Kamov readies for export of Ka-52 Alligator combat helicopters to three countries

Moscow: Russia's famed helicopter design bureau, Kamov, has said it has received export orders for the Ka-52 Alligator (NATO: Hokum-B) combat helicopters from three countries. The Ka-52 is a twin-seat derivative of the Ka-50 Black Shark (NATO: Hokum-A) attack helicopter, and is designed primarily for reconnaissance and target designation purposes.

The Alligator is similar in capabilities to the US AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.

"We have received orders for these helicopters from three countries," said Yury Denisenko, general director of the Progress aircraft manufacturing company. "We are studying these orders and will provide the names of the countries that ordered the aircraft if the contracts are signed," he added.

Denisenko also added that the Russian defence forces would remain the key customer for Ka-52 helicopters. He declined to disclose the number of aircraft ordered by the military, citing confidentiality.

The Russian government has cleared production of the Ka-52 attack helicopters in December last year and the country's air force chief, Col. Gen. Alexander Zelin, has said that first deliveries of 12 Ka-52 Hokum-Bs to the Russian Air Force will start in 2009. 

Ka-52 "Alligator"
The Ka-52 is another modification of the basic Ka-50 design and features a two-place side-by-side cockpit. The main duties of the Alligator are to detect targets and redistribute them among supporting Ka-50 Black Sharks. In comparison to the original Ka-50, it has a wider cockpit, reduced cockpit armour and large nose-mounted radome.

Equipment includes radar with two antennas - mast-mounted for aerial targets and nose-mounted for ground targets, and "Samshite" day-and-night TV/thermal sighting system in two spherical turrets (one over the cockpit and second under the nose).

The Ka-52 retains the side mounted cannon and six wing mounted hardpoints of the original Ka-50.