MOSCOW, April 11. /TASS-DEFENSE/. Russia's Kamov Ka-52 ('Hokum-B') helicopter has made its combat debut in Syria, according to a Russian defense industry source.
"Both Mi-28N and Ka-52 combat helicopters have started to make combat sorties in Syria. Mi-28N was used for the first time near Palmira (Homs province) in late March, while Ka-52 has made its combat debut in the vicinities of the Homs city in early April", the source said. He pointed out, that one Ka-52 had been exploited as a "counter-terroristic asset", eliminating small groups of terrorists, using both unguided and high-precision weapons. "The Ka-52 helicopter was equipped with two types of 'Ataka' guided missile (AT-9 Spiral-2), namely, armed with anti-tank (9M120) and anti-personnel (9M120F, F stands for fugasnaya, high-explosive) warheads. As the terrorists had not deployed armoured vehicles in the area, where the Ka-52`s first combat sortie took place, the helicopter used 80mm S-8OFP unguided rockets and 9M120F guided missiles to eliminate several groups of terrorists", the source added. He said, that 9M120F fully revealed its combat potential as an anti-personnel weapon as it had eliminated a group of terrorists in a small trench, being guided via radio command channel. "Even S-8OFP. unexpectedly, turned out to be a relatively precision rocket", the source pointed out. He did not mention the losees of the terrorists.