Russia has handed over a new batch of Mi-28NE Night Hunter night/all-weather capable attack helicopters under contract to the Iraqi Ministry of Defence (MoD).
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Comprising 13 helicopters, the batch represents the second such shipment to Baghdad in recent months, Alsumaria television channel reported, noting that the helicopters are expected to be used for counter-terrorism operations in the Anbar Province in the west of the country.
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The first batch including 15 Night Hunter helicopters was delivered few months ago, the channel added.
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Around 30 Mil Mi-28NE attack helicopters were ordered by the Iraqi MoD from Russia under a $4.2bn contract in October 2012, to help protect border security and counter-terrorism operations.
The contract, which made Russia the second largest arms supplier to Iraq after the US, also included an unspecified number of MiG-29M/M2 fighter jets, 42 Pantsir-S1 gun-missile short-range air defence systems, and heavy armoured vehicles and other weaponry.
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The first group of Iraqi pilots and technicians completed their training in Russia in the autumn of 2013, according to the channel.
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Powered by two Klimov VK-2500 turboshaft engines, the Mi-28NE Night Hunter helicopter is designed to perform search-and-destroy operations against tanks, armoured vehicles, boats and other small naval vessels, and to destroy protected sites and military installations.
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The two-seat anti-armour attack helicopter is fitted with an integrated avionics suite, which enables nap-of-the-earth (NOE) flight on auto-pilot at night and in adverse conditions, and can also be used to combat low-speed and low-altitude enemy aircraft.
Image: A Mil Mi-28N attack helicopter in flight. Photo: courtesy of Rossin Denis.
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