In the ongoing war between Russia-Ukraine, a Russian Ka-52 combat helicopter was shot down again by Ukrainian soldiers using a long-range MANPADS.
A Russian Ka-52 combat helicopter was destroyed by an British Martlet man-portable air defense system while attempting to strike. The fired missile destroyed a combat rotorcraft from a distance of almost 8 kilometers, as indicated by a very long flight of an anti-aircraft guided missile, which lasted 28 seconds. This is almost a record figure for a portable anti-aircraft missile system.
On the presented video frames, you can see how the servicemen, noticing the helicopter, launch an anti-aircraft missile in the direction of the last one, which, for unknown reasons, rushed towards the helicopter not along the shortest trajectory, but making a circle, which may indicate that the anti-aircraft missile was suppressed. Nevertheless, after 28 seconds (which, at a rocket speed of 300 m / s, indicates that the latter covered a distance of about 8-8.5 kilometers), the rocket definitely hit the combat rotorcraft.
On the presented video frames, you can also notice that the helicopter received damage, but not critical, you can see the black smoke just after the hit – judging by the absence of open combustion, the crew of the combat helicopter tried to land the helicopter on the ground, however, towards the end of the shooting, you can see that the helicopter lost control and began to fall.
Video frames, according to the source, were made on the territory of the Kharkiv region. However, it’s unknown why the pilot didn’t use the ejection system. Because by looking at the video it’s clear no ejection was made by the pilot while they had enough time to do that. Also Ka-52 is Russian army most advanced attack helicopter and still failed to counter the missile. The pilot of Ka-52 had enough time to respond the missile even though they didn’t use flare and chaff countermeasures. Currently there are no information about the pilot and gunner of Ka-52 helicopter.
The Ka-52 equipped with flare and chaff countermeasure dispensers, 4 UV-26 dispensers each (total of 32 chaff/flare cartridges in each pod). Also Ka-52 is the only helicopter in the world that has a ejection system. And still both system failed to protect.
Martlet MANPADS
Martlet – This is a British-made MANPADS. The chip of the complex is a two-channel guidance system (laser beam and infrared). martlet uses small guided missiles LMM (Lightweight Multirole Missile) produced by the British division of the international industrial group Thales.
Its diameter is 7.6 cm, and its length is 1.3 m. To undermine a cumulative fragmentation warhead weighing 3 kg, a non-contact laser blaster is used. The mass of the entire rocket is 13 kg. Separately, we note the solid-fuel engine, which provides a firing range of up to 8 km and a speed of up to Mach 1.5 (1852 km / h).