Kamov Ka-27

Kamov Ka-27
Company type	Military helicopter
Industry	Aerospace, Defense
Founded	1969
Headquarters	Kumertau, Russia (formerly Soviet Union)
Products	Kamov Ka-27 and variants (Ka-28, Ka-29, Ka-32)

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The Kamov Ka-27 (NATO reporting name: Helix) is a military helicopter originally designed for the Soviet Navy. As of 2024, it remains operational in several nations including Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, China, South Korea, and India. Its family includes the assault transport variant Ka-29, the downgraded export model Ka-28, and the civilian utility version Ka-32.

Design and development

Conceived primarily for transport and anti-submarine warfare missions, the design process for this helicopter began in 1969, culminating in the maiden flight of the first prototype in 1973. It was developed to supersede the aging Kamov Ka-25, with a requirement that its external dimensions be equal to or smaller than its predecessor. Consistent with Kamov’s design philosophy, the helicopter features coaxial rotors, eliminating the need for a tail rotor. A total of five prototypes and pre-production units were constructed before serial manufacturing commenced at the Kumertau facility in July 1979. The helicopter officially entered service with the Soviet Navy by April 1981.

The Ka-27 is operated by a crew of three: a pilot and navigator seated side-by-side in the cockpit, with a sonar operator positioned behind them. It employs a fixed landing gear with four legs and is outfitted with two lateral inflatable buoys designed to aid flotation if forced to land on water.

The anti-submarine warfare variant, Ka-27PL, is outfitted with radar and either a dipping sonar or magnetic anomaly detector. Its armament options include up to 36 sonobuoys, torpedoes, six to eight conventional depth charges, or even a single nuclear depth charge. Typically, Ka-27PL units operate in pairs as hunter-killer teams.

The search and rescue version, Ka-27PS, can accommodate 12 foldable seats or four stretchers within its cabin and is equipped with a winch capable of lifting 300 kilograms. This model also features an increased fuel capacity of 3450 liters compared to the 2940 liters found on the Ka-27PL.

Civilian variants such as the Ka-32—particularly models powered by Klimov engines like the Ka-32A11BC—have achieved certification for commercial use worldwide, notably across Canada and Europe. The Ka-32 has also been approved for operation with the more recent Klimov VK-2500PS-02 engine.

Operational history

File:RIAN archive 139612 Helicopters on deck of the Novorossiisk cruiser.jpg

Ka-27 helicopters aboard the aircraft carrier Novorossiysk in 1984

On 22 July 2010, a Ka-27 helicopter from the Russian Navy, operating from the Udaloy-class destroyer Severomorsk, carried out interoperability deck landing exercises aboard the US command vessel USS Mount Whitney.^[1]

The Ka-32A11BC multipurpose helicopter has been in active service in Portugal for more than five years. In 2006, Kamov secured a contract to supply Ka-32A11BC firefighting helicopters, replacing the older Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma fleet.Template:Fix/category^{[citation needed]}

By 2019, production of the Ka-32 exceeded 240 units, with exports reaching over 30 nations.^[2] South Korea operates approximately 60 Ka-32 helicopters.^[3]^[4] In the mid-1990s, Russia settled part of its debt to South Korea through arms deliveries.^[5]

The Ka-32A11BC is distinguished by its elevated power-to-weight ratio and user-friendly handling characteristics, largely due to its coaxial rotor configuration. The absence of a tail rotor and tail boom allows for larger rotor diameters, enhancing maneuverability near obstacles and providing exceptional stability when hovering amid dense smoke or dust. This model can be outfitted with a suspended firefighting system, such as the Bambi Bucket, capable of carrying up to five tons of water or retardant. Its operational lifespan has been extended to as much as 32,000 flight hours.^[6]

Since the 1990s, China has acquired both the Ka-28 export variant and the Ka-31 radar warning version for use by the PLAN. The acquisition of Ka-31 helicopters was publicly disclosed in 2010. Chinese Ka-28 units are believed to incorporate more advanced avionics than those supplied to other international customers.^[7]

In 2013, Russia conducted trials of an upgraded Kamov Ka-27M equipped with an active electronically scanned array radar system. Central to this modernization is the FH-A airborne radar featuring an active phased array antenna. This radar integrates multiple systems—acoustic, magnetometric, signals intelligence, and radar—into a cohesive command and tactical suite, with all data presented on cockpit displays.^[8]

Ka-32 helicopters are frequently employed in erecting transmission towers for overhead power lines due to their superior lifting capability compared to the Vertol 107.^[9] In Canada, they are utilized in selective logging operations where they can vertically extract specific tree species.^[10]

In August 2013, a Kamov Ka-32 (registration C-GKHL) operating near Bella Coola, British Columbia, Canada, suffered an engine failure involving one of its Klimov TV3-117BMA engines (produced by Motor Sich in Ukraine). The subsequent investigation identified substandard assembly quality control within the compressor turbine as the cause of failure; several compressor blades detached leading to complete turbine malfunction.^[11]

During the ongoing Syrian Civil War, Ba'athist Syrian Navy forces deployed Ka-27 helicopters operationally.^[12]

On 21 June 2024, a Ka-29 helicopter was reportedly downed over Crimea by a Russian Pantsir-S1 air defense system amid a Ukrainian combined air and naval drone assault, resulting in the deaths of all four crew members.^[13]

Design and development

Operational history

Military

Civil

Operators

Military and Government Users

Civilian operators

Former users

Specifications (Ka-27)

See also

References

External links