Mil Wed-24

Mil Wed-24
Mi-24P of the Russian Air Force
Type:	Attack helicopter
Design country:	Soviet Union
Manufacturer:	Mil
First flight:	15th September 1969
Commissioning:	1972
Production time:	since 1969, in series since 1970
Number of pieces:	2300+

The Mil Mi-24 ( Russian Миль Ми-24 , NATO code name : Hind , German Hirschkuh ) is a combat helicopter developed in the Soviet Union by the helicopter manufacturer Mil . The Soviet and Russian pilots refer to their machines as летающий танк (letajuschtschi tank, flying tank) or крокодил ( crocodile ) and стакан ( stakan, glass , because of the large cockpit glazing of the Mi-24A). The mujahideen gave him the nickname Shaitan Arba ("devil's chariot"). The Mi-24's ability to transport troops is unusual for a combat helicopter.

The Mi-24 is equipped with two shaft turbines and has a main tail rotor arrangement with a five- blade main rotor .

history

The development of this helicopter began in the mid-1960s while Michail Mil was still alive . Engines, rotors and other mechanical components were adopted from the original Mil Mi-8 , and the fuselage was completely redesigned. In contrast to most other attack helicopters , the Mi-24 can take on transport tasks as an attack helicopter. It is designed to transport up to eight equipped soldiers protected into the battlefield. As a "flying armored personnel carrier", one of the tasks of the Mi-24 was to act quickly over the battlefield. Its tasks are anti-tank , fire support during amphibious operations , digging out enemy bases, fighting enemy helicopters and escorting own helicopters.

The first demonstration model with the designation W-24 (the 24 was the designation for the fuselage version) was completed in 1966. This took over many features from the Mi-8, but also reminded of the American Bell UH-1 with the long tail boom . The machine had stub wings and offered space for two pilots sitting side by side in the cockpit and eight soldiers in the fuselage. The mockup was presented to official representatives of the Soviet Ministry of Defense around Marshal Rodion Jakowlewitsch Malinowski , who rejected the machine, however. After this, based on the reviews of the first mockup, several more were built. On the initiative of Andrei Antonowitsch Gretschko (who had replaced Malinowski in 1967 and also participated in the presentation of the first mock-up), an official tender was submitted on March 29, 1967 to build a combat helicopter that could reach 315 km / h and a 12.7 mm Should withstand shot. Mil participated with a W-24 version, while competitor Kamow submitted the Ka-25F (a heavily modified version of the Ka-25). Mil won the tender and on May 6, 1968 the contract to build a prototype was awarded. The first complete mockup was completed in February 1969 and on September 19, 1969 the first prototype OP-1 took off for its maiden flight with German W. Alfjorow at the controls. After two prototypes flew, the responsible ministry allowed the construction of ten more helicopters under the designation Product 240 (unofficially Mi-24). Five of these were built at Mil and five at the Arseniev factory. Four of the machines were intended for flight tests, one for weapon tests, two for static tests, one for mechanical load tests and two as templates for production. One of the prototypes later served as the basis for the Mi-24B, while two of the ten Mi-24s were used for the development of the Mi-24D. The tests by the manufacturer and the army (from June 1970) brought a number of shortcomings to light. The poor visibility from the cockpit, the inadequate directional control, stability problems in high-speed flight and inadequate hot-and-high performance were criticized. The latter was partly due to a less than optimal aerodynamic design of the rotor blades (which was only remedied with the Mi-24WM), as well as to the engines, which lost about 10% performance per 10 ° C when the temperature rises above 10 ° C.

The first production version was the improved Mi-24A (product 245). Despite many shortcomings that still existed, production began quickly, to which the appearance of the AH-1 Cobra on the American side contributed. Compared to the Mi-24, the pilots' view has been improved by a modified cockpit and the instability at high flight speeds has been eliminated by new wings. Other changes concerned the armor and the installation of the 9Sh121-01 optical target system for the 9M17M anti-tank missiles. Series production began at the end of 1970 at the Arsenjew factory and in 1971 the first series helicopter made its maiden flight. A number of improvements were also introduced during the production period. The inadequate directional control by relocating the tail rotor from the right to the left side was eliminated. From 1974 the helicopters received a reinforced construction on the left side of the fuselage and the tail boom, as cracks appeared in this area during heavy flight maneuvers. That year the first helicopters of this type were also stationed in Parchim . 204 helicopters of this version had been built by 1975. 1975 saw the delivery of six helicopters to Libya for the first export of the helicopter. 1978 saw the first use of the helicopter in the Ogaden War through Ethiopia . Of the Mi-24U trainer version (product 244), which was armed only with unguided rockets, but showed significantly different flight behavior, around 25 were built from 1973 onwards.

In 1971 the first prototype of the improved version Mi-24B (product 241) was completed. This version was able to deploy the 9M17P missile with the help of the automated and stabilized Raduga-F guidance system. The previous single-barreled 12.7 mm machine gun was also replaced by a completely new four-barrel Gatling machine gun 9A-624, which proved to be prone to dust and overheating. The helicopter also received improved TW3-117 engines. In total, fewer than ten machines were built from Mi-24A, as the later version Mi-24D was preferred. However, the Mi-24B were used to test the Mi-24D's systems.

