Mi-28 vs Ka-50 Competition
Simultaneously with Mil, the design of the combat helicopter V-80 was proposed to the government by the Ukhtomskiy Helicopter Plant im. N.I.Kamova. The specialists of OKB im. Kamov, having an experience of the application of helicopters of twin-screw coaxial layout aboard ships, came to the conclusion that the apparatus of this diagram will prove to be effective and with the solution of the problems of fire support of ground forces. The workers at Kamov [ie, "Kamovtsami"] proposed the original concept of helicopter- attack aircraft with one crew member. Of the functions of the second crew member to a considerable extent it had to take upon itself electronic complex.
On December 16, 1976, the CC CPSU and the Council of Ministers of USSR adopted resolution about the development of helicopters Mi-28 and V-80 (later the KA-50) on a competitive basis, and both firms approached their preliminary designs. Since there was no concrete tactical-technical task from VVS, the specialists MVZ and UVZ obtained a wide freedom of actions. There began a competition unprecedented in the history of aviation, in which to the creators of helicopters were able on their own to develop the concepts of the combat helicopters, based on their own understanding of the tasks, confronting the machine, and the methods of their fulfillment, to and then prove the prospect of their concepts to customer.
As a result the firms began the design of the machines of completely different class, which are characterized by aerodynamic configuration, with takeoff mass, crew, armament, equipment and the like that had no analogs to the Kamov V-80 helicopter. The Mi-28 was projected by MVZ im. M.L.Mil in accordance with concept of two-place combat vehicle with the clear separation of functions (piloting, observation, the recognition of purpose, aiming, connection and control of armament) taken in the entire world and confirmed its viability in the real military operations between two crew members. As the prototype the works at Mil [ie, "milevtsy"] took Mi-24 and the best foreign helicopter of analogous class - American An-64 "Apache", which it was in prospect to exceed according to the basic indices.
Creating the Mi-28, the designers of MVZ im.M.L.Milya sought the achievement of weight perfection with the necessary strength, reliability and combat vitality used the new methods of the optimum design, approved with the creation of the farm horse Mi-26. Draft designing was accompanied by the study of the numerous versions of the layouts, including of the original layout of fuselage the so-called "central core", i.e., with the arrangement of all vitally important parts and systems in the central longitudinal stressed frame, on boards of which were placed the sections with the equipment and the secondary aggregates.
However, calculations showed the complexity of the achievement of the necessary vibration and strength characteristics, the vulnerability of equipment and made it necessary to forego the attractive diagram and to return to the traditional layout of all-metal semimonocoque fuselage. Designers decided to provide combat vitality with duplicating aggregates with their maximum diversity and with mutual screening, protection of more important aggregates by less important, with combining of armoring, with selection of materials and dimensions of construction, which prevent catastrophic structural failures in the time, sufficient for the fulfillment of assignments and return for the base during the damage.
The layout of flight deck became one of the key elements. "Milevtsy" immediately forewent the arrangement of crew members by a number, since this layout did not ensure the necessary viewing angles to pilot and to operator, and it also complicated the escape of helicopter. Most successful was acknowledged to be the "tandem" arrangement (place of pilot it was elevated above the operator's position), i.e., the diagram, checked by life on Mi-24. Subsequently the correctness of selection was confirmed by world experience. In the course of design Mi-28 experimental production, MVZ constructed the set of mock-ups and models, including consecutively six full-scale mock-ups of helicopter, which made it possible to optimally arrange combat vehicle.
Toward the end 1977, designers of MVZ im. M.L.Mil finished the preliminary design, and also coordinated with the subsidaries all programs of the creation of the completion systems of equipment and armament. The following of one-and-a-half year left for the agreement with the customer of all aspects of tactical-technical task for the helicopter and his complex, and in 1979, OKB approached the working design of helicopter and the tests of the first experimental models of aggregates and systems.
The versions of different diagrams and constructive solutions were studied with the design of the aggregates of helicopter, new materials with a strict observance of weight and strength control widely took root. In particular, as the alternatives by specialists MVZ were designed and built two types of fundamentally new rotor hubs Mi-28; elastomeric and torsion, and are also tested, together with the tail rotor, which has traditional method administrations of blade pitch, experimental tail rotor with the controlled flap, power shaft from the carbon-fiber reinforced plastic. The selection of the most promising solutions was accompanied by the comprehensive tests of aggregates on the stands.
