Russia to start production of new Ka-52 helicopters in October

Russia to start production of new Ka-52 helicopters in October (NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW - October 14, 2008: The Progress aircraft maker, based in Russia's Far East, will start production of a new model of the Ka-52 Hokum-B attack/reconnaissance helicopter in October 2008, a company official said Monday. The Ka-52 is a twin-seat derivative of the Ka-50 Hokum-A attack helicopter, and is designed primarily for reconnaissance and target designation purposes. It is similar to the U.S. AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. "The Kamov design bureau has successfully completed testing of the Ka-52 Hokum-B attack/reconnaissance helicopter and it has been adopted for service with the Russian Air Force," Konstantin Parshin said. "The production of the helicopter will start in October at the Progress aircraft-manufacturing company," the official said. Deliveries of the Ka-52 Hokum-B to the Russian Air Force will start in 2009. According to its commander, Col. Gen. Alexander Zelin, the Russian Air Force will receive more than 100 new combat helicopters, including the Ka-52 and the Mi-28N Night Hunter, over a five-year period up to 2015. The Kamov design bureau has said it plans to supply Ka-50 and Ka-52 helicopters to foreign customers in the future.