South Front
File image.
On April 27, video footage surfaced online showing a Russian Ka-52 attack helicopter surviving an attack by Kiev forces with two man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADs) over the special military operation zone.
The footage suggests that the heat-seeking anti-aircraft missiles were jammed by the Ka52’s advanced Vitebsk L370V52 active protection system.
Vitebsk was developed by the Samara-based Research Institute Ekran to protect helicopters and fixed-wing planes from all types of anti-aircraft missiles, including MANPADs.
The Ka-52 was the first Russian production standard helicopter to be equipped with the Vitebsk. The helicopter’s version of the system features sensors for the L150 digital radar warning receiver in the tail, L140 laser warning sensors and L370-2 ultraviolet warning sensors in both the nose and tail, two L370-5 or L418-5 laser-based directional infrared jammers just in front of the main landing gear and UV-26 flares and chaffs dispensers in the wingtips.
Several other versions of the Vitebsk were developed for the Mi-35 and Mi-28 attack helicopters, Mi-8MT and Mi26 transport helicopters, the Ka-31 early warning and control helicopter and the Su-25 close air support fighter jet.
MANPADs remain a threat to Russian helicopters and fighter jets operating at lower altitudes over the special military operation zone.
Kiev forces received thousands of man-portable systems, including American-made FIM-92 Stinger , French-made Mistral and British-made Martlet missiles, from its allies after the start of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine last year. Protection systems like the Vitebsk and the experience the Russian military gained while operating against such systems in Syria minimized the threat posed by these missiles.
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