Ka-50 Basic Course (DCS)

The Ministry of Defence of the Soviet Union recognized in the mid-seventies the need for a successor of the Mi-24 "Hind" combat helicopter.  While the USA started a tender, from which the later AH-64 "Apache" should emerge, in the USSR the decision to develop a helicopter capable of taking the fight to enemy armoured troops was made.  The development offices N. I. Kamov and ML. Mil. competed for the award of the contract.  

The Mil Design Office decided on a design as a two-seater combat helicopter in which the pilot is supported by a weapons officer.  It was strongly influenced by the Apache design.  

Kamov had experience in the development of modern helicopters with coaxial rotors.  However, their design of the Ka-25 was not pursued further in favor of the Mi-24.  The V-50 and V-100 helicopters were proposed as competition for Mil's design.  Both approaches were considered too daring for their time and were rejected.  

The V-80 design was started in the late 70s.  Sergei Mikheyev was appointed as head designer, who later also worked as chief designer.  A coaxial rotor system was chosen as this offered several advantages.  In addition, a weapons system officer was dispensed with, but compensated by a highly automated targeting and navigation system.  

The main weapon systems used were the Vikhr anti-tank guided missiles, developed by Tula, and the 2A42-30 mm single-bore cannon, also developed by Tula.  The latter had actually been developed for infantry fighting vehicles.  In order to achieve the required stability of this heavy weapon, it was mounted centrally (under the rotor system) to the right side, instead of under the nose of the helicopter.  This of course means that the gun can only swivel to the left to a very limited extent.  The Shkval TV system, which was also used in the Su-25T, was used as the target acquisition system.  

The protection of the pilot was given high priority.  Similar to the A-10, the engines were mounted on both sides to minimize the risk that a single hit could shutdown both at once.  The important systems and the cockpit were heavily armored and separated from the less important systems.  Self-sealing tanks and a gearbox that can withstand a 30-minute failure of the oil lubrication, as well as a fire-resistant design of the systems adjacent to the engines, significantly increase the helicopter's and pilot's chances of survival.  The K-37-800 ejection seat system, which catapults the pilot out of the cockpit after the rotor blades and cockpit roof have been blown off, is also unique to this day.  

In the middle of the 80s flight tests of different prototypes took place and the V-80 had to compete with the Mi-28.  A direct comparison showed that the V-80 was superior to the Mi-28.  Despite some defects it was decided to release the V-80 for mass production.  Production was to start in 1990 and the helicopter was renamed Ka-50.  The name "Black Shark" was given to the helicopter because in the film with the same title a Ka-50 with black painting took over the "leading role".  

In the mid to late 90s improvements were mainly made in the area of target acquisition and night vision systems.  In order to better coordinate the cooperation of multiple helicopters, a two-seater variant, the Ka-52 Alligator, was built for a commander.  The combined use of Ka-52 with Ka-50 combat helicopters enables an effective tactical approach against enemy forces.  

The KA-50 has never been put into active service in significant numbers.  At the end of the 1980s and in the early 1990s, the military situation in the world and the requirements placed on military equipment changed dramatically.  The Ka-50 was kept secret for a long time and was to be produced in the first construction phase in quantities of 800 units.  This was prevented by the economic situation in the USSR and the end of the arms race.  It was not until 1991 that the project was publicly presented to the West at an aviation trade fair, and at that time it was already outdated and obsolete.  The two-seater alligator is in use as a successor in appreciable numbers and with extensively modernized avionics.  

• Wikipedia: Kamow Ka-50
  
• Wikipedia: Kamow Ka-52