Russia’s Defense Ministry plans to start procuring Ka-52 Alligator helicopters for the Russian Naval Air Arm. The new helicopters could be deployed on the French built Mistral-class helicopters carriers. The Ka-52 is a modification of the Ka-50 Hokum attack helicopter; it is armed with 30-mm cannon, Vikhr (Whirlwind) laser guided anti-tank missiles, unguided rockets and bombs. Its primary sensors include a ground target search radar and an air/air radar search radar. For the target acquisition the Alligator uses the Samshite day/night equipped with thermal imaging system. The development of the Ka-52 began in 1994 with serial production commencing 14 years later. In 2009, Russia closed the first three export orders for the KA-52.
