Profile
- Type
- Attack helicopter
- Conflict side
- Russia
- Origin
- Soviet Union / Russia
- Service note
- Cold War design, post-Soviet service and modernization
Aircraft & UAVs
Mi-28
The Mi-28 Havoc is a Russian two-seat attack helicopter developed for anti-armor, close air support, and armed reconnaissance missions. Modern Mi-28N/NM-family aircraft combine armored tandem cockpits, a 30 mm chin cannon, guided missiles, rockets, and day/night sensors; Russian forces have used the type in the Russia-Ukraine War, where helicopters have faced dense ground-based air-defense and drone threats.
Service History
- In service
- Mi-28N accepted into Russian military service in the late 2000s; later Mi-28NM/NME variants continue the family
- Used by
- Russian Aerospace Forces, Russian Army Aviation
- Wars
- Russia-Ukraine War
Production History
- Designer
- Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant
- Designed
- Late 1970s-1980s development; prototype first flew in 1982
- Built in
- Russia
- Unit cost
- Not consistently published
- Produced
- Serial Mi-28N production from the mid-2000s
- Number built
- Open-source estimates vary by variant and year
- Variants
- Mi-28N Night Hunter, Mi-28NE export variant, Mi-28NM / Mi-28NME modernized variants, Mi-28UB training-combat variant
Specifications
- Crew
- 2
- Role
- Round-the-clock engagement of armored and non-armored targets, frontline positions, command points, and low-speed air targets
- Maximum speed
- About 305 km/h for the Mi-28NME
- Flight range
- About 509 km for the Mi-28NME
- Service ceiling
- About 5,700 m
- Maximum takeoff weight
- About 13,000 kg for the Mi-28NME
- Armament
- 30 mm 2A42 cannon, anti-tank guided missiles, rockets, and other external stores on stub-wing hardpoints
- Protection
- Armored cockpit and critical systems, with electronic countermeasures against some portable infrared-guided missiles
Conflict Usage
- Russia-Ukraine War
- Side: Russia
Russian forces have operated Mi-28 attack helicopters during the full-scale invasion, including battlefield flights exposed to Ukrainian air defenses and FPV-drone attacks.
Related Weapon Systems
Mi-24/Mi-35Attack helicopter and armed assault transportThe Mi-24/Mi-35 Hind family combines an armored attack helicopter with limited troop-carrying capacity, giving operators a platform for close air support, anti-armor fires, and armed escort. In the Russia-Ukraine War, Ukraine has used legacy and donated Mi-24V/Mi-35 airframes for low-level rocket attacks and adapted some Hinds to carry Western unguided rockets..jpg?width=480)
Ka-52Attack and reconnaissance helicopterThe Ka-52 is a Russian two-seat attack and reconnaissance helicopter derived from the Ka-50 and built around a coaxial rotor layout, side-by-side crew cockpit, 30 mm cannon, and guided-missile hardpoints. In the Russia-Ukraine War it became one of Russia's most visible rotary-wing strike platforms, especially in southern Ukraine where Ka-52 and Ka-52M crews used longer-range anti-tank missiles against Ukrainian ground forces.
9K111 FagotMan-portable anti-tank guided missile systemThe 9K111 Fagot, known to NATO as the AT-4 Spigot, is a Soviet man-portable SACLOS wire-guided anti-tank missile system built around the 9P135 tripod launcher and 9M111 missile family. Its compact launcher, vehicle-mount compatibility, and 2 to 2.5 km range kept it relevant for legacy users, including Russian anti-tank teams documented in the Russia-Ukraine War.
9K114 ShturmRadio-command anti-tank guided missile systemThe 9K114 Shturm is a Soviet radio-command anti-tank guided missile system built around the 9M114 Kokon missile and known to NATO as AT-6 Spiral. Designed by KBM Kolomna for attack helicopters and the MT-LB-based 9P149 Shturm-S carrier, it combines SACLOS guidance, a fast missile, and a roughly 5 km baseline range. In the Russia-Ukraine War, Russian 9P149 vehicles have been captured or displayed as battlefield trophies, while Ukrainian units have shown Shturm-S use and modernization efforts to keep the system relevant for anti-armor missions.
9K115 MetisMan-portable anti-tank guided missile systemThe 9K115 Metis is a Soviet/Russian man-portable, wire-guided anti-tank guided missile family developed for company-level infantry anti-armor fire. The original AT-7 Saxhorn system emphasized a light launcher and short-range portability, while the later 9K115-2 Metis-M and Metis-M1 variants use larger 130 mm missiles, tandem HEAT or thermobaric warheads, and ranges up to 2 km. In the Russia-Ukraine War, Russian forces have been documented using the upgraded AT-13 Saxhorn-2 / Metis-M variant against Ukrainian armor.
9M113 KonkursSACLOS wire-guided anti-tank guided missileThe 9M113 Konkurs, NATO reporting name AT-5 Spandrel, is a Soviet wire-guided anti-tank guided missile family built for infantry launchers and vehicle mounts such as BMP-series vehicles and the BRDM-2-based 9P148. Its SACLOS guidance, 135 mm missile body, and 4 km class engagement range kept it useful after the Cold War, including documented employment in the Russia-Ukraine War by Ukrainian-aligned forces and Russian units.Sources
Mi-28NMEPublisher: Rosoboronexport | Note: Supports current Mi-28NME mission description, crew, speed, range, ceiling, weight, survivability, and compatible missile context. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Mi-28 (Havoc) Russian Attack HelicopterPublisher: U.S. Army ODIN | Note: Supports Mi-28 background, two-person armored cockpit layout, and 30 mm cannon description. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Mi-28NEPublisher: Deagel | Note: Supports manufacturer/contractor background, Mi-28NE role, armament mix, and range/propulsion context. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Cheap first-person-view drones now hunting larger prey in UkrainePublisher: Defense News | Note: Directly supports Russia-Ukraine War use by documenting a Russian Mi-28 Havoc over the Ukraine battlefield being struck by a Ukrainian FPV drone in August 2024. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Helicopters Remain a Vital Part of the Joint-ForcePublisher: Royal United Services Institute | Note: Directly supports Russia-Ukraine War context for Russian helicopter operations and losses involving Mi-28 fleets. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Mi-28 Havoc (16068316972).jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for the primary Mi-28 image; file is listed as CC BY-SA 2.0 from Flickr via Commons review. | Accessed: 2026-06-20