by Dr. Shaul Shay
The Russian-made Ka-52K helicopters, combined with the French-made Mistral ships expected to be deliver to Egypt by the first half of 2016, offer Egypt a whole new dimension of offensive and influence operations. Dr. Shaul Shay reviews the capabilities of Egypt's future arsenal
Russian made Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter in flight (Photo: AP)
Chief
Executive Officer of "Russian Helicopters", Alexander Mikheev,
announced on December 30, 2015, that Russia will supply Egypt with 46
new Ka-52K Alligator Helicopters developed for the French-made
Mistral-class amphibious ships.
Mikheev said that Egypt has signed deals to import the
Alligator helicopters from Russia, but the date of delivery has not yet
been announced. Moscow does not rule out delivery of the deck-based
version of these helicopters that were designed for the defaulted
"Mistral project".
In October 2015, Egypt signed a deal with France to buy two
French-made BPC-210 Mistral Class amphibious assault ships (BPC/LHD)
that were originally built for the Russian Navy. France is expected to
deliver the warships by the first half of 2016.
Sources in the Russian Navy’s Main Headquarters said in
August 2015 that the Navy expects to receive the first Kamov Ka-52K
ship-borne helicopters in 2017-2018. The helicopters were earlier
intended to be based on two Mistral helicopter carriers, which France
has refused to deliver to Russia over Moscow's stance on developments in
the neighboring Ukraine.
Chief of Kremlin Staff Sergey Ivanov said in November 2015
that Egypt plans to buy a large amount of advanced weapons from Russia
and the sum of the deal might exceed $1 billion.
The deal comes a month after the two countries signed the
Dabaa nuclear plant deal, which involves the building of four
third-generation reactors in Egypt.
The Ka-52 (Alligator)
Ka-52 Alligator is an all-weather attack helicopter
operated by the Russian Air Force. Developed by Kamov Design Bureau
(part of Russian Helicopters), Ka-52 is a twin-seat variant of the Ka-50
attack helicopter. The Ka-52 helicopter can destroy enemy armored and
unarmored ground targets, low-speed aerial targets and personnel at the
frontline and in tactical depth.
The Ka-52 can provide target acquisition and designation
for helicopter teams and ground troop command and control centers. It
can also provide fire support for troop landings, fly routine patrols
and escort military convoys.
The first Ka-52 helicopter was rolled out in December 1996.
The helicopter completed its first flight in June 1997. The serial
production of Ka-52 began in 2008 at Progress Arsenyev Aviation plant in
the Primorye region of Russia.
The helicopter has a length of 16m, height of 4.9m and main
rotor diameter of 14.5m. The maximum take-off weight of the Ka-52 is
10,800kg.
The starboard side of the fuselage is fitted with a NPPU-80
movable gun mount installed with 2A42 30mm automatic gun. The six
wing-mounted external hard points can be attached with different
combinations of weapons.
The hard points can carry VIKHR anti-tank guided missiles
(ATGM), ATAKA missiles with laser guidance system and B8V-20 rocket
launchers for 80mm unguided S-8 rockets. VIKHR anti-tank missile has a
range of eight to ten kilometers. The Ka-52s can also be armed with
IGLA-V anti-aircraft guided missiles.
The Ka-52 helicopter is fitted with a mast-mounted random
housing a Phazotron FH-01 Millimeter Wave Radar (MMW) radar with two
antennas for aerial and ground targets.
The countermeasures are supported by active IR and
electronic jammers, radar warning receiver (RWR), laser detection
system, IR missile approach warning sensor and UV-26 flare/chaff
dispensers in wing-tip fairings.
The Ka-52K
The Ka-52K is a naval deck-based variant of the Ka-52
Alligator. Initially, this type of helicopters was developed for Mistral
helicopter carriers ordered in France in 2011. However, France froze
the delivery of two Mistral-class amphibious assault ships to Russia in
2014 over Moscow’s stance on developments in Ukraine. Russian President
Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Francois Hollande agreed
on terminating the contract on the delivery of the ships to Russia.
Russian Helicopters is the sole Russian rotorcraft designer
and manufacturer and one of the few companies worldwide with the
capability to design, manufacture, service, and test modern civilian and
military helicopters.
Russian Helicopters rotorcraft manufacturer and Russia’s
Defense Ministry earlier said Ka-52K helicopters would be based on other
ships of the Russian Navy instead of Mistrals. Russian Helicopters has
also said the company expects deck-based Alligator helicopters to enjoy
demand on international arms markets.
The BPC-210 Mistral Class Amphibious Assault Ship (BPC/LHD)
The primary mission for these ships are amphibious landing
operations. They also provide command and force projection capability.
The Mistral class vessel uses four mechanized landing craft
(LCM) or two hovercraft (LCAC) in the stern deck to deliver troops and
vehicles ashore. It can carry a full tank battalion with up to 40 MBTs,
or up to 70 lighter vehicles. The ship provides accommodation for 450
marines; however, the surge capacity is 900.
Mistral class LHD has six helicopter landing spots. Up to
16 medium (NH90, Tigre) or 35 light helicopters can be carried and
stored in the hangar deck. It is worth mentioning that every helicopter,
operated by the French military, can land on these ships.
According to TASS, a Russian news agency, Russia and Egypt
had signed a deal for Egypt’s purchase of 50 Ka-52 Alligator attack
helicopters from Russia. According to the report, the purchase could
include a variant of the Ka-52 (the Ka-52 Katran), which specifically
designed for the Mistrals Russia had intended to acquire.
The ships are equipped with 69 hospital beds, and a hangar
can also be converted into a modular field hospital. The Mistral class
can be deployed as command and control vessels – while the command
center can host up to 150 personnel.
The vessel is armed with two Simbad launchers for Mistral surface-to-air missiles and two 30-mm Breda-Mauser guns.
Summary
Ties with the United States plummeted after Egypt's army
ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013, with Washington
freezing its annual $1.3 billion in military aid. Russia is one of the
main non-Arab supporters of Sisi’s government and was among the first
countries to endorse Sisi’s presidential bid in 2014.
Egypt has learned its lessons and decided to reduce the
overreliance on one provider (US) and diversifying the sources of
Egypt’s armaments became a strategic priority. As a part of the new
Egyptian policy, Russia and France became significant sources of arms
supply.
The Ka25K deal is a significant step in the fast-growing
strategic alliance between Egypt and Russia. Egypt and Russia have never
been that close since the era of late President Gamal Abdel Nasser,
referring to the level of economic and military cooperation, which
culminated in arm deals and naval maneuvers codenamed “Friendship Bridge
2015.”
Mistral Class ships, designed for a large helicopter
aviation role as well as amphibious landing and support of troops, would
improve Egypt's capabilities in these areas. The Ka-52K helicopters,
combined with the Mistral ships’ troop landing capabilities, offer Egypt
a whole new dimension of offensive and influence operations.
Egypt has one of the biggest navies in the Middle East and
the current arm deal will help Egypt to upgrade and modernize its navy.
Egypt’s navy is currently taking part in a Saudi-led Arab operation
against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Egypt could use the two new warships to transport about
1,000 troops, armored vehicles and helicopters to intervene in Yemen,
Libya or other countries where Egypt and a joint Arab force might become
involved. The addition of the Mistral ships and the new helicopters
could provide also a counter-balance against increasing Iranian
influence in the region.
Dr. Shaul Shay
Source: http://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/content/russia-will-supply-egypt-new-ka-52k-helicopters
Copyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the authors.
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