The Ka-52 Alligator has already been fielded in widespread squadron service with the army aviation branch of the Vozdushno- Kosmicheskiye Sily (VKS, Russian Aerospace Forces), with between 150 and 160 examples taken on strength by late 2021. The huge aviation plant at Arsenyev in Russia's Far East, known as AAC Progress, is near to completing the production run of the baseline version for the Russian military, initiated in 2009. The first export-tandard Alligators were rolled out in early 2017 for delivery to Egypt in the autumn of that same year while an initial batch of enhanced Ka-52Ms for the VKS is set to be rolled out in 2022. The co-axial rotor attack machine has been welcomed by the aircrews in the front-line Russian Army Aviation (RAA) squadrons, as it is easy-to-control, possessing plenty of excess power and without suffering from noticeable performance degradation in hot-and-high environments. The two contra-rotating, three-blade coaxial rotor system contributes to the Ka-52's compact appearance, stability of flight and high agility, making it practically insensitive in regard to wind direction and well-suited for flying and fighting in hot-and-high environments. The type received its baptism of fire in early April 2016 during the Russian campaign in Syria and still continues combat operations in the Middle East.
展开▼
