Ka-50 Black Shark (Hokum A) Russian Attack Helicopter

The Ka-50, also nicknamed the Chernaya Akula (Black Shark) was a Soviet attack helicopter. Its NATO reporting name was Hokum. The Ka-50 was planned as a rival to the Mi-28 in a competition to provide the Soviet armed forces with a new battlefield attack helicopter. Kamov opted for a single-crew layout to save weight for more armor, more powerful armament, and a greater number of advanced sensors. The first of three V-80 prototypes made its maiden flight on 17 June 1982. In October 1986 the Ka-50 was selected for production. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia faced military budget cuts. Production of the original Ka-50 was stopped with only around 10 of these helicopters ever built. In 2000 a pair of production Ka-50 helicopters was used during the Second Chechen War, where these gunships were basically tested by the Russian military to evaluate the type. However the original Ka-50 never reached full operational capability. If the Ka-50 is to operate at night, it must be equipped with a Saturn night targeting pod. This pod takes up one of the underwing pylons. This Ka-50 never entered full rate production and subsequently never fielded beyond several prototypes delivered for operational testing. Only a handful of prototypes exist and have not yet been approved for additional production. It is assessed the KA-50 prototypes remain in limited service with the Russian Air Force.