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| Kamov Ka-25 |
Militarymedia.net | Designed to meet the Soviet navy's 1957 requirement for a new anti-submarine helicopter (ASW), the first member of the Ka-20/25 family was the Ka-20 Harp, which initially flew in 1960. Production of the Ka-25BSh Hormone-A had almost identical in size and appearance, but equipped with operational equipment and an upgraded GTD-3F turboshaft engine (from 1973 this was replaced by the GTD-3BM). It entered service with the Soviet navy in 1967. It appears that by 2016 the Ka-25 was no longer in use.
It was the first Soviet helicopter, developed specifically for maritime use. Its coaxial design with the lack of a tail rotor gives the helicopter a smaller dimension and reduces footprints on board. Also because of its ASW role, it is important that the helicopter can hover for most of its flight.
Although the underside of the fuselage is sealed and watertight, the Ka-25 is not intended for amphibious operations, and flotation bags are often attached to the underside for use in the event of an emergency overland landing. The cabin was adequate for the job, but not high enough to allow the crew to stand upright. The progressive addition of new equipment makes the interior more cluttered.
The main sensors for anti-submarine warfare missions are the I/J-band radar (ASCC/NATO Big Bulge), OKA-2 immersion sonar, Tie Rod downward-pointing electro-optical sensor in the tailboom and Magnetic Anomaly Detection (MAD) sensor. , either in a recess at the rear of the cab or in the fairing sometimes mounted under the center of the three tailfins. The box-like sonobuoy launcher can also be scraped into the right side of the rear fuselage. Coloring markers or smoke buoys can also be carried externally. A comprehensive avionics, defense and navigation system is also installed as standard.
Armament is usually not carried, although helicopters can be equipped with a long, coffin-like weapon holder along the belly from the radome back to the tailboom. Small bombs or depth payloads can be carried on a small mast just behind the nose wheel. The bottom bay of the aircraft can carry a variety of weapons, including nuclear depth payloads. When the wire-guided torpedo was carried, a coil of wire was installed on the left side of the forward fuselage.
It is estimated that about 260 helicopters out of the 450 or so Ka-25s produced are Hormone-As. After the collapse of the Soviet Union a number of helicopters were passed on to the Ukrainian Navy. In 2010 only a handful remained in the Russian and Ukrainian services, most of them fulfilling secondary roles. Small quantities of Ka-25BSh have been exported to Bulgaria, India, Syria, Vietnam and the former Yugoslavia. This ASW helicopter was replaced by the newer Ka-27 and its export version, the Ka-28.
The second Ka-25 variant identified in the West was given the NATO reporting name Hormone-B, given the name Ka-25K. This variant can be identified externally by its rounded (rather than flat-bottomed) bottom radome and a small datalink radome under the rear fuselage. The Ka-25K is used to acquire targets and provide mid-way missile guidance, for missiles launched from ships and submarines. On Hormone-B only, four undercarriage units are retractable and can be lifted from the radar scan pattern.
The final version of the military Ka-25 was the Ka-25PS. These are Search and Rescue (SAR) and special transport helicopters. Its NATO reporting name is Hormone-C. The Ka-25PS co carries up to 12 passengers or a variety of cargo. It is a useful ship-to-ship or ship-to-shore transport and VERTREP platform. A quadruple Yagi antenna (Home Guard) is attached to many helicopters. It was reportedly used to direct a personal locator beacon carried by the flight crew. Most Ka-25PS also have spotlights, and a rescue winch with a capacity of 300 kg. The Ka-25PS has been replaced by the Ka-27PS.
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| Kamov Ka-25 |
