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Russia Legacy

Russian Helicopters

Ka-50 Black Shark

A single-seat Russian attack helicopter notable for its coaxial contra-rotating rotors, which remove the need for a tail rotor, and for being the only production attack helicopter fitted with an ejection seat. Its single-pilot design and high agility made it a testbed for the technology later adapted into the twin-seat Ka-52.

In service since 1995 · 1 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02

310

km/h

470

km range

5,500

m ceiling

2,000

kg payload

Several performance figures for Russia-origin systems are manufacturer or state claims with limited independent verification. Treat these specs as directional, not tested values.

Pricing: Unit cost not consistently publicly disclosed

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

Russian state channel

Rosoboronexport monopoly; Western sanctions exposure and payment/logistics risk for many buyers.

Channel: Rosoboronexport (state)

Fielded & proven

Limited · 1 operator

In service since 1995. Status: legacy · ~15 built.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from.

Interoperability

No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.

Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.: 310 km/h

Stronger than 73% of helicopters
Cruise speed Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station.: 260 km/h

Stronger than 55% of helicopters
Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.: 470 km

Stronger than 22% of helicopters
Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.: 5,500 m

Stronger than 45% of helicopters
Rate of climb How fast the aircraft gains altitude. Higher means better energy recovery in combat.: 10 m/s

Stronger than 27% of helicopters

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.: 30 mm 2A42 autocannon
Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts.: 4

Stronger than 41% of helicopters
Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie.: 2,000 kg

Stronger than 78% of helicopters

Protection

Armor, countermeasures and survivability.

Armor Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified.: Armored cockpit tub with K-37-800 zero-zero ejection seat
Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers.: chaff, flares, exhaust IR suppressors

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.: 13.5 m
Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.: 4.93 m
Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.: 7,700 kg
Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.: 9,800 kg
Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.: 1

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Engine Powerplant model and type.: 2x Klimov VK-2500/TV3-117VMA turboshaft, 2200 hp each
Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.: 2
Engine power Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.: 2,200 hp

Stronger than 69% of helicopters
Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…: Turboshaft

Sensors & avionics

Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.

Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.: Shkval-V electro-optical sighting system, helmet-mounted display
Thermal imaging Thermal sights for night and obscured-visibility operations.: Yes

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.: 15

Bottom 8% of helicopters
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.: 1

Stronger than 18% of helicopters

Specifications compiled from public Russian Helicopters and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the top speed of the Russian Helicopters Ka-50 Black Shark? +

The Russian Helicopters Ka-50 Black Shark has a maximum speed of 310 km/h.

What is the range of the Russian Helicopters Ka-50 Black Shark? +

The Russian Helicopters Ka-50 Black Shark has a maximum range of 470 km.

What is the weapons payload of the Russian Helicopters Ka-50 Black Shark? +

The Russian Helicopters Ka-50 Black Shark can carry up to 2,000 kg of weapons payload.

How much does the Russian Helicopters Ka-50 Black Shark weigh? +

The Russian Helicopters Ka-50 Black Shark has a combat weight of 9,800 kg.

How many crew does the Russian Helicopters Ka-50 Black Shark require? +

The Russian Helicopters Ka-50 Black Shark requires a crew of 1.

What is the main armament of the Russian Helicopters Ka-50 Black Shark? +

The Russian Helicopters Ka-50 Black Shark's primary weapon is the 30 mm 2A42 autocannon.

What engine does the Russian Helicopters Ka-50 Black Shark use? +

The Russian Helicopters Ka-50 Black Shark is powered by the 2x Klimov VK-2500/TV3-117VMA turboshaft, 2200 hp each.

What is the Russian Helicopters Ka-50 Black Shark used for? +

The Russian Helicopters Ka-50 Black Shark is a helicopter typically used for close air support, anti armor.

How many countries operate the Russian Helicopters Ka-50 Black Shark? +

The Russian Helicopters Ka-50 Black Shark is operated by 1 countries.

How much does the Russian Helicopters Ka-50 Black Shark cost? +

Russian Helicopters Ka-50 Black Shark: Unit cost not consistently publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.