Not very pretty, but impressive credentials....
Posted on 07/21/2004 12:29:15 PM PDT by knighthawk
MOSCOW, July 21 (RIA Novosti) - A new Russian reconnaissance helicopter, Ka-31, has been presented to foreign delegations at the Farnborough 2004 international air show, reports Rosoboronexport, Russia's main arms exporter.
Presenting the helicopter at Farnborough, Russian officials pointed out that many nations nowadays feel an acute need for lightweight reconnaissance aircraft, ones that could provide their armed forces with timely and accurate intelligence while also exercising control of sea, land, and aerial borders. And using large reconnaissance planes for these purposes may be too costly.
According to its designers, the Ka-31 helicopter can be employed in both military and civilian operations. It is intended for monitoring developments in the air, on the ground, and on the sea surface and transmitting data on specific targets to control stations based either on the ground and on board a ship. In peacetime, the aircraft can be used for monitoring sea, land, and air borders, economic zones, and water areas, as well as for controlling air traffic and carrying out search and rescue missions. This state-of-the-art helicopter can locate sea surface targets within a distance of 250 kilometers and aerial targets as far as 200 kilometers away. It can also convoy up to 40 targets.
The new Russian aircraft has no analogues in the world as of yet. It can take off from air fields, ship decks, and even not properly equipped sites any time of day and night and in any kind of weather conditions.
It will inspect some 250,000 square meters of sea surface within just one hour of flight. When monitoring airspace, it will detect enemy aviation as far as 350 kilometers away.
The Ka-31's high reconnaissance potential will substantially raise the combat efficiency of shipborne and coastal anti-aircraft installations, its designers say.
Ping
Not very pretty, but impressive credentials....
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NAVY/Ka-31.html
Eh, it's an ASW/AEW upgrade to the Hormones.
That is one ugly thing.
Ping.
btw: Having nothing to do with helicopters, but for the record, I think the Warthog (which many call "ugly") is very cool:
Designated "Stubby" by NATO...
We are in complete agreement on the Warthog.
Helicopters don't fly, they are so ugly they are repelled by the Earth.
Typical Kamov design...a shoebox that can hover! :) Notice those distinctive stacked counter-rotating rotors that eliminate the need for a tail rotor.
Not pretty, but like most Russian hardware, probably very functional and very rugged.
}:-)4
It looks like a flying laundry iron.
For what it's worth, I agree with you. The Air Force apparently hated the A-10 initially (tank-fighting was beneath them, apparently), but the A-10 has proved it's value. It is a very unique aircraft, and a very cool one at that.
I dunno. Apache's are pretty cool. But I have heard helicopters don't fly -- they beat the air into submission.
ROFL!!!! Too funny. Another prime example of cold-war era Soviet aircraft design.
I've heard from fixed-wing pilots that helicopters don't fly...the earth rejects them.
Helicopters can do a Square dance.
I don't believe any other air craft can do this.
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