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At least one of the Mi-28NE attack helicopters delivered by Russia to Iran last month was spotted equipped with a mast-mounted radar while flying over the capital of the Islamic Republic, Tehran, on February 5.
The delivery of the helicopters became known on January 28, when photos showing one of the helicopters, painted with a digital desert camouflage pattern, at a hangar of the Pars Aerospace Services Company based at Mehrabad International Airport near Tehran were leaked. The helicopter was partly disassembled, and not equipped with a radar.
One of the helicopters was first spotted conducting test flights near Tehran on February 3, but footage that surfaced online at the time were taken from afar, and thus no details were visible.
The latest footage, however, clearly shows the radar mounted above the rotor hub. Taking into account the version of the helicopter, it can be assumed that the radar is the N025NE. This millimeter-wave radar is the one typically exported with the Mi-28NE.
With a maximum speed of 324 kilometers per hour, the Mi-28NE is one of the fastest attack helicopters in the world. It has a combat range of 200 kilometers.
While the helicopter was mainly designed to defeat armor, the N025NE radar boosts its capabilities as a drone-hunter. This could be of special importance for Iran.
The Mi-28NE delivery comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States. Since last month, President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened the Islamic Republic over a wave of violent protests.
Both sides have resumed talks, but a large-scale U.S. military buildup in the Middle East suggests that Washington could soon launch an attack against the Islamic Republic.
During the 12-day June war with Israel last year, Iran reportedly attempted to use its aging AH-1Js — delivered by the U.S. all the way back in the 1970s — to intercept Israeli drones. Many of the helicopters were struck on the ground at the time, and there is no evidence suggesting that they managed to shoot down any drone.
Armed with Igla-V and R-73 anti-aircraft missiles, in addition to its chin-mounted 30 mm gun, the Mi-28NE can be a lethal drone-hunter, especially with the inclusion of the N025NE, which is reported to have a detection range from 10 to 20 kilometers.
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The delivery of the helicopters show that military cooperation between Iran and Russia is still ongoing, despite U.S. pressure.
It is unclear how many MI-28NE Iran will end up getting, but there is no doubt that the helicopter represents a major upgrade to the military aviation of the country.
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persian water tastes like americunt hillbilly jizz
quantos helicópteros desses foram entregues?