KA-52 Alligator – this attack helicopter is Putin’s most dangerous tank killer

war in Ukraine
KA-52 Alligator – this attack helicopter is Putin’s most dangerous tank killer

At the beginning of the war, the Ukrainians swept the Russian helicopters out of the sky. But they have adapted. They now stay out of the reach of the Ukrainians and shoot down their tank columns with long-range rockets.

The KA-52 “Alligator” is the most modern Russian attack helicopter, if not in the whole world. But in the Ukraine war he did not prove himself at first. In the first phase of the war, helicopters flew sorties deep into Ukrainian-held territory. They were repeatedly attacked by portable anti-aircraft missiles – manpads. These anti-missiles find their target based on heat radiation. The helicopters distracted them with decoys. Sometimes they succeeded, but often they didn’t. Especially not if they were attacked several times in a row. In addition, the technically very advanced helicopters were often equipped with old, cheap weapon systems such as unguided rockets and therefore had to operate close to the enemy and then came within range of the missile defenses.

Can only be used at a distance

The Ka-52 is a two-seater “pure” attack helicopter, unlike the older Mil Mi-24, it cannot transport a squadron of soldiers. Both pilots sit next to each other and not one behind the other as in western models. They have an ejection seat and therefore have a chance of surviving even if they are hit. Because of the danger posed by manpads, a large part of the armament, such as the autocannon, is obsolete. The top speed is 310 km/h and the range is 450 kilometers. It can be increased to 1200 kilometers with drop tanks. In wartime, the longer distance is not likely to be that important, but a longer flight and deployment time is. 1

In the summer of 2023, the KA-52 will be back as a tank killer. Two factors come together here. The Russians have learned from their mistakes and they use the helicopters where Ukraine and not the Russians are on the attack. As a result, the helicopters do not have to fly over Ukrainian-controlled areas, they remain above or behind the Russian lines. They can do this because they use a long-range weapon. Cyclone-type anti-tank missiles – 9K121 Vikhr, the Russian equivalent of the American Hellfire.

Long range missile

The Vikhr is not the most modern system. She “rides” a laser beam that guides her to the target. It is not a fire-and-forget weapon, and the rocket’s final approach cannot be made from above. On the other hand, the tandem hollow charge of almost nine kilos is dangerous to any opponent. The range is eight kilometers. Because of the long duration of the flight on the Russian videos, it is assumed that the range has now been increased to ten to 12 kilometers.

The target has to be illuminated by a laser because of the entire duration of the flight, which is actually a big disadvantage. But it matters less because the helicopters stay out of range of Kiev’s defensive weapons. The target can be illuminated from the helicopter, but does not have to be. The laser can be installed on a drone or used by a ground team.

At a distance of eight, ten or even twelve kilometers, the helicopter is far beyond the range of manpads. Even mobile anti-aircraft systems such as Gepard or Strela cannot reach him. While in reverse they are fought from the KA-52. “If the Russians attack us with helicopters from 8 kilometers away, we have nothing to fight them from afar,” a Ukrainian soldier told Bild reporter Paul Ronzheimer.

No defense possible

Even far-reaching defense systems have a hard time. They have to be close to the front, so Kiev lost an Iris-T radar. The German Iris-T defense system has a maximum range of 40 kilometers, but if a wider zone is to be covered behind the Russian front, the effective range shrinks. If Iris-T is to cover a 10 km wide strip and 10 km deep behind the Russian front, it would have to be placed behind the Ukrainian line, in the middle of the range of the Russian kamikaze drones.

Even longer-range air defense systems such as the Patriot or S-300 cannot detect the low-lying helicopters with their ground radar if they want to keep their distance.

Can only be fought effectively from the air

The problem is difficult to solve. The NATO doctrine would try to target the helicopters with surveillance planes and then attack them with jets and their interceptor missiles. But as long as Ukraine does not have F-16 fighter jets, this technology can hardly be used. Even with the F-16, a successful mission would have to be led by a US surveillance jet.

Ukraine claims numerous KA-52 downs, but has no proof. Instead of videos, there are unconvincing icon images with helicopters crossed out in red. A Russian video shows a KA-52 that has lost its tail rotor. The small rotor at the tail stabilizes it, but since the Alligator has two large counter-rotating rotors, it could continue to fly. However, Russian bloggers claim that the loss of the tail rotor was not caused by a missile hit, but the tail was torn off by a drop tank.

That’s why helicopters are so effective

Anti-tank guided missiles are also used by infantry. So why are the helicopters so dangerous? Because of their mobility, they can be thrown very quickly to the place where Ukraine dares to attack. This is not possible with floor systems. In addition, the helicopters themselves are not endangered. The Russian videos show them picking their targets like they would at the shooting range. While the infantry in the combat zone is being fired at, because the Ukrainians are doing everything they can to keep the Russians down in the attack. Unlike a jet, a helicopter can lurk at a point behind the front lines for a very long time and then strike at the right moment.

Without the F-16, it’s a difficult situation for Ukraine. The Russians will try to make their missiles even more deadly and longer-ranged, and will equip more older helicopters with the Cyclone missile. Only about 150 of the Ka-52 were built, and over 2,000 of the older Mil Mi-24.