Russia's Mi-28 fires cruise missile in new footage
The video released by the Russian Defence Ministry shows an attack helicopter using standoff weapons to increase its combat reach.
The Russian Defence Ministry has released footage of a Mi-28NM Havoc attack helicopter launching a small, low-cost cruise missile, according to the Times of India. The video shows one missile departing from a pylon under the left wing, while another remains on the right stub wing.
The ministry did not specify the date, location, target, or the exact identity of the weapon. The missile could be the S8000 Banderol or the Dan-T, which are visually similar designs. Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR) previously detailed the Banderol, developed by Kronstadt, as a 5-metre missile with a range of up to 500 km.
This development contrasts with the Kh-38 (LMUR), the longest-range missile currently carried by the Mi-28, which has a range of just over 15 km. Using a helicopter for such long-range strikes allows the aircraft to fire from a distance, potentially from within Russian airspace.
Other nations are pursuing similar capabilities. The US Marine Corps is developing long-range strike capabilities for AH-1Z Viper helicopters through the L3Harris Red Wolf family, which has a reported range in the low hundreds of miles.
India is also advancing helicopter-launched technology. In April, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Navy conducted the first salvo launch of the Naval Anti-ship Missile-Short Range (NASM-SR) off the Odisha coast.
The NASM-SR is an indigenous missile developed by the Research Centre Imarat in Hyderabad to replace the Sea Eagle on Navy Sea King helicopters. While the Russian and US programmes focus on reach, the Indian programme targets short-range firepower from ship-based helicopters.