One problem with the Mi-24A remained the inadequate view of the pilot. In June 1972, two Mi-24 preproduction models were equipped with a completely new bow area, in which the pilot and gunner were housed in two cockpits one behind the other. These became the basis of the new version Mi-24D (product 246), which corresponded to a combination of the weapon system and the improvements of the Mi-24B with the new cockpit. Series production of the new version was approved in 1973. Production should now take place in two plants (Arsenyev and Rostov) and the first helicopter of this type was completed in the same year. Some of the first helicopters of this type were built with the tail rotor on the right. The Soviet Army officially accepted the helicopter after a few tests on March 29, 1976. In the course of series production, a number of improvements were again introduced. The overhaul time was improved from 300 hours (the engines of the first Mi-24 had an overhaul time of only 50 hours) to 750 hours. In addition, the avionics were improved several times and in 1977 new air inlets with improved dust separation were installed. A total of 625 helicopters of this version were built, 477 of them in Rostov (51 for the Soviet Army and 426 for export) and 148 in Arsenyev. The export versions for the European partner states were identical to the Soviet version with the exception of slightly simplified missiles, while the export versions designated as Mi-25 for the non-European area contained more simplified systems. Czechoslovakia became the first exporting country in 1978 , followed by the GDR , Hungary and Poland . From 1985 onwards, helicopters exported to Hungary, Poland and Bulgaria with the designation Mi-24D + contained some systems of the Mi-24W, which has now been produced. In the 1980s, the exported Mi-25s were used in some wars. Including in the Iran-Iraq war , in Chad , as well as by Syria against Israel and Lebanon , in India against the Tamils . The helicopter suffered great losses in Angola , where almost twenty helicopters were shot down by ZSU-23-4 anti-aircraft tanks and Strela missiles . About 105 of the Mi-24DU (product 249) trainer version produced between 1977 and 1991 were built. Her chin mount was missing, but she was equipped with anti-tank missiles and the associated on-board systems. Some of these were also exported as Mi-35U.

At the end of 1972, the acceptance tests for the anti-tank missile 9K113 bankruptcy began . In the summer of 1973 two Mi-24Ds were converted to use these missiles. The new anti-tank missile flew much faster than the one previously used and was controlled by encrypted radio instead of a wire connection, which made a new Raduga-Sh target system with appropriate optics and new antennas necessary in the helicopter. The correspondingly converted or newly produced helicopters were given the designation Mi-24W (product 242). The two prototypes were sometimes referred to as the Mi-24PTRK. The first of the two prototypes had its maiden flight on September 23, 1973. The permit for series production was granted in November 1975 and in 1976 the first helicopters of this version were produced. In this version, too, some improvements were introduced over the course of production. So the first Mi-24W could carry two missiles on each side. Three years after the start of production, new launch vehicles for four rockets on each side were introduced and in 1986 a launch vehicle for eight rockets on each side was tested, but only introduced on the later Mi-35M. TW-113W engines with better Hot & High capabilities were also used in later models, which did not lose performance up to 35 ° C. Also, tail rotor blades with greater blade depth were used to eliminate problems with stability and flight control at high temperatures and high speeds or maximum take-off mass. Furthermore, the avionics, the self-defense systems (six instead of four ASO-2V-02 flare launchers, infrared sensor jamming device L-166W-11E, radar warning devices) and the communication systems have been replaced by newer or expanded ones over time. There were also various design measures to improve survivability, such as tanks filled with polyurethane (which resulted in 5% less fuel capacity) or modified cable routing. New unguided missiles to replace the S-5 (which had proven ineffective in the Afghan war ), such as the S-8, S-13 and S-24, as well as other dropping ammunition, cannon containers and auxiliary tanks were also included in the equipment options for the stub wings . The first helicopters of this version were exported to Czechoslovakia in 1985. From 1986 Mi-24W were delivered to Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland and Mongolia, as well as simpler Mi-35s to Afghanistan, Sudan and other countries. A total of 247 Mi-24W / Mi-35 were exported and more than 500 built for the Soviet / Russian army. These were used in various local wars and UN missions. In Afghanistan alone, the Soviet army lost around 120 Mi-24s of different versions between 1979 and 1989.

Although the Mi-24W contained all the intended systems, the army was dissatisfied with the built-in machine gun, as it could only fight unarmored targets and was prone to failures. In 1975, the available 30 mm automatic cannon 9A-623K was installed in a Mi-24D. However, the recoil of the weapon did not allow installation in the chin mount, which is why it was permanently installed on the right side of the fuselage. After a few changes such as an extension of the barrel length of the cannon from 1.5 to 2.4 m to protect the rockets from the ammunition exhaust, the installation of a flash hider to reduce recoil and reinforcements on the helicopter, the series production was commissioned. The first of the Mi-24P (product 243; P Uschka, "gun") Series machines designated left the factory in April 1981st They were quickly deployed in Afghanistan and showed their effectiveness there. However, it also became clear that the cannon was oversized for some missions and that the fixed installation made it impossible to combat other helicopters or even aircraft. This version was popular with the crew, however, because it not only had great firepower, but also had a more spacious cockpit with excellent visibility due to the elimination of the aiming and control systems for the chin mount. A total of 620 helicopters of this version were built by 1990. Since the Soviet Union practically refused to export the Mi-24P, only the GDR received twelve helicopters of this type in 1989. Nevertheless, some of the machines came to other countries, as after the breakup of the Soviet Union the Mi-24P remaining in the former Soviet republics were partly sold to African countries through Ukraine and Belarus. From 1994 on, Russia also produced eight Mi-24Ps for its own army and 47 of the export variant Mi-35Ps and sold them to African countries, but also to Indonesia and Peru. Some of the Mi-35P were equipped with the smaller stub wings of the newer Mi-35M, which led to confusion in the type determination of the machines supplied.

The experience from the Mi-24P led to the development of another variant from 1984 onwards. This was designated as Mi-24WP (product 258) and received the two-barreled 23-mm cannon GSch-23L in a movable chin turret as armament. Since the new armament required a large number of changes to the cannon and the mount, testing lasted until the release of series production until 1989. During production, which only lasted from 1989 to 1990, 25 helicopters of this version were produced, most of which remained in Russia .

