Mi-24D (USSR)
| This page is about the premium Soviet attack helicopter Mi-24D (USSR). For other versions, see Mi-24 (Family). |
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Contents
Description
The ▂Mi-24D is a premium gift rank V Soviet attack helicopter with a battle rating of 9.3 (AB/SB) and 8.7 (RB). It was introduced as a premium pack in Update 1.81 "The Valkyries" and was removed from sale after the 2019 New Year Sale.
One of the most iconic helicopter gunships of the Cold War, the Mil Mi-24 was widely exported throughout the Eastern Bloc as the Soviet Union armed its satellites in Europe and abroad. This Mi-24D is one such example, and flies the colors of the Czechoslovak Air Force. The "Hind" is one of the most heavily armed gunships ever made, possessing extensive payloads and a durable airframe, at the cost of low manoeuvrability. A pair of Klimov TV3-117V turboshaft engines give the helicopter good lifting power and decent flight speeds.
General info
Flight performance
| Characteristics | Max Speed (km/h at 1,000 m) |
Max altitude (metres) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | ||
| Stock | 315 | 304 | 4950 |
| Upgraded | 354 | 335 | |
Survivability and armour
- Self-sealing fuel tanks
- 4 mm Steel protecting Engines, Transmission, topmost Fuel Tank
- 4 mm Steel alongside length of crew compartment
- 8 mm Steel in front and astride gunner position
- 55 mm Bulletproof Glass, front of canopy only
Modifications and economy
2 × 50 / 300 / 430 % 2 × 220 / 220 / 220 % | Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Armaments
| Ballistic Computer | ||
|---|---|---|
| CCIP (Guns) | CCIP (Rockets) | CCIP (Bombs) |
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Offensive armament
The Mi-24D (USSR) is armed with:
- 1 x 12.7 mm YaK-B machine gun, chin turret (1,470 rpg)
Suspended armament
The Mi-24D (USSR) can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
- Without load
- 128 x S-5K rockets
- 4 x 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs (1,000 kg total)
- 2 x 500 kg FAB-500M-54 bombs (1,000 kg total)
- 4 x S-24 rockets
- 4 x 9M17P Falanga-PV missiles
- 4 x 9M17P Falanga-PV missiles + 128 x S-5K rockets
- 4 x 9M17P Falanga-PV missiles + 4 x S-24 rockets
- 4 x 9M17P Falanga-PV missiles + 4 x 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs (1,000 kg total)
- 4 x 9M17P Falanga-PV missiles + 2 x 500 kg FAB-500M-54 bombs (1,000 kg total)
- 64 x S-5K rockets + 2 x 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs (500 kg total)
- 4 x 9M17P Falanga-PV missiles + 64 x S-5K rockets + 2 x 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs (500 kg total)
- 2 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg = 500 total)
- 2 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannons + 64 x S-5K rockets
- 2 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannons + 4 x 9M17P Falanga-PV missiles + 64 x S-5K rockets
Usage in battles
The Mi-24D, is the equivalent of the ancient Rome's cataphractarii, it's heavily armoured, packs incredible firepower and well the Hinds are one of the scariest helicopters in the game. Whether it be Air or Ground attack or even in naval.
Air to Air
Mi-24D Vs. Helicopters
The Mi-24D is able to make quick work of enemy helicopters, with its 12.7 mm YaK-B rotary machine gun. To get the best bullet to knock-out ratio - always aim for the critical elements of the rival.
- Flight deck
- Engine
- Tail
Or if you wish to play with the enemy helicopter, shoot it's wings off with a few well placed shots and it will lose all it's suspended armament. However, doing this will not knock out any machine guns or cannons which it has mounted below on the airframe. Using the ATGM's to destroy enemy helicopters, the Falanga-PV are one of the fastest missiles in the game - they are able to destroy most helicopters with one hit - however helicopters such as Ka-52, Mi-28N & Tiger HAD will need to hit the tail, flight deck or engine since they are heavily armoured.
The Mi-24D has 14 Suspended armament presets, from cannons to ATGM's combinations.
The recommended armaments for this role is:
- 64 x S-5K rockets + 4 x 9M17P Falanga-PV missiles + 2 x 23 mm GSh-23-2 cannons
The extra cannons installed on the wings, allows the Hind to perform the role of an attack helicopter - these cannons are able to destroy enemy helicopters, within a few clicks of the mouse. However, if this is used in an air-to-ground role these cannons can only penetrate lightly armoured vehicles.
