruzhenie do it. We receive a moderate part of the money generated on foreign sales, but not regularly. I agree that the situation on the international market changes, but our helicopters continue to sell readily. The latest tender won by Russia was that in Columbia. We sold them 10 Mi-17s for $45 million (USD). The money generated on helicopter sales was never big enough to feed all of Russia's military-industrial complex, but the sales were many. Now the former Warsaw pact are trying to join NATO, interest in our helicopters. But we will open new markets. The Columbian deal is like taking a beach-head in Latin America and we hope this market will be relatively big.
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