Already in the mid-1980s it was clear to OKB Mil that the Mi-24s currently in use were inferior to western models in terms of navigation, weapons and sensors. However, the government did not allow large-scale, continuous modernization programs. It was also known that an attack helicopter designed exclusively for tactical tasks was to replace the Mi-24 in the 1990s. However, the breakup of the USSR and the ensuing economic chaos did not allow a complete replacement of the Mi-24 and forced both the Russian leadership and the manufacturer Mil, now operating in the private sector, to look for alternative solutions for Russia and other countries of operations. The development for a large five-stage modernization program for the Russian army under the name Mi-24WM and Mi-35M was started. The first stage should represent a complete overhaul and the second stage the replacement of the main and tail rotors by those of the Mi-28 and the engines by TW3-117WMA. This should result in a weight reduction of around 300 kg. In the third stage, the possibility of retracting the landing gear was to be dispensed with (90 kg weight saving), the radio equipment was to be improved and a new under-wing construction was to be installed, which would enable the helicopter to carry up to 16 anti-tank missiles. The fourth stage consisted of replacing the missile with the 9M120 or 9M39 and replacing the cannon with the GSch-23W (water-cooled version of the GSch-23L). The final stage should consist of installing new sensors (e.g. FLIR and night vision devices) and new avionics. However, an autopilot and an improved navigation and weapon control system were added later. A partially converted machine was shown at the MAKS in 1997. In contrast to the five-stage program for the army, however, a three-stage program Mi-35M1 to Mi-35M3 was offered for export, which had a different composition, but in stage 2 around the fourth stage and in stage 3 around the last stage of the mi 24WM corresponded. The first prototype, which roughly corresponded to the Mi-35M2 stage, had its maiden flight on March 4, 1999. A Mi-35M3 level helicopter first flew in 2001 and was shown at the Paris Air Show and MAKS in 2003. The development was financed entirely by Mil, but was not a commercial success until then, as only a very small number of helicopters were converted. Of the low-cost conversion variants Mi-24N and Mi-24PN, which practically only contained a replacement for the target and surveillance sensors, only six and 22 respectively were ordered (six of them Mi-24PN from Uganda). Some other similar retrofitting variants under various names were never implemented. The Mi-35M export variants were later more successful, of which around 120 have been delivered to various countries such as Venezuela, Iraq, Brazil and around 50 to Russia since 2006.

In addition to the modernization program carried out by the manufacturer Mil itself, the Mi-24s have also been changed and improved in several other countries. So also in the Czech Republic, Poland, Belarus and also in the Ukraine to a greater or lesser extent. In addition to improvements to sensors and self-protection, Ukraine also offered a more powerful engine from 2010. Companies like the French Sagem also took part. Sagem equipped twelve Uzbek Mi-24s with a FLIR and modern navigation systems. The Israeli company Elbit also equipped some Macedonian, Senegalese and Georgian Mi-24Ws with night vision devices and other electronics. In 2003, a further conversion of 25 Mi-24s by Elbit for the Indian army became known. After the renovation, the use of Israeli anti-tank missiles became possible. The South African company Advanced Technologies and Engineering (ATE) (now part of the Paramountgroup) converted some Mi-24s into machines called "SuperHind". Between 1999 and 2002, 34 helicopters were upgraded to the Mk2 standard. These were later upgraded to the Mk3 booth, which contained a glass cockpit, a replacement of the cannon with a 20 mm M693 cannon from Giat Industries and extensive sensor equipment (for example the Carl Zeiss Optronics Argos 410-Z).

In 2013, Russian army aviators ordered a large number of Mi-28 and Ka-52 aircraft, but at the same time a larger number of the Mi-24 further development Mi-35M. The range of tasks that the Mi-24 can perform is now divided into several patterns such as the Mi-8ATSH and Mi-28.

Records

The world speed record for helicopters was broken several times with the Mi-24. First on July 16, 1975 at 341.35 km / h on a 15/25 km course, then two days later 334.46 km / h (drive TW2-117A) on a 100 km course and 333 km / h h on a 1000 km course. A total of 18 records were set with the helicopter by the two pilots Galina Viktorovna Rastorgueva and Lyudmila Alexandrovna Polyanskaya, including climbing records at 3000 and 6000 m. After three years of improvements to the helicopter, the pilot Gurgen Rubenowitsch Karapetjan set another speed record on September 21, 1978 with 368.40 km / h (TW3 drive), which was only broken six years later by a Westland Lynx . For the record flights, one of the W-24 prototypes was converted into a machine known as the A-10. For this purpose, the armor, armament and all non-essential components were removed, the engines were brought to a higher performance, the wings were dismantled, aerodynamic cladding was attached and rotor dampers were installed.

construction

The fuselage of the Mi-24 is a completely new development. In the cabin it holds eight soldiers with complete equipment. Alternatively, a set of ammunition and one or two weapons control rooms can be accommodated in the cabin to enable ammunition to be carried out during the operation. On both sides there are car doors that open up and down, which enable quick entry and exit or loading and unloading. A continuous step is mounted on the lower entrance door. There are bulletproof tanks under the cabin floor.

Despite its comparatively high mass, the Mi-24 is a relatively fast helicopter; not least because, unlike other combat helicopters, it has an aerodynamically favorable retractable landing gear . However, this leads to poor emergency landing properties, since extending the landing gear can take too long at low altitude. In order to minimize the impact in an emergency landing, the retractable nose landing gear is not fully retracted into the fuselage so that the tires remain partially visible. The main landing gear legs, which also retract to the rear, disappear after a turn in the rear landing gear shafts and are covered by flaps.

