Russian MoD Approves Upgrade of Mi-28 Helicopters to the Latest Mi-28NM Standard

The Russian Ministry of Defense has green lighted a plan to upgrade its existing Mi-28 helicopters to the deadly Mi-28NM standard.

“A plan for modernizing old Mi-28N/Mi-28NE and Mi-28UB helicopters to the level of the latest Mi-28NM gunships has been approved by Russia’s Defense Ministry,” Vitaly Shcherbina, Chief Designer of the Combat Helicopters Program at the Mil and Kamov National Helicopter Center, was quoted as saying by government-owned TASS today.

"Since 2015, we have been developing a plan to modernize baseline Mi-28N/Mi-28NE and Mi-28UB helicopters to the level of the functional capabilities of Mi-28NM rotorcraft. This plan has been agreed upon with military authorities and approved by a Russian deputy defense minister. It stipulates upgrading helicopters in the course of their major repairs," he said.

The upgrade envisages outfitting Mi-28N/Mi-28NE helicopters with dual control, individual protection kits and a modernized optoelectronic target sight system similar to that on the Mi-28NM, the chief designer said.

This effort also stipulates installing a next-generation onboard radar station and expanding the armaments with light multi-purpose missiles, bombing weapons and new-generation rockets, and adding an option to operate in conjunction with unmanned aerial vehicles, Shcherbina said.

"Meanwhile, it is forecast that the upgrade of Mi-28N and Mi-28UB baseline helicopters is economically advantageous and expedient to maintain the combat potential of a grouping of army aviation attack gunships," he stressed.

The Mi-28NM can also launch UAVs including Kamikaze drones.