An intelligence report published by the Ministry of Defense of the U.K. has stated that Russian forces have at least 23 of its Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopters. These make up about 25 percent of its fleet of attack helicopters.
During the invasion of Ukraine, Russia used up a lot of its resources, including Ka-52 attack helicopters, reportedly in service before the conflict started. One-fourth of the fleet has been lost along with other rotorcraft like transport helicopters, Mi-24 and Mi-35 Hind and Mi-28 Havoc attack helicopters.
The Kamov Ka-52 is a two-seat armed reconnaissance and attack helicopter, where the pilots, side-by-side, are a rarity in attack helicopters. Today, it is deemed by military experts as one of the most dangerous attack helicopters in the world.
The helicopter uses a co-axial rotor, which renders the need for a counter tail rotor unit useless, much like the Defiant X, to be used by the U.S. Air Force. It is executed by Klimov VK-2500 series turboshaft engines. The helicopter can function in both hot and cold areas and has a top speed of 186 miles (300 km) an hour.
The vehicle is made for night operations, and it has a terrain-following radar and Forward-Looking InfraRed (FLIR) camera mounted under the rotorcraft. The pilots are facilitated with night vision helmets with built-in laser range finders.
The attack helicopter also has an advanced avionics suite and self-defense measures like large exhaust diffusers and flare dispensers on the wing tips. The pilots also have shock-absorbing ejection seats on this rotorcraft. Before the conflict started, Russia had 90 of them.
This shortage of military equipment means that Russia cannot have air cover for front-line operations, and its artillery is reportedly running low.
Russian commanders are, therefore, more likely to engage the rotorcraft in more high-risk operations when they have already seen over eight months of combat. More loss of machines is expected as the conflict advances.