Article Posted on : - May 14, 2010

An unrelated photo of Russia's main combat helicopter, the Mi-24 Hind.

MOSCOW (BNS): Russian Helicopters plan to develop the world's first fifth-generation combat helicopter which would be able to attack fighter jets and be invisible for radars.

The Gazeta daily quoted the company's CEO, Andrei Shibitov, as saying "We are working on the concept of the fifth-generation combat helicopter."

The company will spend some $1 billion on the project with more investments expected to be allocated from the state budget, the daily said.

However, head of the Russian Academy of Geopolitical Problems Leonid Ivashov was quoted as saying, "If the government does not sign a contract, the idea will die on the vine."

Leonid said with sufficient investment and good organization the new helicopter could be built within five years, otherwise, the project would drag on for years.

First deputy head of the Russian Academy of Geopolitical Problems, Konstantin Sivkov said, fifth-generation combat helicopters have never been created before, although the US recently began working on a similar project.

He said a fifth-generation combat helicopter must be radar invisible, have an extended flying range, be equipped with an intellectual arms control system, be able to combat fighter jets and reach a speed of up to 500-600 km/h (310-370 mph).

The Mil design bureau had been working on a classical rotor model, which features a large main rotor and a smaller auxiliary rotor, while the Kamov design bureau had been developing a coaxial rotor model.

Military experts believe that the coaxial rotor model is more stable and easy to fly while the classical model is more reliable and has a higher degree of survivability on the battlefield, a RIA Novosti report said.