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Russia

Russian Helicopters

Ka-52 Alligator

A twin-seat, coaxial-rotor Russian attack helicopter derived from the single-seat Ka-50 Black Shark, distinguished by contra-rotating rotors that eliminate the need for a tail rotor. It is heavily used by Russian forces for reconnaissance and anti-armor strike, including in the war in Ukraine.

In service since 2011 · 3 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-01

300

km/h

460

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.

💲 ≈ $16,000,000 — Approximate publicly reported unit cost

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 · 3 operators

In service since 2011. Status: active · ~150 built.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

$40M – $56M

Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost — operating & support dominate over ~30 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price.

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.: 300 km/h

Stronger than 55% of helicopters
Cruise speed Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station.: 250 km/h

Stronger than 30% of helicopters
Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.: 460 km

Stronger than 17% 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.: 6

Stronger than 88% 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 ejection-capable K-37-800 rocket-assisted seats
Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers.: President-S electronic warfare suite, chaff, flares, L-370 Vitebsk defensive suite (upgraded variants)

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.: 4.95 m
Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.: 7,800 kg
Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.: 10,400 kg
Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.: 2

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Engine Powerplant model and type.: 2x Klimov VK-2500 turboshaft, 2400 hp each
Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.: 2
Engine power Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.: 2,400 hp

Stronger than 85% 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.: Samshit-E electro-optical/thermal sighting system, Rakurs day/night sight, helmet-mounted target designation
Thermal imaging Thermal sights for night and obscured-visibility operations.: Yes

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.: $16,000,000

Stronger than 81% of helicopters
Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.: 150

Stronger than 41% of helicopters
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.: 3

Stronger than 48% of helicopters

Specifications compiled from public Russian Helicopters and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the top speed of the Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator? +

The Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator has a maximum speed of 300 km/h.

What is the range of the Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator? +

The Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator has a maximum range of 460 km.

What is the weapons payload of the Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator? +

The Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator can carry up to 2,000 kg of weapons payload.

How much does the Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator weigh? +

The Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator has a combat weight of 10,400 kg.

How many crew does the Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator require? +

The Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator requires a crew of 2.

What is the main armament of the Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator? +

The Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator's primary weapon is the 30 mm 2A42 autocannon.

What engine does the Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator use? +

The Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator is powered by the 2x Klimov VK-2500 turboshaft, 2400 hp each.

What is the Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator used for? +

The Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator is a helicopter typically used for close air support, anti armor, isr.

How many countries operate the Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator? +

The Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator is operated by 3 countries.

How much does the Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator cost? +

The Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator has an approximate unit cost of 16,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.