If playing this in an air-to-ground role it's best to go for the
- 128 x S-5K rockets + 4 x 9M17P Falanga-PV missiles
Mi-24D Vs. Fighters
The Mi-24D does not have any air-to-air missiles, this means engagement with jet fighters will most likely end up with the Hind getting knocked out. However, it is not impossible to shoot them down. To do this, make sure you are equipped with the ATGM's. Wait for the aircraft to approach you head on and fire, keep the ATGM lined up with aircraft and a few seconds later it should hit.
If the aircraft has missiles, nose over the Mi-24D, gain speed, lots of speed - faster you can do this, higher the odds of the jet missing. Drop the Mi-24D to the ground and pull up after the jet has overshot you. If the jet banks and turns around, fire the ATGM and correct the ATGM so it hits the aircraft during this turn.
Air to Ground
The best payload for combined battles is
- 128 x S-5K rockets + 4 x 9M17P Falanga-PV missiles
When enemy tankers see the Hind coming towards them, or see it flash up on the hud, they flea for cover. The Mi-24D, provides eight ATGM (Falanga-PV) missiles - these are enough to knock out eight enemy tanks, with a single hit. The range of the Falanga-PV missiles allow for strikes to happen at a distance, which keeps the helicopter out of range from most enemy SPAA or tanks.
Mi-24D Vs. SPAA
However the first target if seen, should always be enemy SPAA vehicles. Once the SPAA units have been located and knocked out, it is free hunting. The Mi-24D provides 128 S-5K rockets with its eight Falanga-PV missiles. These 128 rockets provide the capability for at least another two enemy tanks to be knocked out. With a skilled shot, it is EVEN possible that over four or five plus enemy tanks can be destroyed using them, on top of the eight ATGM's.
The Mi-24D is a very large helicopter, it's not a small sleek stealthy helicopter like the BO 105 It is a big target - In-order to compensate, fly low and fast. Stay above the tree line, under 20 m so any fussed missiles cannot detonate with their proximity fuses. Proximity fuses do not need to directly hit you, for them to knock you out, they only have to explode within the proximity of the helicopter.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Extensive payload options, including lethal S-24 rockets
- Excellent ATGM penetration at 650mm
- Well armoured against small arms fire
- Quick-firing machine gun capable of shredding very light armour
- Premium vehicle reward bonuses for RP and SL
Cons:
- No air-to-air missiles
- Limited ATGM firing arcs at close ranges
- Very visible, with large radar cross section
- Sluggish to manoeuvre at most speeds
- No thermal optics, only early NVG
History
During the early summer of 1972, two experimental prototypes of the Mi-24 with a new nose were built. In addition to the high-speed machine gun, they included the installation of a new anti-tank complex with supersonic Shturm-V ATGMs. Therefore, the first helicopters with separate cabins were initially given the name Mi-24V. Unfortunately, the development of the Sturm serial complex was delayed and in 1973 a version of a helicopter with separate cabins, but with an armament complex as on the Mi-24B, went into serial production. This intermediate variant was designated the Mi-24D .
The Mi-24D was designed to be a purer gunship than previous variants. It entered production in 1973. The Mi-24D has a redesigned forward fuselage, with two separate cockpits for the pilot and gunner. It is armed with a single Yak-B four-barrel 12.7 mm machine gun under the nose and is equipped with improved targeting systems compared to the previous model.
Service in other nations
Czech Republic
The Czech Air Force originally inherited a fleet of 16 Mi-24Ds, delivered between 1978 and 1983 and 20 Mi-24Vs, delivered between 1985 and 1989, together with 1 Mi-24DU trainer upon the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993. All of these attack helicopters were retired in the mid-2000s.
Mi-24Ds are currently withdrawn from service in favour of US-made AH-1Zs. Some were donated to Ukraine.
Bulgaria
The Bulgarian Air Force have a 44 strong Mi-24 fleet, including 38 Mi-24Ds originally delivered between 1979 and 1985, and 6 more Mi-24Vs in 1986, were cut in half in 1999. The type has suffered from a significant lack of serviceability due to the limited supply of otherwise vital and expensive spare parts, such as rotor blades, as well as expired engine and airframe time between overhauls – both TBO and total airframe time.
Between 2002–2004 dozens of Mi-24Ds were sold to local arms trade companies.
- 6 were thus delivered to the US and two went to the Ivory Coast in 2003.
- 6 Mi-24Ds followed suite to Mali between 2007 and 2010 after having completed overhaul.
- 5 more surplus Mi-24Ds were then sold out by the Bulgarian MoD to Metalika-AV in December 2011, and by late 2017 at least 4 of these had been returned to airworthy condition.
