Ka-60 Kasatka

Kamov · Russia · first flew 1998 · helicopter

The Kamov Ka-60 Kasatka (Killer Whale) is a medium military transport helicopter, and a rare Kamov design that abandons coaxial rotors for a conventional single main rotor and tail rotor.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, rotary
E — Engines	2 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	Sleek military transport fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Single main rotor with tail rotor
Shrouded fenestron-style tail unit
Sleek military transport fuselage

Look for a single four-bladed main rotor paired with a shrouded tail rotor, a smooth streamlined fuselage and retractable undercarriage, quite unlike the coaxial Kamovs.

Specifications

The Ka-60 Kasatka has a length of 13.25 m (43 ft).
It has a wingspan of 13.5 m (44 ft).
Its maximum speed is 300 km/h (186 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flown on 10 December 1998, the Ka-60 was intended to give Russian forces a modern utility helicopter in the class of the Western NH90 or the Mil Mi-8's lighter tasks. Engine and funding difficulties badly slowed its development.

Variants

The military Ka-60 was proposed in troop transport, reconnaissance and combat search-and-rescue forms, and it directly spawned the civil Ka-62. Differences centre on rotor blade count, engines and cabin fit.

Where you'll see it

The Ka-60 never reached meaningful service and has no UK connection, the equivalent battlefield-support role in Britain being covered by the Puma and Merlin. Its story is largely one of prolonged development rather than deployment.

Related aircraft

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