The professional qualities of Russian helicopter pilots are well known all over the world. Footage appeared on the Web showing how, during a special operation of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine, the Russian Ka-52 Alligator reconnaissance and attack helicopter covers its heavier multi-purpose counterparts Mi-8, which carry out a landing on Ukrainian territory.
It should be noted that the videos below show the “funnel on the nose” aerobatics performed by the crew of the Ka-52. While the Mi-8s are busy on the ground, the Alligator maneuvers and hangs next to them for protection.
The essence of the combat use of the “funnel on the nose” is to reduce the speed of the rotorcraft and fly sideways with the nose down, which allows you to keep a given area of the terrain described by the helicopter at gunpoint.
There is also an aerobatics "funnel on the tail" - the same thing, only in this case the nose is turned up, not the tail. In this position, the helicopter can effectively fire at flying objects.
It is the mixture of elements of aerobatics (the abilities of the helicopter itself and the skill of the crew), new types of weapons and other “stuffing” that makes the Ka-52 incredibly effective at any time of the year or day.
It should be added that on April 18, the Russian Ministry of Defense showed a video showing preparations for combat sorties and objective control of the work of the crews of Ka-52 helicopters of army aviation. At night, the eyes of the Ka-52 becomes a thermal imager. It allows you to see the hot engine of a tank or other type of armored vehicles at a distance of up to 10 km and hit the identified target with a 100% probability.