In 2020, the Russian Defence Ministry plans to conclude a contract for the purchase of 114 upgraded Ka-52M combat helicopters. Russian Helicopters, a state-owned helicopter producer, announced in a press release on May 28, 2019, that it is modernizing the Ka-52 into a new version – the Ka-52M – which will be produced in sizable quantities moving forward. The Ka-52M will get new power supply, target acquisition systems, radio-electronic protection system, low signature devices that reduce, dissipate and distort the engines’ thermal trace and also active countermeasures capabilities. A new, upgraded according to the Syrian experience, the version of the Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter will be created by 2022. As the upgrade work progresses, the Russian military continues to receive the base-model Ka-52.
In a statement, Russian Helicopters CEO Andrey Boginsky said, “Work is underway to further increase the range of detecting and identifying targets and, correspondingly, to boost the capabilities of employing weapons against both ground and air targets. Also, in cooperation with other enterprises, we are working on the issue of increasing the helicopter’s armored protection and renewing its power supply system. The second task is to standardize air-launched weapons with our other helicopters of the Mi family.” Separately, Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko indicated that up to 114 Ka-52Ms are to be purchased under a contract that could be signed as early as next year. e made the statement while on a visit to the Progress Aviation Enterprise, a subsidiary of Russian Helicopters that manufactures the Ka-52.
