Ka-50 Chernaya Akula (Black Shark)
Kamov · Soviet Union · first flew 1982 · helicopter
The Kamov Ka-50 Black Shark is a single-seat coaxial-rotor attack helicopter, a radical departure from the two-crew convention that used automation to let one pilot fly and fight.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 13.5 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-seat coaxial attack helicopter
- Stub wings with heavy weapon load
- No tail rotor
Identify it by the twin coaxial main rotors with no tail rotor, the slim single-seat cockpit, stub wings carrying rockets and missiles, and an ejection seat unusual among helicopters.
Specifications
- The Ka-50 Chernaya Akula (Black Shark) has a length of 13.5 m (44 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14.5 m (48 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 390 km/h (242 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Kamov flew the first prototype on 17 June 1982 in competition with the Mil Mi-28, and the type entered limited Russian Army service in the 1990s. Its coaxial rotors dispense with a tail rotor and give exceptional agility and vertical performance.
Variants
The single-seat Ka-50 spawned the two-seat Ka-52 Alligator with a side-by-side cockpit, which became the definitive production model. Night-attack and export proposals such as the Ka-50N were also studied.
Where you'll see it
The Ka-50 saw only small-scale Russian operational use, including combat trials in the Caucasus, and has no UK service, British attack-helicopter needs being met by the Apache. The two-seat Ka-52 ultimately eclipsed it.
Related aircraft
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