 |
| 23 Russian Ka-52 Attack Helicopters Destroyed by MANPADS, Ukraine Also Lost 155 Helicopters |
International Military - Russia is estimated to have lost 54 helicopters since the war with Ukraine at the end of February 2022. Even Russia has lost 23 of the most advanced combat helicopters owned by the Ka-52 Alligator. British Ministry of Defense intelligence data says that at least 23 Russian Ka-52 Alligator helicopters have been shot down or missing since the war broke out on February 24, 2022. That number is equivalent to 25 percent of the Russian Air Force fleet, which consists of 90 Ka-52s.
The Ka-52 Alligator is an all-weather attack helicopter operated by the Russian Air Force. This helicopter is a dual seat variant of the Ka-50 attack helicopter developed by the Kamov Design Bureau (part of Russian Helicopters).
The Ka-52 helicopter can destroy armored ground targets and military vehicles, low-speed air targets, and frontline personnel. The helicopter is also used as a surveillance platform and air command post for a group of attack helicopters. The figures are in line with data from Oryx, an independent researcher who tracks visually confirmed war equipment losses. The site counts a total of 54 Russian helicopter losses since February.
Details consist of 23 Ka-52s, 12 Mi-8 Hip transport helicopters, 3 Mi-24 attack helicopters, 5 Mi-35 Hinds, 6 Mi-28 Havoc attack helicopters, and 5 other unidentified helicopters. By comparison, Oryx counts only 15 Ukrainian helicopters that were visually confirmed to have been lost during the conflict, 8 of which were Mi-8s.
Again, this is a confirmed loss, there's likely to be more that can't be confirmed visually. This doesn't take into account battle-damaged machines that are no longer fit for battle.
According to a report, Russian attack helicopters have been killed by missiles from Ukraine's human-portable air defense system (MANPADS). MANPADS have been identified as the backbone of Ukraine's air defenses. Ukraine has an estimated 1,400 US-made FIM-192 Stinger systems delivered before and after the war. The Ukrainian military is also using the Russian-made Igla system, which shot down a Su-34 bomber in late August.
The Russian Armed Forces claims to have destroyed more than 5,000 tanks and other armored vehicles belonging to the Ukrainian armed forces during special operations in Ukraine. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov said Russia also destroyed 155 Ukrainian helicopters.
“Since the start of special military operations, a total of 293 aircraft, 155 helicopters, 1,981 unmanned aerial vehicles, 375 anti-aircraft missile systems, 5,022 tanks and other armored fighting vehicles, 837 multiple rocket launcher vehicles, 3,397 field artillery and mortar guns and 5,680 special military vehicles have been destroyed," he said.