Kamov V-80 - Competition
OKB N.I. Kamov finally developed the concept of the new V-80 combat helicopter: a single-seat coaxial highly maneuverable helicopter with powerful and diverse weapons, the firing range of which should exceed the firing range of opposing systems of a potential enemy. It was supposed to equip a complex of functionally-connected equipment with a high level of automation of the tasks to be solved, ensuring high combat survivability, pilot survival in an emergency, and long-term deployment on unprepared sites. The helicopter was supposed to be part of the reconnaissance and strike complex, including aviation and ground reconnaissance and target designation.
At this point, the USSR already had experience in creating rotorcraft on a competitive basis. In 1950, prototype Yak-100 OKB A.S. Yakovleva and GM-1 (Mi-1) Design Bureau M.L. Mil. With almost the same flight performance data, the Mi-1 was preferred. At the end of the 50s. as part of the competition, the Mi-6 helicopter and the Ka-22 rotorcraft are being built. A ticket to life was received by the Mi-6 helicopter. In 1968, at the preliminary design competition of the first army combat helicopter, the Air Force institutes preferred the Ka-25 F, but the final decision was made this time in favor of the Design Bureau M.L.Mil and his Mi-24 combat helicopter.
As a result of the analysis of the situation, the leadership of the Kamov company was able to draw the correct conclusion that it was necessary to prepare for the upcoming competition in advance. Non-standard approaches to shaping the image of a future competitor helicopter and a team of like-minded enterprises were required. Among them were the Instrument Design Bureau, headed by A.G. Shipunov, Central Research Institute of Precision Engineering under the direction of Director V.M. Sabelnikova. The project was supported by the head of GosNIIAS E.A. Fedosov. From the Ministry of Defense, the highly-automated V-80 project received approval from 30 Central Research Institute of Defense.
The work at this stage was personally supervised by the then young chief designer of OKB S.V. Mikheev. The main rival of the new helicopter was considered the American AN-64A Apache, the materials for the creation of which were carefully studied. To compete with him was a very difficult pesky combat helicopter, OKB N.I. Kamov's specialists turned to the experience of aircraft companies. They developed close ties with colleagues from OKB P.O. Sukhoi, who at that time were engaged in the design of the Su-25T attack aircraft. The airmen willingly shared their experiences. They even discussed the option of using the Su-25T cockpit on the V-80 without any changes, but this idea had to be abandoned in the future - the armor of the Su-25T cockpit turned out to be weak protection for helicopter operating conditions. Nevertheless, the study of "airplane"
In total, about twenty inventions were realized on the V-80 helicopter. In essence, its development resulted in the implementation of several state programs: the creation of systems of electronic equipment, weapons, rescue the pilot, development of means to increase combat survivability, production technology of aviation materials and several others.
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