Night Hunters Enforce Peace in Uganda

10.04.2023 Security
Night Hunters Enforce Peace in Uganda

Night Hunters Enforce Peace in Uganda

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The long-standing conflict between the Government of Uganda and the so-called Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) looks to come into a new stage with the help of the Mi-28 Russian-made attack helicopters. The vehicles being called in Russia as “Night Hunters” due to the round-the-clock combat capability have changed the situation at the battlefield dramatically.

On March, 22, 2023 the Commander of Uganda Air Force, Lt. General Charles Okidi officiated the pass out of twelve pilots and fifty-two engineers who completed an eight months training course for Mi-28 operation and maintenance at Soroti Air Force Wing, the Uganda People’s Defense Force’s (UPDF’s) official site reports.

Earlier, the Pilots started with a demonstration for the MI-28NE attack helicopters at Olilim Demo grounds in Katakwi District.

Lt. General Okidi praised the pilots for their job in providing air power during operations. “There is no doubt that the introduction of the attack helicopters into the battlefield changed the tides of war in Northern Uganda against the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in favour of the UPDF and continue to do so in the subsequent operations. So, with the acquisition of New Air Assets, we are ready to serve our beloved country more in that capacity,” concluded Okidi.

The Mi-28N Night Hunter day/night version was developed by the Moscow-based Mil Design Bureau and produced by the Rostvertol company in Rostov-on-Don. Both enterprises are now subsidiaries of the Russian Helicopters Holding.

According to the Rosoboronexport the vehicle maximum takeoff is 12.100kg, including 2100 kg of payload. The National defense trader’s catalogue claims the machine speed is up to 315 km/h with a service ceiling 5600 m and a flying range on internal fuel tanks of 425 km.

The machine smart weaponry was developed by the KBM Design Bureau in Kolomna, Moscow region, now the High Precision Weapons (HPW) Holding subsidiary. The Night Hunter is armed with up to 16 Shturm and Ataka anti-tank missiles. Shturm is a radio command-guided missile while the Ataka employs a laser beam channel. Maximum firing range of the missile is 8 km. The helicopter can also carry 80 mm or 122 mm rockets and gun pods. The helicopter is equipped with a turreted 30 mm cannon.

The article being published in the African Security magazine claims on possible options for the Night Hunter’s upgrade. It can be focused on the extension of the armament variety to incorporate upgraded Ataka either Khrizantema missiles with a dual-control system featuring both radio and laser-beam channels. New weaponry enables to increase the target destruction range up to 10 km.

Another option with the same firing distance as above is the Vikhr ATGM, a product from the Tula-based Shipunov KBP Design Bureau, another HPW subsidiary. This version made its international debut at the Army 2022 Forum in the Moscow region.

Besides the upgraded helicopter can be equipped with air bombs which efficiency has been proved in local conflicts of the last decade.

According to the Military Africa report, at least three Mi-28 were obtained by Uganda to team its elder fleet of Mi-24/25 in 2022. The UPDF has about a dozen Mi-24/35 attack helicopters in service along with several Mi-8/Mi-17s, several AB 206 Jet Rangers, half a dozen Bell 205s, and a couple of Bell 212 helicopters. Five refurbished Huey II helicopters were delivered from 2017.. (Yury Laskin, Laguk-Media; Photo: Mi-28N at Army Forum 2022 © Yury Laskin)

 



 
 

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