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LAAD
2013
International Defense & Security Exhibition
9 - 12 April 2013
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Russian Mi-35 AH-2 Sabre at LAAD 2013 |
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| Sunday, April
14, 2013, 04:31 PM |
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| Russia
completes the delivery of 12 Mi-35 AH-2 Sabre attack helicopters to Brazilian
armed forces. |
Russia will complete
the delivery to Brazil of 12 Mi-35 (AH-2 Sabre) attack helicopters worth
$150 million by this fall, the head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical
Cooperation (FSMTC). “As of today, nine helicopters have been
delivered and the remaining three will be shipped in the fall,”
FSMTC director Alexander Fomin said at the LAAD 2013 defense exhibition
in Rio de Janeiro.
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Russian-made
Mi-35 AH-2 Sabre attack helicopter at LAAD 2013, International Defence
Exhibition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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The Mi-35M is an
export version of the Mi-24 Hind that was used extensively in the Soviet
war in Afghanistan. The Mi-24/35 is unique among dedicated attack helicopters
insofar as it can carry troops, in addition to performing its attack
role.
The Sao Paulo-based newspaper Valor Economico previously reported that
the Mi-35s would be used in the Amazon region, in conjunction with Brazil's
Embraer land and ground surveillance jets.
The Amazon region borders both Venezuela and Colombia, and is a prime
location for transnational narco-terrorists and drug traffickers.
The Brazilian Air Force ordered a total of 12 Mi-35M helicopters to
provide protection in the Amazon region, carrying out air policing,
border security and counter-narcotics operations. The contract was signed
on November 23, 2008. Air and ground crew began training in Russia in
the spring of 2009. The first helicopter destined for Brazil made it
maiden flight on August 22, 2009, at Rostvertol's facility in Rostov-on-Don,
Russia. The first three AH-2 Sabres (8951, 8952, 8953) were delivered
to Porto Velho by one An-124 of Volga-Dnepr on December 16, 2009.
Main armament of AH-2 Sabre consists of a twin-barrel GSh-23V 23mm cannon
mounted at the front of the helicopter. The AH-2 Sabre can be also armed
with a variety of unguided rockets, Ataka anti-tank missiles, and Igla-V
air-to-air missiles for anti-air and self-defence. Other defensive improvements
include the heat-suppressing exhaust boxes, countermeasures system and
in terms of armour protection and robustness the AH-2 Sabre presents
a quantum leap in survivability compared to its predecessor.
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The main armament
of the AH-2 Sabre consists of a twin-barrel GSh-23V 23mm cannon mounted
at the front of the helicopter.
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