Early version of the Mil Mi-24A with a wide flight deck

The early model series still had a spacious flight deck for the crew consisting of pilot, copilot, tactical navigator and observer. A single pivoting 12.7 mm machine gun was installed in the bow. Starting with the Mi-24D, the cockpit was divided into two cockpits in tandem, as is now common with most combat helicopters. The gunner / weapons system officer is seated in the front pulpit . He climbs the pulpit via steps let into the fuselage below the folding hood that swings to starboard. Behind it is the pilot's cockpit. He reaches this via recessed steps and a door that swings open to the rear on the starboard side. The front windows of both pulpits are flat and bulletproof up to a caliber of 12.7 mm . Armor plates are placed on the sides to further protect the crew. A transverse bulkhead between the two cockpits should reduce the risk of a hull break at this point. In addition, both crew members sit on armored seats with impact protection. At the bow is a four-barreled 12.7 mm JakB machine gun that can be swiveled through 180 ° . Starting with the Mi-24P version, this MG was replaced by a rigid, twin-barreled 30 mm machine gun GSch-30 / II .

The two shaft turbines are arranged side by side above the cabin . The engine inlets are covered by large dome separators for foreign objects. The oil cooler with an inlet in the direction of flight is located slightly above between the engines . The exhaust pipes exit at the rear edge of the cabin door on both sides. Masking devices can be mounted on these, which mix the hot exhaust gases with cold ambient air in order to reduce the heat signature. This configuration was later adopted for the Mi-8. At the rear end of the engine hump, an auxiliary engine is housed transversely to the longitudinal axis . Its air inlet is on the starboard side, the outlet on the port side.

The five-bladed main rotor consists of a forged part made of titanium as the rotor hub, with the rotor blades being adjusted hydraulically using conventional flapping and swivel joints . Up to the Mi-24U they were made from a spar with glued-on aluminum pockets. Later the main spars consisted of an extruded steel tube, which with its D-shape forms the nose edge of the rotor blade. This nose edge can be heated electrically. The profile behind the spar is a fiberglass honeycomb support core sandwich construction. All components of the main rotor should be able to withstand 12.7 mm projectiles.

The three-bladed tail rotor was still on the starboard side of the first production version (Mi-24A), but was then moved to the port side. At the stern there are also movable horizontal fins, an emergency spur to prevent the tail boom from touching the ground and an anti-collision light .

The wing stubs of the Mi-24 contribute about 25% to the lift in forward flight. Conversely, this also means that sharp turns at low speed can lead to excessive loss of lift and roll of the helicopter. In these flight situations you must therefore maneuver particularly carefully and carefully.

From Hind-D, the Mi-24 has a distinctive sensor probe on the bow for measurements of airspeed, yaw and angle of attack. The flight attitude instruments are supplemented by two electrically heated pitot tubes on both sides of the gunner's cockpit. On the tail boom there is an antenna for the instrument landing system , a gyro compass and a radio altimeter. There are also systems to warn of dangerous flight conditions. In an emergency, the gunner can also take control of the helicopter.

For the weapon system, an optical sensor package with a residual light amplifier and an infrared line scanner are attached to the starboard side of the bow . A radar guidance system for the anti-tank missiles is attached to the underside on the port side. A laser aiming marker is located on the end plate of the port stub wing. For the use of weapons, the Mi-24 has a weapon computer coupled with the sighting device. The pilot can also operate the weapon system from the rear cockpit. At the bow and the stern there is an antenna for friend-foe recognition . A wire antenna from the beginning of the tail boom to the horizontal stabilizer and further ultra-short wave antennas are attached to the top of the tail boom for radio communication . The Mi-24 also has a map navigation system based on the DISS-15D Doppler ground penetrating radar. The antennas of the ground penetrating radar are located under the tail boom.

Experience in the high mountain ranges of Afghanistan in the 1980s showed that the Mi-24A / D was inadequate when fully armed. For this reason, stronger engines and sand filters were installed with the Mi-24W to protect the engines. In order to be able to fly longer despite this increase in performance, the front units removed seats and armor in the troop cabin and did not fill the tanks more than two-thirds full. In addition, of the immense armament only two rocket tube launchers, two anti-tank guided missiles and 500 rounds of ammunition were carried, the latter also because of the susceptibility to long-term continuous fire of the MG. By exceeding the permitted flight parameters and overloading the main rotors, the pilots were able to descend more steeply in narrow valleys. During maneuvers with high load factors and high angle of attack could be a stall are the main rotor blades with a sagging of the machine. In such a situation or when escaping from a maneuver with a high load factor, the main rotor blades could come into contact with the tail rotor boom.

