The Kamow Ka-50 (in NATO code: Hokum) was and still is a Soviet / Russian assault helicopter of metal-composite construction, with a retractable landing gear, in a rare coaxial twin-rotor system. The drive is provided by two Izotow TV-3-117WK turbine engines with a nominal power of 2,230 HP each. The flight of the first prototype took place in June 1982, and intermittent serial production started in 1990 and is still ongoing at the Arseniewskie Zakłady Lotnicze "Progress".
The Kamow Ka-50 was created as a classic assault machine, with particular emphasis on destroying armored targets with the possibility of fighting at night and in bad weather conditions. Ka-50 has a very well-designed hull and high aerodynamic capabilities. It is also characterized by a very high maximum speed of 350-360 km / h. As the first helicopter in the world, the Ka-50 also has a catapulted pilot's seat. It also has very good armor (with particular emphasis on the engine and the pilot's cabin) made of steel and a large number of composites. Permanent armament is a 30mm cannon, and AT-16 guided anti-tank missiles are out of hand. Thanks to its advantages, the Ka-50 is at least comparable to the AH-64D Apache. At the moment (2017), the main user of this helicopter is the armed forces of the Russian Federation. It is estimated that the unit cost of the Ka-50 is about 16 million. dollars by 2011 prices.
