Kamov V-80 - Production
Minister of Defense Marshal of the Soviet Union Sergey S. Sokolov intervened personally to test new helicopters in business and evaluate their merits. In October 1986, a show was held at the Gorokhovetsky training ground, in which the V-80 and Mi-28, equipped with a full range of equipment and weapons, demonstrated their capabilities. Both machines were assigned the same tasks and defined similar goals. Watching the show, the pilots of the Mi-8 helicopters, who delivered the command to the training ground, could not refrain from applause.
After the flights, Sokolov held a meeting with the pilots and engineers of the Scientific Research Institute of the Ministry of Defense, who directly supervised the competition. The military rated the Mi-28 as a good machine, superior to the Mi-24 and in many respects not inferior to the Apache. But the V-80, in their opinion, was not just a good machine, it reflected a new direction in the development of combat helicopter equipment.
According to the results of the competition, in December 1987, a resolution was adopted by the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR on the victory of OKB N.I. Kamov, conducting state tests and launching the V-80 in a series. In addition, the Ministry of Defense formulated additional requirements for the V-80 as the winner of the competition. Then OKB M.L. Mil was invited to continue work on the Mi-28 project with a view to realizing the possibilities of selling this helicopter abroad, and it was recommended that the potential incorporated in the design be used to modernize the “twenty-fours”.
Preparations for mass production of the V-80 began at the Arsenyev Aviation Plant, now known as the Arsenyev Aviation Company Progress. It originates from the plant number 116, which was founded in 1936. Then, in the Ussuri taiga, 278 km from Vladivostok, the government commission chose the site for the construction of the aircraft plant. Starting with the repair of aircraft, this plant over time has become one of the largest aviation enterprises in Russia. In 1941-1945 UT-2 aircraft were built at the plant. After the war, the plant produced Yak-18, Yak-50, Yak-55, An-14 aircraft, A-15 glider, Sever and Ka-30 snowmobiles. Almost all Mi-24 helicopters that fought in Afghanistan were made on it and were not just “made” - they were brought to perfection. Zavodskis also use their rich experience in the serial production of the Ka-50. Today’s director of the Progress company Yu.S. gives a lot of strength and talent to this machine. Bodnya, as well as her employees M.Yu. Lukin, V.M. Rezunov and others
In accordance with the aforementioned decree, the Ukhtomsk Helicopter Plant released the V-80 No. 04 (aircraft No. 014) in March 1989, and the V-80 No. 05 (aircraft No. 015) in April 1990. At the same time, the V-80 helicopter No. 05 was the standard for mass production. Both vehicles were equipped with UV-26 jamming devices and a radar warning system. For the first time, the Rubicon complex included external target designation equipment. The analogue weapon control system was replaced by a new, lightweight, built on the basis of a digital computer. The Five was first equipped with a workable emergency escape system with a K-37-800 ejection seat.
From July 1988 to June 1990, four V-80 helicopters took part in flight design tests. Two of them, V-80 No. 03 and No. 05, were used to fine-tune and test the load-bearing system, control system, chassis, system of outboard fuel tanks, assess flight performance, determine the loads acting on the helicopter in flight, and two others, V-80 No. 02 and No. 04, for assessing the characteristics of weapons and their control systems, as well as the gas-dynamic stability of a power plant. In addition, the effect of electromagnetic radiation on the weapon control system was studied at V-80 No. 04. In May 1991, the Arsenyev Aviation Plant launched the lead serial helicopter V-80 No. 08 (tail number 018). The first flight on it was performed by test pilot N. Dovgan on May 22, 1991.
The first stage of state tests (assessment of flight performance) of the V-80 helicopter began in mid-1991. The V-80 helicopters No. 04 and No. 05 participated in them. In January 1992, the V-80 No. 08 was transferred to the Scientific Test Air Force Institute, now the State Flight Testing Center (GLIC), where in February they began to fly according to the program of the second stage of state tests (assessment of combat effectiveness). A great contribution to the assessment and refinement of the V-80 helicopter was made by test pilots of the GLITs: V.I. Kostin, N.V. Kolpakov, V.A. Pukhvatov, A.S. Papay.
State tests once again confirmed the possibility of the effective use of a single-seat combat helicopter with proper training of flight personnel. So, Colonel V.A. Pukhvatov performed seven flights with the use of weapons during one flight shift, including one day and two night flights with the integrated use of several types of weapons. Moreover, out of five ATGM four hit targets (two launches were performed at night). As part of the state tests, the V-80 was flown around by combat pilots, who praised the characteristics of the machine. State tests continued with interruptions to eliminate customer comments until August 1993. In August 1995, by decree of the President of Russia, the helicopter was put into service.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