In 2017–2018 three were sold out to the Ivory Coast and one went to Burkina Faso in 2018, followed by another helicopter in 2019.
In 2004, the Bulgarian MoD moved forward with a tender covering the comprehensive upgrade and life extension of all 6 Mi-24Vs plus 6 of the newest Mi-24Ds – all of these helicopters were delivered in 1985 and 1986.
Hungary
Hungary received a fleet of 30 Mi-24Ds from the former Soviet Union between 1978 and 1985, followed by 10 Mi-24Vs taken in 1987–1988.
Poland
The Polish Army Air Force received 16 Mi-24Ds between 1978 and 1985, followed by 16 Mi-24Ws (the specific Polish designation for the Mi-24V) between 1986 and 1991.
In 1996, Poland received another 18 second-hand Mi-24Ds from Germany, previously used by the East German Air Force. Eventually, the Polish Ministry of Defence decided to carry out an overhaul cycle and reintroduce 16 of the former German machines into service, using the remaining two as donors of spare parts.
Today, the Polish Army Air Force's fleet of aged Hind, consisting of 13 Mi-24Ws and 15 Mi-24Ds in active service, equips two squadrons assigned to the 56th air base in Inowrocław-Latkowo and another to the 49th air base in Pruszcz Gdański.
Three Mi-24Ds were damaged and subsequently cancelled during deployment in Iraq between 2005 and 2010, while two others suffered severe damage but were repaired.
The older and less capable Mi-24D version was initially scheduled to be withdrawn from use at the end of its extended service life between 2016 and 2019, but it now appears that the Hind-D will continue for a while longer. The severe delay of the Kruk programme, however, will force the Polish Ministry of Defence to keep its fleet of aged Hind-D/Es until at least 2025, or even 2030, should it decide to proceed with a complete avionics and weapon systems upgrade.
A complete upgrade of the Mi-24's mission avionics and armament for day and night operations had first been planned in the early 2000s, but in June 2003 Poland gave up its request to upgrade as many as 40 Mi-24D/Es, opting instead to launch a new programme designed to cover only the Mi-24W fleet. At the time, it was planned that thirteen of these aircraft would receive new NATO-interoperable avionics suites and new guided weapons, while three others would be upgraded for use in the combat search and rescue (CSAR) role. In this case, the Polish MoD decided to shelve the ambitious and rather expensive Hind-E upgrade programme, as it had reportedly failed to reach working agreements with its Russian partners - the arms export agency Rosoboronexport and Mil MHP.
In 2018, the Polish Ministry of Defence began considering new upgrade plans for the outdated Mi-24 fleet, due to the serious delay of the Kruk programme, intended for the selection and purchase of next-generation attack helicopters, and Deputy Defence Minister Wojciech Skurkiewicz hinted that a limited upgrade would be pursued. Consequently, on 21 January 2019, the Polish Armament Inspectorate announced the start of the so-called technical dialogue with companies interested in upgrading the Mi-24D/W. The dialogue took place between July and September 2019, with technical specifications sent to selected interested candidates in the form of a request for information. The upgrade was to cover armament, communications, self-protection, IFF and navigation systems; the Armaments Inspectorate requested information on the procurement and life-cycle costs, logistical requirements and the timeframe for implementing the upgrade.
In addition, interested bidders will have to demonstrate experience in the maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade of Mi-24W and Mi-24D helicopters. The number of helicopters to be upgraded in the future has not been stated. The age of Hind's current fleet ranges from 27 to 37 years.
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
Vehicles of Similar Role
External links
| Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant | |
|---|---|
| Attack | Mi-4AV |
| Mi-8AMTSh · Mi-8AMTSh-VN · Mi-8TV | |
| Mi-24A · Mi-24P · Mi-24V | |
| Mi-28N · Mi-28NM | |
| Mi-35M | |
| Export | ◊Mi-8TB |
| ▂Mi-24D · ◔Mi-24D · ◔Mi-24V · ◔Mi-24P · ◊Mi-24P · ◄Mi-24P HFS 80 · Superhind | |
| Mi-28A | |
| ▄Mi-35M | |
| USSR helicopters | |
|---|---|
| Attack | |
| Hound | Mi-4AV |
| Hip | Mi-8AMTSh · Mi-8AMTSh-VN · Mi-8TV |
| Hind | Mi-24A · ▂Mi-24D · Mi-24P · Mi-24V · Mi-35M |
| Havoc | Mi-28N · Mi-28NM |
| Helix | Ka-29 |
| Hokum | Ka-50 · Ka-52 |
