Export modifications of the Russian Ka-52M and Mi-28NM combat helicopters will receive a new missile. This was reported by the Russian news agencies during the recent EDEX-2021 exhibition in Cairo with reference to the Deputy General Director of the High-Precision Weapons (HPW) holding Sergei Mikhailov.
Combat helicopters for the Russian Air Force will be armed with new light multipurpose guided missile. During ARMY-2021 the Russian Ministry of Defense signed a contract for the supply of a batch of 30 modernized Ka-52M helicopters within 2022 and 2023. Earlier, at ARMY-2019 the MoD contracted Rostvertol plant for delivery of 98 Mi-28NM helicopters by 2027.
The ARMY-2021 also became a premier for export version of the missile which got designation 305E (with E showing that it is certified for export). The missile was developed by the Kolomna-based KBM Design bureau of the HPW holding.
The 305E missile is designed for round-the-clock engagement of single/group, moving/stationary, ground/surface heat-contrast objects and sheltered/openly deployed manpower.
The light multipurpose guided missile 305E is built according to the aerodynamic “duck” scheme, the rudders are in the head of the rocket, and the wings, which also serve as a stabilizer, are located in the tail part of the rocket body. They are foldable.
According to the official data distributed by the manufacturer at the Army-2021 forum, the 305E missile has weight of 105 kg, length of 1945 mm, and body diameter of 200 mm. The weight of the blast-fragmentation warhead is 25 kg. The solid-propellant engine provides missile’s speed of up to 250 m / s, a guaranteed (as said in official booklet) flight range of up to 14,500 m, and a flight altitude of 100 to 600 m. The missile features modular design and can be armed with different warheads.
The missile’s guidance system is combined: inertial guidance with correction from satellite navigation equipment and self-guidance under control of seeker with ability to involve operator at the terminal part of trajectory. The missile is fired from the APU-305 launchers, designed for one or two missiles.
According to the KBM representative, the missile is produced serially. In addition to integration with Ka-52M and Mi-28NM, the missile can be adapted to other helicopters, on customer's request, the source added.
According to the information of Russian media, MoD is working out the issue of equipping not only helicopters, but also combat aircraft with the new guided missiles. It is also considered as a promising weapon for attack UAVs. According to experts, in terms of weight and dimensions, it is well suited for arming attack aircraft, like Su-25 and Orion drones.
The Kolomna-based KBM Design bureau is one of Russia’s leaders in the field of guided weapon systems development. Bureau’s competence focuses on the design of tactical ballistic missile systems, active protection systems, anti-tank guided weapon systems and man-portable air defense systems.
Development of the 305E missile is based on the success of the KBM-design helicopter-borne guided weapon systems operated by the Russian Armed Forces and armies of friendly nations. Bureau’ s portfolio includes, in particular the SHTURM-VK guided weapon system to arm Mi-35M rotorcraft, the SHTURM-VU guided weapon system with a multi-channel laser-beam riding guidance for the Kamov family of helicopters and the ATAKA-VN system arming the Mi-28N gunships. (Yury Laskin, LAGUK-Media; Photo © Yury Laskin at ARMY 2021 Forum)
