Article Posted on : - Jan 15, 2009

Ka-52. Image from Wikipedia

MOSCOW (BNS): Three countries have placed orders for the delivery of Ka-52 Hokum-B combat helicopters with Russia, Yury Denisenko, General Director, Progress aircraft manufacturing company, said on Tuesday.

The Russian news agency RIA Novosti quoted Denisenko as saying that the company had received orders for the helicopters from three countries. “We are studying these orders and will provide the names of the countries that ordered the aircraft if the contracts are signed,” Denisenko said.

The company official said that the Russian Defence Ministry would remain the key customer for Ka-52 helicopters. However, he refused to disclose the number of aircraft ordered by the armed forces. Earlier, reports appearing in the media quoted Russia’s Air Force chief, Col. Gen. Alexander Zelin, as saying the deliveries of the first 12 Ka-52 Hokum-Bs to the Russian Air Force will start this year.

Reports said that the Ka-52 is a twin-seat derivative of the Ka-50 Hokum-A attack helicopter, and is designed primarily for reconnaissance and target designation purposes.

It is similar to the US AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. The Russian government approved the production of Ka-52 attack helicopters at the Arsenyevsk plant in Russia's Far East in December 2008.