Versions

The standard variant in the 1980s, the Mi-24D

The currently delivered Mi-35M variant

Mi-35MS variant

• W-24 - two prototypes with Isotow TW3-117A shaft turbines . First flight on September 15, 1969.
• Mi-24A (Isdelije 245) ( NATO code name : "Hind-B") - First series version with two Isotow TW3-117WM shaft turbines and a continuous cabin.
• Mi-24B (Isdelije 241) "Hind-A" - upgraded Mi-24A, was abandoned in favor of the Mi-24D.
• A-10 "Hind-A / C" - record version
• Mi-24U (Isdelije 244) "Hind-C" - training and trainer version of the Mi-24A from 1974 without cannon armament.
• Mi-24D (Isdelije 246) "Hind-D" - heavily armed attack helicopter with four-barreled 12.7 mm MG JakB in the chin tower.
• Mi-24DU (Isdelije 249) "Hind-D" - unarmed school version of the Mi-24D with double controls.
• Mi-24E - version for environmental monitoring.
• Mi-24K (Isdelije 201) "Hind-G2" - version built from 1979 with a large camera and lens in the cabin for artillery reconnaissance.
• Mi-24KD - improved version of the Mi-24K built from the mid-1980s.
• Mi-24RChR (Isdelije 2462) "Hind-G1" - version for the clarification of ABC contamination. From 1978 built from Mi-24D. Some improved Mi-24RAs were built between 1989 and 1990.
• Mi-24P (Isdelije 243) "Hind-F" - attack helicopter with a two-barreled 30 mm cannon on the right side of the fuselage.
• Mi-24PN - upgraded Mi-24P with night vision equipment (BREO-24) in the front of the nose and 9M120-PALR.
• Mi-24PS (Isdelije 352) - modified version of the Mi-24W as a rescue and police helicopter ( Patrul'nospasatelny : "patrol / rescue") for the Russian Ministry of the Interior MWD or its paramilitary police units. The first prototype was converted from a Mi-24P in 1995, the second from a Mi-24W. During the modifications, the optical target systems, the on-board cannons and the end plates with the PALR turrets were not installed. A modern FLIR tower, a dozen loudspeakers in one block, an FPP-7 searchlight, an LPG-4 rescue winch for a 120 kg load, four abseiling points to allow four people to abseil at the same time, and additional stirrups around the cabin have been added around. In addition, the military radio equipment was exchanged for satellite communication and encrypted police radio equipment. The coloring was in white with blue titles in Russian Милиця ("Milizia").
• Mi-24W (Isdelije 242) "Hind-E" - improved version of the Mi-24D "Hind-D" with 9M114-Schturm-W anti-tank missiles and self-protection equipment .
• Mi-24WK-1/2 - Mi-24W upgraded with Noktjurn GOES-342-FLIR turret and 9M120-PALR.
• Mi-24WP (Isdelije 258) "Hind-H" - version derived from the Mi-24W with modified bow structure for the inclusion of a GSch-23L from 1985; Predecessor of the Mi-24WM
• Mi-24WM - upgraded version of the Mi-24W with block 1-5 improvements (rotor blades and tail rotor of the Mil Mi-28 , 9M120-PALR, Klimow-WK-2500 turbine and FLIR tower).
• Mi-24PK-2 - upgraded version of the Mi-24P with block 1–5 improvements.
• Mi-25 "Hind-D" - Export version of the Mi-24D "Hind-D".
• Mi-35 "Hind-E" - Export version of the Mi-24W "Hind-E".
• Mi-35D - improved export variant.
• Mi-35M "Hind-E" - export version of the night attack variant Mi-24WM with the rotor system of the Mil Mi-28 and the more powerful Klimow WK-2500 shaft turbines. With a completely new avionics and sensor package with GOES-342-FLIR and GPS / GLONASS navigation system. Sub-versions (block 1 to block 5) with different armament options.
• Mi-35MS flying command post.
• Mi-35P "Hind-F" - Export version of the Mi-24P "Hind-F".
• Mi-35PN - Export designation of the Mi-24PN.
• Mi-35PS - variant of the Mi-24PS, based on the Mi-24W.
• Mi-35U - unarmed export trainer version.
• ATE "SuperHind" Mk.III - Upgrade of the South African company Advanced Technologies & Engineering Co. (PTY) with improved avionics and armament. The "Superhind G" has been on the market since November 2003. The helicopter is a joint development of various avionics companies. It can take more load, is faster and more effective than the basic model.
• Mi-PSW experimental helicopter based on the Mi-24.

Technical data (Mil Mi-24D "Hind-D")

Plan drawing Mi-24

Parameter	Data
Rotor circle diameter	17.30 m
Main rotor area	235 m²
Tail rotor diameter	3.90 m
Hull length	17.30 m
height	4.44 m
Cabin height	1.20 m
Cabin length	2.61 m
Cabin width	1.47 m
wheelbase	4.63 m
Track width	3.44 m
Empty mass	8,400 kg
Takeoff mass	11,000 kg
Engine	2 × Klimow TW3-117 A gas turbine
power	1,619 kW (2,200 PS) each
Top speed	315 km / h (max. Take-off mass) 335 km / h (normal take-off mass)
Marching speed	260 km / h
Rate of climb	12.5 m / s
Summit height	4,500 m
Range	750 km
crew	2–3 (1 pilot, 1 shooter (operator), 1 on-board technician)
Passengers	8 fully equipped soldiers or 10 soldiers without equipment

Sensors

The Mi-24 has a number of passive and active sensors to scout targets and illuminate them for weapons.

The control unit Raduga-F in the Mi-24D / P / W and Mi-35 is used to observe the terrain as well as to search, recognize and identify targets using television and thermal images . It then takes over the manual or semi-automatic guidance of the anti-tank guided missiles to the selected target. The view is narrowly limited to the front with a maximum deviation of 18 ° on both sides with a maximum range of 5 km. The housing is located on the right below the chin tower.

The Mi-35M also has the GOES-342. The electro-optical system of the GOES (Gyrostabilized Optical Electronic System) consists of a gyro-stabilized sensor sphere with a video camera and a coupled thermal imaging device (WBG). A laser rangefinder is also built into it as an indicator for the weapon control system.

