Russia Adds 52 'Alligator' Attack Helicopters As Kremlin Seeks To Strengthen Force
Formed in 2010 by presidential decree, WEST is one of the four operational strategic commands of the Russian Armed Forces and controls the 1st Air and Air Defense Forces Command of the Russian Air Force.
Over the past year, WEST has expanded its fleet to include more than 35 new and upgraded aircraft, including the Su-34 fighter bomber, the MiG-31 BM interceptor aircraft, and several different models of attack helicopter.
WEST Spokesman Col. Oleg Kochetkov told reporters Tuesday that the district would increase its total number of Ka-52s to 12 by the end of 2013.
The Ka-52 "Alligator" is a twin-seated all-weather attack helicopter developed for battlefield reconnaissance and target designation. According to AirforceTechnology, Russia's Air Force began fielding Ka-52s in April 2011 as part of a move to replace its Ka-50 "Black Shark" fleet.
The Alligators are designed to destroy armored and unarmored ground targets, low-speed aerial targets and personnel at the frontline and in tactical depth. AirforceTechnology reports that Ka-52s are also deployed as surveillance platforms and aerial command posts for a group of attack helicopters.
Col. Kochetkov noted that in the coming days WEST engineers will be conducting thorough inspections of the equipment before relocating the units to the airfield.
The delivery is just part of the Russian military's recent resurgence.
Peter Apps of Reuters writes from London:
[A] swiftly rearming Russia is alarming NATO states that lie close to its territory, chiefly the Baltic States. Other alliance members are simply baffled,wondering why Moscow feels the need to spend vast sums on meeting a threat from the West they say will never materialise.
Along with its Air Force, Russia has pledged around $650 billion over the next decade to modernize its Navy.