Mi-35M
| This page is about the Russian attack helicopter Mi-35M. For April Fools event helicopter, see Mi-35 (April Fools). For other versions, see Mi-24 (Family). |
Contents
Description
The Mi-35M is a rank VI Russian attack helicopter with a battle rating of 10.7 (AB/RB) and 10.3 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.81 "The Valkyries".
The Mi-35M is a modernized version of the Mi-24 Hind developed after the fall of the Soviet Union. The airframe remains externally similar to the Mi-24V but many components have been modified. The optics have been heavily improved with an auto-tracker, thermal sights, and better zoom, making it much easier to find and engage ground targets. The 9M120 Ataka ATGM packs a bigger punch than the 9M114 Shturm while keeping the same high flight speed. The chin turret now has a 23 mm GSh-23L autocannon instead of a machine gun. Unfortunately some fun quirks of the Soviet Hind models have been lost as well: the R-60 air-to-air missile has been replaced by much less agile Igla MANPADS, the S-24 heavy rocket has been replaced by the podded S-13OF, and no bombs are available. The Mi-35M is still a much more capable tank hunter overall and can support its high-tier Soviet MBT peers.
General info
Flight performance
| Characteristics | Max Speed (km/h at 1,000 m) |
Max altitude (metres) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | ||
| Stock | 275 | 259 | 5400 |
| Upgraded | 323 | 300 | |
Survivability and armour
The Mi-35M keeps the armour protection of the Hind family, with thick 55 mm bulletproof glass on the windscreens and steel plates of 8 mm and 4 mm thickness covering both the crew compartment and engines. While heavier and more primitive than the composite screens of modern attack helicopters, they help the Hind survive incoming fire and explosive shrapnel.
Modifications and economy
| 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-35M is armed with:
- A choice between four presets:
- 1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon (450 rpg)
- 1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon + HIRSS
- 1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon + HIRSS + 192 x countermeasures
- 1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon + HIRSS + 192 x countermeasures + IRCM
The turreted GSh-23L cannon packs a significantly greater punch per shot than the Mi-24V's Yak-B gatling machine gun, even though it has a slower muzzle velocity and rate of fire. It's not as powerful as the Mi-24P's fixed GSh-30-2 cannon and should not really be used for tank hunting, but it's good for fighting incoming aircraft. The auto-tracker can also automatically calculate gun lead, which makes it very convenient to use.
Suspended armament
The Mi-35M can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg) | 1 | 1 | |||
| S-8KO rockets | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | |
| S-13OF rockets | 5 | 5 | |||
| 9M39 Igla missiles | 4 | 4 | |||
| 9M114 Shturm missiles | 2, 4, 8 | ||||
| 9M120 Ataka missiles | 4, 8 | ||||
| Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 500 kg | |||||
| Default weapon presets | |
|---|---|
| |
The Mi-35M's loadout has been simplified compared to earlier Hinds. Two types of rockets are available, the returning S-8KO HEAT rockets and the new S-13OF HE rockets. The S-13OF is individually less powerful than the bunker-busting S-24s, but it comes in pods of 5 and can still knock out light targets easily.
The only air-to-air missile is the 9M39 Igla MANPADS, which compared to the R-60M has a better seeker (improved acquisition range and flare resistance), better capacity (up to 8 vs up to 4) but much worse manoeuvrability (10 G overload vs 30 G). The Iglas perform better against helicopters, which have limited dodging capabilities but lots of flares to compensate, but significantly worse against jet fighters, so the Mi-35M is somewhat less capable in the air superiority role.
The 9M114 Shturm missile returns as the stock ATGM option but its 560 mm of single-charge penetration is very lacking at the Mi-35M's rank and it will not do much against MBTs. The 9M120 Ataka is an improved development of the Shturm with 800 mm of tandem-charge penetration and an extra kilometre of range for 6 km total; the Ataka can threaten at least the front hull of most MBTs and is much more viable, although its range lags behind the Hellfire available to NATO helicopters.
Lastly, GSh-23L cannon pods return, but they are not very practical. The Mi-35M's internal GSh-23L with an auto-tracker is both equally powerful and much more accurate.
The Mi-35M only has four hardpoints, compared to the six of previous Hinds, but this does not degrade its ability to carry ATGMs and AAMs. The outboard right pylon is the only one capable of mounting ATGMs, and up to 8 can be carried. It can mount 4 Iglas as well but this is not recommended unless there are insufficient spawn points for ATGMs. The outboard left pylon on the other side can be used to carry 4 Iglas instead, which is sufficient for most battles. So the overall missile capacity is superior to the earlier Mi-24V/P Hinds, which could only carry 8 ATGMs by sacrificing all AAMs.
Usage in battles
The Mi-35M is the best Hind for tank hunting because of its thermal sights, auto-tracker, and improved Ataka ATGMs, which let it keep up with the pace of high tier combat where targets move quickly and have strong protection. Unfortunately the Hind airframe starts to show its age at its rank, because its limited agility and huge profile make it difficult to avoid detection and dodge incoming SAMs. The 6 km range of the Atakas is less than radar-guided SAMs like the Roland 1 and the Mi-35M may not always win a missile joust. It still helps to use the Hind's speed to circle around the battlefield and attack from angles that the enemy team would not normally expect helicopters from.
Iglas are reasonably effective against helicopters due to their effective seeker and countermeasure resistance, but in the presence of HIRSS or IRCM systems, they may be outranged by the Atakas. By using the auto-tracker, the Atakas are in fact capable anti-helicopter missiles considering their high flight speed. Jet aircraft are usually too fast for the Atakas to track unless they are slow and not paying attention, so the Mi-35M should generally avoid enemy aircraft and only engage them in self defence or when they are unaware. An enemy attacker pulling up after a weapons launch is a good target for an Igla.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Ataka missiles are fast, making them easy to use and aim
- Great 23 mm cannon damage
- IRCM and flares help the Mi-35M avoid AAMs
- Igla AAMs are flare and IRCM resistant, good against unaware enemy jets
Cons:
- Relatively low ammo reserve on the 23 mm cannons
- Lower top speed than the Mi-24s
History
The Mi-35M is a modern utility combat helicopter of the Russian army, manufactured by Rostvertol helicopter company. At the moment, the Mi-35M is the most modern modification of the Mi-24 series. During its versatile service in Afghanistan, India, and other locations, the "Hind" performed well but had few vital flaws. A modernized version, titled Mi-35, underwent specific improvements. The helicopter gained new more powerful engines, the metal rotor was replaced by a composite one, the 3-bladed anti-torque rotor was replaced by an X-shaped composite one. The Mi-35M was given fixed landing gear and new shorter wings with only four weaponry mounting points. The weapon itself has also been updated: A 4-barreled 50.cal machine gun in the chin-mounted rotating turret is now replaced by a twin-barreled 23-mm GSh-23L autocannon. Mounted weaponry now consists of two types of ATGMs, modern air-to-ground unguided rockets, 23mm cannon pods, and other changes. The Mi-35M is currently in service in the Russian Air Forces, and other nations. Russian and Iraqi Mi-35M-s fought in recent actions in Syria.
- From Devblog
Media
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See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the helicopter;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
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 |