Armament

Chin tower machine gun JakB-12.7

A double runner rack for 9M114 “shower” guided missiles (right), in the middle a UB-32A-24 rocket tube launch container and on the left a UPK-23-250 automatic cannon container

A UB-32A-24 rocket tube launch container (left) and a GUW-8700 universal container

Fixed pipe armament in the bow

• 1 × 12.7 mm machine gun Afanasjew A-12.7 (TBK-481M), limited mobility in a NUW-1 mount in the nose tip with 200 rounds of ammunition (Mi-24A)
• 1 × four-barreled 12.7 mm Gatling machine gun Jakuschew / Borsow JakB-12.7 (9A624) in a pivoting hemispherical USPU-24 dome turret with 1470 rounds of ammunition (Mi-24D / W)
• 1 × double-30 mm automatic cannon GRYAZEV-SHIPUNOV GSH-30-2 K (9А623) in a starboard rigidly built-NPU-30-holder with 470 rounds of ammunition (Mi-24P)
• 1 × double-barreled 23-mm automatic cannon Grjasew-Schipunow GSch-23 L (9А472) in a pivoting hemispherical NPPU-24 turret with 450 rounds of ammunition (Mi-24WP / WM, Mi-35M)

A weapon load of 1000 kg on four BDZ-57KrW pylons under both stub wings

Air-to-air guided missile

• 2 × 9K38W double starters each with 2 × GosMKB Wympel JSC 9K38W Igla-W - infrared controlled for short distances (from Mi-24WM & Mi-35M)

Air-to-surface guided missile

• 4 × launch rails each with 2 × Kolomna 9M114M1 "Schturm" - radio-controlled (SACLOS) anti-tank guided missiles (from Mi-24W and Mi-35)
• 2 × APU-8/4-U-launch rail frame with 8 × Kolomna 9M120F "Ataka-W" each - radio-controlled (SACLOS) anti-tank guided missile (from Mi-24WP and Mi-35M)
• 2 × 2P32M launching rails each with 2 × Nudelman 9M17P "Falanga-PW" - radio-controlled (SACLOS) anti-tank guided missiles (only Mi-24A / Mi-24D)

Unguided air-to-surface missiles

• 4 × UB-16-57UM rocket tube launch container with 16 unguided air-to-ground missiles S-5 each ; Caliber 57 mm
• 4 × UB-32A-24 rocket tube launch container with 32 unguided air-to-surface missiles S-5 each; Caliber 57 mm
• 4 × B-8W-20-A rocket tube launch container with 20 unguided air-to-ground missiles S-8 each ; Caliber 80 mm
• 4 × RML-122 (Grad-L) rocket tube launch container, each with 4 unguided air-to-ground missiles LR-122 (JROF-122-L); Caliber 122 mm (from Mi-24W)
• 4 × B-13L1 rocket tube launch container with 5 unguided air-to-ground missiles S-13 each ; Caliber 122 mm (only Mi-24WP, Mi-35)
• 4 × APU-68UM3 launch rails, each with an unguided air-to-surface missile S-24B ; Caliber 240 mm (235 kg)

Free falling bombs

• 2 × FAB-500SchNW (500 kg free-fall bomb )
• 2 × ZB-500 (500 kg incendiary bomb )
• 2 × ODAB-500 PMW (500 kg aerosol bomb )
• 4 × Basalt FAB-250M-54 (234 kg free-fall bomb)
• 4 × OFAB-250 (250 kg free-fall bomb)
• 4 × Basalt FAB-100 (100 kg free fall bomb)
• 4 × OFAB-100 (100 kg free fall bomb)
• 4 × CCP-100-70 (100 kg exercise bomb with concrete cover)

External container

• 2 × Basalt KMGU -2 (270 kg submunition container for small bombs and mines)
• 2 × UPK-23-250 automatic cannon container (double-barreled 23 mm automatic cannon GSch-23L with 250 rounds of ammunition)
• 2 × GUW-8700 (9A669) universal container for a JakB-12.7-mm-MG (9A624 analogue chin tower), 750 rounds of ammunition and two four-barrel Gatling machine guns GSchG 7.62 mm (9A622) with 1,800 rounds of ammunition
• 2 × GUW-8700 (9A800) universal container for an automatic 30 mm grenade launcher AG-17A Plamja with 300 grenades
• 4 × drop-off additional PTB-450 fuel tanks with 450 liters of kerosene

Self-defense systems

Based on the experience from the operation in Afghanistan, the Soviet Army provided their Mi-24D with two decoys arranged in double rows . The Mi-24 continues to have infrared interference emitters and warning systems for self-protection.

Mi-24D and Mi-24W

Active measures

• 4 × Artem ASO-2W decoys, each with 32 × 26 mm decoys (fixed in the field with cable clamps at the end of the tail boom pointing downwards)
• 1 × infrared interference radiator (IRCM) Sagorski Optisch- und Mechanisches Werk (SOMS) L-166W-1AE "Ispanka" ("Hot Brick" on the back of the fuselage at the beginning of the tail boom)

Passive action

• 2 × exhaust gas cooling diffusers (infrared suppression exhaust air cooler "EWU") at the end of the double-walled exhaust pipes
• 2 × SRO-2 "Chrom" - friend-foe detection sensor (IFF)
• 2 × EKSP-39 signal rocket launchers for four different colored signal rockets in the tail boom

Mi-24P / Mi-35

Active measures

• 6 × Artem ASO-2W decoys, each with 32 × 26 mm decoys (some in aerodynamically angled fairing above the landing gear)
• 1 × infrared interference emitter (IRCM) SOMS L-166W-11E "Ispanka" or SOEP-W1AE "Lipa"

Passive action

• 2 × exhaust gas cooling diffusers (infrared suppression exhaust air cooler "EWU") at the ends of the double-walled exhaust pipes
• 1 × LIP radar warning sensor
• 2 × SRO-2M "chrome" friend-foe detection sensor (IFF)
• 2 × EKSP-39 signal rocket launchers for four signal rockets each (red, orange, green and yellow) integrated in the tail boom on both sides

