Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) acquired four helicopter gunships from Russia with delivery being made on January 3rd 2012 to the 50th Air Calvary Division by the Russian state-owned corporation Rosoboronexport which is an intermediary for all imports and exports of military related hardware.
KDF confirmed that delivery of the aircraft and said that the orders were placed several years back. The delivery dates were late 2011 and January 2012.
Key Features and Capabilities
- The Mil Mi-28A/N (“Havoc”) is a Russian all-weather, day-night, military tandem, two-seat anti-armor attack helicopter designed and produced by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant. It is a dedicated combat helicopter with no intended secondary transport capability.
- It is lower cost gunship helicopter and similar to Mi-24 gunship.
- Main variants include; Mi-28N: All weather day-night version, Mi-28NE: export version of the Mi-28N and Mi-28UB: (Ucebno-Bojevoj) “Training-and-combat” version, designed for training for Mi-28N.
- Has an air-air, as well as air-ground capabilities.
- It has an armoured cockpit
- It comes with an additional small passenger compartment capable of carrying three people. The intended purpose of this is to enable the rescue of downed helicopter crews.
- The Mi-28A helicopter is powered by two TV3-117VMA turboshaft engines, fitted on either side of the fuselage.
- Fitted with deflectors for dust and foreign objects forward of air intakes.
- The internal fuel capacity is 1,720 litres. Provision for four external fuel tanks on underwing pylons are available.
- equipped with the 2A42 30mm turret-mounted gun able to rotate through +-110° in azimuth, elevate 13° and depress 40°
- Its ammunition load of 250-rounds is stowed in containers installed on the turret proper to ensure reliable ammunition feed.
- The helicopter’s combat survivability is ensured by a radar/ laser threat warning system, heat and chaff decoy dispensers.
- Has two pylons are fitted under each stub wing to mount bombs, rockets, missiles, and gun pods. Mi-28N’s Main armament configurations include:
– 16 Ataka-V anti-tank missiles and 40 S-8 rockets, Or
– 16 Ataka-V anti-tank missiles, and 10 S-13 rockets, Or
– 16 Ataka-V anti-tank missiles, and two 23 mm Gsh-23L gun pods with 250 rounds each.
– Other ordnance: 9K118 Sheksna and 9A-2200 anti-tank missiles, 8 Igla-V and Vympel R-73 air-to-air missiles, 2 KMGU-2 mine dispensers
- Speed: 265 km/h (max speed: 324 km/h)
- Crew: 1 pilot + 1 gunner
