The creation of an entire group of heavy helicopters was the greatest achievement of Soviet aircraft designers in the 1970s-1980s. The appearance of the famous "Crocodile" completely puzzled the overseas specialists, and also made the guys from the US Central Command quite nervous. What was so special about Soviet heavy helicopters?
Helicopters began to develop rapidly after World War II. The first to appreciate the usefulness of innovative machines were the French and Americans, who actively used helicopters during the Indochina wars in the 1950-1970s (including the Vietnam War). The Soviet military and engineers also realized the importance of the new direction in the development of air technology. The first models of transport, cargo, ambulance and combat vehicles began to be created back in the 1950s.
The last 25 years of the country's history have become the "golden age" of Soviet helicopter construction. In 1968, the Council of Ministers of the USSR issued a resolution, according to which it was required to create a new heavy combat helicopter for the country's air force. Work began on the basis of the M. L. Mile in late spring of the same year. The helicopters Mi-8 and Mi-14 were taken as a basis. The result was two prototypes. After factory tests, the designers presented the Mi-24A helicopter. At its core, the helicopter was a transport helicopter and was intended for use by airborne brigades. At the same time, 24A could carry machine-gun, cannon and rocket armament. A total of 250 of these helicopters were made.
The main helicopter of the M. L. Mile became the legendary Crocodile, the first Soviet and European specialized attack helicopter. The second specialized combat helicopter in the history (the first was the American AH-1 "Cobra") of the world military affairs. In the NATO classification, the Mi-24 received the designation "Doe". Although the serial production of the 24s began in 1971, the Americans paid attention to it only in 1973. Moreover, at first, experts from the Pentagon took the novelty for a modification of the Mi-8.
The new Soviet strike vehicle puzzled the American command in the most serious way. It became clear that it was necessary to prepare a comparable answer and urgently change, albeit excellent, but at that time already frankly outdated "Cobras" for something new. As a result, the project to create a new US attack helicopter was accelerated. We are talking, of course, about the McDonnell Douglas AH-64 Apache machine, the first flight of which took place in 1975, and the serial production began in 1984.
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Continuing the topic, read about Mi-28N: domestic response American "Apache".
Source: https://novate.ru/blogs/210221/57929/
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