User states

Current users

•  Afghanistan - As of January 2018, there are 4 Mi-35s in service.
•  Egypt - As of January 2020, there are at least 2 (9?) Mi-24s in service (Borg El Arab Air Force Base). Officially there was no delivery to Egypt (from Libya?).
•  Algeria - As of January 2018, there are 31 Mi-24 in service.
•  Angola - As of January 2018, there are 34 Mi-24 and 22 Mi-35 in service.
•  Equatorial Guinea - As of January 2018, there are 5 Mi-24P / W on duty.
•  Armenia - As of January 2018, there are 7 Mi-24P, 2 Mi-24K and 2 Mi-24R on duty.
•  Azerbaijan - As of January 2018, there are 26 Mi-24 and 24 Mi-35M in service.
•  Ethiopia - As of January 2018, there are 15 Mi-24 and 3 Mi-35 on duty.
•  Brazil - As of January 2018, there are 12 Mi-35M in service.
•  Bulgaria - As of January 2018, 6 Mi-24D / W are in service.
•  Burkina Faso - As of January 2018, 2 Mi-35s are on duty.
•  Burundi - As of January 2018, 2 Mi-24 are in service.
•  Democratic Republic of the Congo - As of January 2018, there are 4 Mi-24 and 3 Mi-24W on duty.
•  Ivory Coast - As of January 2018, 1 Mi-24 is in service.
•  Georgia - As of January 2018, there are 6 Mi-24 in service.
•  Guinea - As of January 2018, there are 4 Mi-24 in service.
•  India - As of January 2018, 19 Mi-25 / Mi-35 are in service with the Indian Air Force .
•  Indonesia - As of January 2018, there are 6 Mi-35P in service.
•  Iraq - As of January 2018, there are 13 Mi-35M in service.
•  Cameroon - As of January 2018, 2 Mi-24 are in service.
•  Kazakhstan - As of January 2018, there are 20 Mi-24W and 4 Mi-35M in service.
•  Kyrgyzstan - As of January 2018, 2 Mi-24 are in service.
•  Cuba - As of January 2018, there are 4 Mi-35s in service.
•  Libya - As of January 2018, an unknown number of Mi-24 and Mi-35 are in service.
•  Mali - As of January 2018, 2 Mi-24D and 2 Mi-35M are in service.
•  Myanmar - As of January 2018, there are 10 Mi-35P in service.
•  Namibia - As of January 2018, 2 Mi-25 are in service.
•  Niger - As of January 2018, 2 Mi-35P are in service.

•  Nigeria - As of January 2018, 2 Mi-24P, 4 Mi-24W, 3 Mi-35, 2 Mi-35P and 2 Mi-35M are in service with the Air Force .
•  North Macedonia - As of January 2018, 4 Mi-24W are in service with the Air Force .
•  Pakistan - As of January 2018, there are 4 Mi-35M in service.
•  Peru - As of January 2018, there are 16 Mi-25 and 2 Mi-35P in service.
•  Poland - As of January 2018, 28 Mi-24D / W are in service within the 49th PSB (Pułk Śmigłowców Bojowych) in Pruszcz Gdański and the 56th PSB in Inowrocław.
•  Rwanda - As of January 2018, 2 Mi-24W and 3 Mi-24P are in service.
•  Russia - As of March 7, 2019, at least 127 Mi-24W / P and over 74 Mi-35M are in service with the Russian Air Force .
•  Senegal - As of January 2018, 2 Mi-35P are in service.
•  Serbia - As of January 2018, there are 2 Mi-24 in service.
•  Zimbabwe - As of January 2018, there are 4 Mi-35 and 2 Mi-35P in service.
•  Sri Lanka - As of January 2018 there are 6 Mi-24P, 3 Mi-24W and 2 Mi-35 on duty.
•  Sudan - As of January 2018, there are 25 Mi-24, 2 Mi-24P, 7 Mi-24W and 6 Mi-35P on duty.
•  South Sudan - As of January 2018, there are 2 Mi-24W and 3 Mi-24W-SMB in service.
•  Syria - As of January 2018, there are 24 Mi-25s in service.
•  Tajikistan - As of January 2018, there are 4 Mi-24 in service.
•  Chad - As of January 2018, there are 5 Mi-24W in service.
•  Czech Republic - As of January 2018, 7 Mi-24 and 10 Mi-35 are in service.
•  Turkmenistan - As of January 2018, there are 10 Mi-24P in service.
•  Uganda - As of January 2018, 1 Mi-24 is in service.
•  Hungary - As of January 2018, there are 3 Mi-24D, 6 Mi-24W and 2 Mi-24P in service, stationed at the 86th helicopter base in Szolnok .
•  Uzbekistan - As of January 2018, there are 29 Mi-24 in service.
•  Belarus - As of January 2018, there are 12 Mi-24 in service.
•  Venezuela - As of January 2018, there are 10 Mi-35M-2 in service.
•  Vietnam - As of January 2018, there are 26 Mi-24s in service with the Air Force .
•  Cyprus - As of January 2018, 11 Mi-35P are in service with the National Guard .