In all were created 54 stands, including full-scale stand, stand of automatic static tests, electro-screw test bench of the main rotor gearbox, test benches of the elements of bushings, blades and other aggregates, unique stand- mock-up for finalizing of the system of the survival of crew with the emergency landings, and also stand for investigating the pressure of overloads on the man and finalizing of the systems of rescuing. For conducting the preliminary flight tests of aggregates (elastomeric and torsion bushings and the blades of rotor, tail rotor, engines TVZ-117VM) and systems (autopilot, aiming-navigation- piloting complex and the controlled rocket weapon) experimental production re-equipped into the flying laboratories four helicopters Mi-24, and then several Mi-8.
Designers MVZ im. M.L.Mil together with the subsidaries from specialized OKB and NII (Scientific Research Institute) conducted experimental studies according to the programs of the guarantee of high combat vitality and small thermal distinctness, in particular ballistic tests for vitality of the flight deck, fuel tank, blades of carrier and tail rotor, of power shaft, control rods and hydraulic system, according to results of which was optimized the construction and the arrangement of armor protection; are for the first time in the domestic helicopter construction experimentally determined the characteristics of the thermal radiation of helicopter on all azimuths. Furthermore, joint efforts carried out the complex of experimental and calculated studies on the creation of the system of the passive protection of the crew of helicopter, was checked the fitness for work of the safely damaged means of emergency amortization and fixation - chassis, shock-steady armchairs, and the like
In August 1980, the commission of the presidium of the Council of Ministers of USSR for military industrial questions, after becoming acquainted with the motion of developing the prospective combat helicopter Mi-28, made a decision about the building of two experiment models, without waiting until the official assertion of final mock-up. The positive conclusion of model commission followed only at the end following year, when the assembly shop of plant already transmitted to the static tests the first model of helicopter and was built the first flying copy. Therefore the first model Mi-28, assembled in July 1982 ; was finished to the required level in the process of finishing and flight tests.
The investigations conducted in the USA proved the impossibility of creating a one-place combat helicopter with the existing level of the development of American electronics. Soviet military specialists came to the opposite conclusion, considering that Soviet instrumentmakers could create the automatically controlled complex, which made it possible for one-place combat helicopter effectively to act near the earth. In October 1984, the customer made his selection, giving preference to the Kamov helicopter V-80 for further development and series production in Arseneve.
The creation of the Mi-28 was a response to the American AN-64 Apache. Unlike the American machine, the first Mi-28s were not all-weather and could not be used at night. The Mi-28 did not have a single sighting and navigation system. The machine turned out crude and caused a negative assessment of the military, who liked another new product - the Ka-50. After comparative tests, the Kamov helicopter surpassed the machine of the Design Bureau M.L.Mil.
Then intrigues started: “Milevtsy” turned to the Air Force Commander of the USSR with a complaint about the bias of the competition. Under pressure from party members supporting Mil OKB, Air Force representatives agreed to new comparative tests, which dragged on until 1986. As a result, the Scientific Research Institute of the Ministry of Defense preferred the Ka-50. Then OKB M. L Mil accused the military of incompetence and sent the corresponding complaints to the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Minister of Defense. As a result, after numerous inspections, commissions and meetings, it turned out that the “Ka-50 ? is still better than the“ Mi-28 ?.
In April 1986 there took place simultaneous tests of the Mi-28 and V-80 for the detection, the recognition and the imitation of destruction of the targets, in course of which the Mi-28 convincingly proved its advantages. Nevertheless the specialists of the customer, without waiting until the end of comparative tests, on the basis the theoretical calculations came to the conclusion that V-80 possessed "the larger prospect for development and requires smaller expenditures for creation and content of helicopter group". For increasing the measures of the effectiveness of detection and discernment, the servicemen proposed for V-80 the procedure "equipment aim designation" from the special helicopter-intelligence officer or the ground-based complexes of guidance. However, this two-place helicopter-target indicator was in prospect to still to be constructed, and the instrumentation and armament of the V-80 had to be brought to the operational state. Therefore no one decided to shut the Mi-28 program, which was reduced only in the volume of financing.
The "Competition" was continued, but already under the unequal conditions. In spite of this, Mi-28 successfully completed State tests, after proving the high efficiency of its onboard systems and armament. Taking into account positive results SSGI, the CC CPSU and the Council of Ministers of USSR let out decision dated December 14, 1987. on the completion of works on Mi-28 and the beginning of series production at the Rostov helicopter plant. Further program of the improvement of helicopter provided for the creation of the during the first stage modernized "day" helicopter Mi-28A, and then its "night" version Mi-28N, capable of conducting military operations in the adverse weather conditions at any time of twenty-four hours.
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