Former users

•  German Democratic Republic : 42 × Mi-24D, 12 × Mi-24P. Delivered to the NVA from 1978 to 1989 , used in the combat helicopter squadrons KHG-3 and KHG-5 of the army aviation forces . The two KHG regularly parked helicopters at bases close to the border as part of the air defense system on duty to pursue refugees from the GDR . 3 losses.
•  Germany : 51 taken over by the NVA. After reunification, some Mi-24s of the NVA were tested at the Bundeswehr's Wehrtechnische Dienststelle 61 , and a Mi-24D and P were sent to the US Army to represent the enemy . The rest were flown in the Heeresfliegerstaffel (HFS) Ost and HFS 80 in non-regular service and finally decommissioned on September 14, 1994. 18 Mi-24Ds were handed over to Poland and used with the 49th PSB (Combat Helicopter Regiment) in Pruszcz Gdański. Hungary took over the remaining Mi-24s - unless they were given to museums - as a spare part donor.
•  Djibouti - Retired by January 2018 at the latest.
•  Yemen - Retired by January 2018 at the latest.
•  Mongolia - Retired by January 2018 at the latest.

•  North Korea - Retired by January 2018 at the latest.
•  Croatia - Retired by January 2018 at the latest.
•  Mozambique - No longer operational by January 2018 at the latest.
•  Nicaragua - Retired by January 2018 at the latest.
•  Republic of the Congo - Retired by January 2018 at the latest.
•  Sierra Leone - Retired by January 2018 at the latest.
•  Slovakia - Retired by January 2018 at the latest.
•  Czechoslovakia : 61 × Mi-24v procured between 1978 and 1989 (28 Mi-24D, 31 Mi-24W, 2 Mi-24DU). They were stationed at the 51st Helicopter Squadron (Vrtulnílovy pluk) in Prostejov and at the 11th Helicopter Squadron in Líne. 5 casualties due to crashes, the remaining 56 were split 2: 1 after the division of Czechoslovakia between the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
•  Ukraine - Retired by January 2018 at the latest.

photos

• 

  Mi-24 with 30 mm cannons

• 

  Three Mil Mi-24s approaching

• 

  Two Russian Mi-24s, one of them firing unguided air-to-surface missiles

• 

  Mi-24D of the NVA, today in the Air Force Museum Berlin-Gatow

See also

• List of helicopter types

literature

• Michael Normann: Wed-24 . Motorbuch, Stuttgart 2016, ISBN 978-3-613-03897-4 .
• Wilfried Copenhagen : The Air Force of the NVA . Motorbuch, Stuttgart 2002, ISBN 3-613-02235-4 .
• De Agostini: Airplanes that made history . Mil Mi-24 "Hind". In: Aircraft . The new encyclopedia of aviation. No. 20 . Topic, Munich-Karlsfeld 1993, p. 540-551 .

Web links

Commons : Mil Mi-24  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Flight recordings on YouTube

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Dwayne A. Day: Mi-24 Hind "Crocodile" . US Centennial of Flight Commission, accessed January 13, 2011 . 
2. ↑ Шайтан-арба под огнём
3. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j} Jakub Fojtik: Mil Mi-24/35 Hind . Mushroom Model Publications, 2017, ISBN 978-83-65281-53-1 , pp. 9.40 ( limited preview in Google Book Search).
4. ↑ Alexander Mladenov: Mil Mi-24 Hind Gunship . Bloomsbury Publishing, 2012, ISBN 978-1-78200-141-6 , pp. 30 ( limited preview in Google Book search).
5. ↑ Night Hawk: Night Hawk , accessed January 20, 2019
6. ↑ Thai Military and Asian Region: Mi-24 Super Hind | Thai Military and Asian Region , accessed January 20, 2019
7. ^ Yefim Gordon, Dmitriy Komissarov: Mil Mi-24 Hind attack helicopter . Airlife, 2001, ISBN 978-1-84037-238-0 , pp. 56 ( limited preview in Google Book search).
8. ↑ Types of aircraft in the world . Bechtermünz, Augsburg 1997, ISBN 3-86047-593-2 , p. 639 .
9. ↑ Jefim Gordon : Mil Mi-24 Hind Attack Helicopter. Airlife Publishing, 2001.
10. ↑ GUV-8700 Gun Pod. sobchak.wordpress.com, accessed January 11, 2014 (Italian, Russian Универсальная вертолётная гондола 8700 ). 
11. ^ Overscan's guide to Russian Military Avionics. Archived from the original on October 29, 2016 ; accessed on October 2, 2019 .  
12. ↑ http://articles.janes.com/articles/Janes-Avionics/LIP-missile-approach-warner-Russia-and-the-CIS.html
13. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk} The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS): The Military Balance 2018 . 1st edition. Routledge, London 2018, ISBN 978-1-85743-955-7 (English, January 2018).
14. ↑ Egypt Mi-24 Hinds. In: Joseph Dempsey. Joseph Dempsey, January 13, 2020, accessed January 20, 2020 . 
15. ↑ Egypt fielding previously unknown Mi-24 helos. In: Gareth Jennings, London - Jane's Defense Weekly. Jane's Defense Weekly, January 13, 2020, accessed January 20, 2020 . 
16. ^ The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS): The Military Balance 2018 . 1st edition. Routledge, London 2018, ISBN 978-1-85743-955-7 , pp. 197–199, 206 (English, as of January 2018, 127 Mi-24W / P and at least 72 Mi-35M).
17. ↑ Минобороны получило семь новых боевых вертолетов. In: ИЗВЕСТИЯ. шн.ru, March 7, 2019, accessed on March 8, 2019 (in Russian, among other things, another 2 Mi-35M were delivered). 
18. ↑ The air force of the NVA. Pp. 69-70.
19. ^ Detlef Billig, Manfred Meyer: Airplanes of the GDR. Type book military and civil aviation. III volume until 1990. Friedland 2003, ISBN 3-613-02285-0 . Pp. 146-152
20. ↑ Thomas Girke, Georg Bader: Upgrade for the Mi-24. In: Fliegerrevue Extra No. 2, 2003, ISSN  0941-889X , p. 10.