InNATO circles, the export versions,Mi-25 andMi-35, are denoted with a letter suffix as "Hind D" and "Hind E". Soviet pilots called the Mi-24 the "flying tank" (Russian:летающий танк,romanized: letayushchiy tank), a term used historically with the famous World War II SovietIl-2Shturmovik armored ground attack aircraft. Other common unofficial nicknames were "Galina" (or "Galya"), "Crocodile" (Russian:Крокодил,romanized: Krokodil), due to the helicopter's camouflage scheme, and "Drinking Glass" (Russian:Стакан,romanized: Stakan), because of the flat glass plates that surround earlier Mi-24 variants'cockpits.[4]
During the early 1960s, it became apparent to Soviet designerMikhail Mil that the trend towards ever-increasing battlefield mobility would result in the creation of flyinginfantry fighting vehicles, which could be used to perform both fire support and infantry transport missions. The first expression of this concept was a mock-up unveiled in 1966 in the experimental department of the Ministry of Aircraft's factory number 329, where Mil was head designer. The mock-up designated V-24 was based on another project, theV-22 utility helicopter, which never flew. The V-24 had a central infantry compartment that could hold eight troops sitting back to back, and a set of small wings positioned to the top rear of the passenger cabin, capable of holding up to six missiles or rockets and a twin-barreledGSh-23L cannon fixed to the landing skid.
Mil Mi-24A, Riga airport aviation museum
Mil proposed the design to the heads of the Soviet armed forces. While he had the support of a number of strategists, he was opposed by several more senior members of the armed forces, who believed that conventional weapons were a better use of resources. Despite the opposition, Mil managed to persuade the defence minister's first deputy, MarshalAndrey A. Grechko, to convene an expert panel to look into the matter. While the panel's opinions were mixed, supporters of the project eventually held sway and a request for design proposals for a battlefield support helicopter was issued. The development and use ofgunships andattack helicopters by theUS Army during theVietnam War convinced the Soviets of the advantages of armed helicopter ground support, and fostered support for the development of the Mi-24.[5]
Mil engineers prepared two basic designs: a 7-ton single-engine design and a 10.5-ton twin-engine design, both based on the 1,700 hp Izotov TV3-177Aturboshaft. Later, three complete mock-ups were produced, along with five cockpit mock-ups to allow the pilot and weapon station operator positions to be fine-tuned.
The Kamov design bureau suggested an army version of theirKa-25 ASW helicopter as a low-cost option. This was considered but later dropped in favor of the new Mil twin-engine design. A number of changes were made at the insistence of the military, including the replacement of the 23 mm cannon with a rapid-fire heavy machine gun mounted in a chin turret, and the use of the9K114 Shturm (AT-6 Spiral) anti-tank missile.
A directive was issued on 6 May 1968 to proceed with the development of the twin-engine design. Work proceeded under Mil until his death in 1970. Detailed design work began in August 1968 under the codename Yellow 24. A full-scale mock-up of the design was reviewed and approved in February 1969. Flight tests with a prototype began on 15 September 1969 with a tethered hover, and four days later the first free flight was conducted. A second prototype was built, followed by a test batch of ten helicopters.
Russian Air Force Mil Mi-24P
Acceptance testing for the design began in June 1970, continuing for 18 months. Changes made in the design addressed structural strength, fatigue problems and vibration levels. Also, a 12-degreeanhedral was introduced to the wings to address the aircraft's tendency toDutch roll at speeds in excess of 200 km/h (124 mph), and theFalanga missile pylons were moved from the fuselage to the wingtips. The tail rotor was moved from the right to the left side of the tail, and the rotation direction reversed. The tail rotor now rotated up on the side towards the front of the aircraft, into the downwash of the rotor, which increased its efficiency. A number of other design changes were made until the production version Mi-24A (izdeliye 245) entered production in 1970, obtaining itsinitial operating capability in 1971 and was officially accepted into the state arsenal in 1972.[6]
In 1972, following completion of the Mi-24, development began on a unique attack helicopter with transport capability. The new design had a reduced transport capability (three troops instead of eight) and was called theMi-28, and that of theKa-50 attack helicopter, which is smaller and more maneuverable and does not have the large cabin for carrying troops. In October 2007, theRussian Air Force announced it would replace its Mi-24 fleet with Mi-28Ns andKa-52s by 2015.[7][8] However, after the successful operation of the type in Syria it was decided to keep it in service and upgrade it with new electronics, sights, arms and night vision goggles.[9]
The core of the aircraft was derived from theMil Mi-8 (NATO reporting name "Hip") with two top-mounted turboshaft engines driving a mid-mounted 17.3 m (57 ft) five-blade mainrotor and a three-blade tail rotor. The engine configuration gave the aircraft its distinctive double air intake. Original versions have an angular greenhouse-style cockpit; Model D and later have a characteristic tandemcockpit with a "double bubble"canopy. Other airframe components came from theMi-14 "Haze". Two mid-mounted stub wings provide weaponhardpoints, each offering three stations, in addition to providinglift. The loadout mix is mission dependent; Mi-24s can be tasked with close air support, anti-tank operations, or aerial combat.
The Mi-24'stitanium rotor blades are resistant to 12.7 mm (.50 caliber) rounds.[citation needed] The cockpit is protected by ballistic-resistant windscreens and a titanium-armored tub.[10] The cockpit and crew compartment areoverpressurized to protect the crew inNBC conditions.[11]
Mi-24D cockpitMi-35M with the OPS-24N survey and sighting system together with the gyrostabilized OLS GOES-324
Considerable attention was given to making the Mi-24 fast. The airframe was streamlined, and fitted with retractabletricycle undercarriage landing gear to reduce drag. At high speed, the wings provide considerable lift (up to a quarter of total lift). The main rotor was tilted 2.5° to the right from the fuselage to compensate fortranslating tendency at a hover. The landing gear was also tilted to the left so that the rotor would still be level when the aircraft was on the ground, making the rest of the airframe tilt to the left. The tail was also asymmetrical to give a side force at speed, thus unloading the tail rotor.[12]
A modified Mi-24B, named A-10, was used in several speed and time-to-climb world record attempts. The helicopter had been modified to reduce weight as much as possible—one measure was the removal of the stub wings.[6] The previous official speed record was set on 13 August 1975 over a closed 1,000 km (620 mi) course of 332.65 km/h (206.70 mph); many of the female-specific records were set by the all-female crew of Galina Rastorguyeva and Lyudmila Polyanskaya.[13] On 21 September 1978, the A-10 set the absolute speed record for helicopters with 368.4 km/h (228.9 mph) over a 15/25 km course. The record stood until 1986, when it was broken by the current official record holder, a modified BritishWestland Lynx.[14]
U.S. operated Mi-24P Hind-FMi-24 SuperHind, a modernized Hind by the South African firm ATE. At the Ysterplaat Airshow 2006.
As a combination of armoured gunship and troop transport, the Mi-24 has no directNATO counterpart. While theUH-1 ("Huey") helicopters were used by the US in the Vietnam War either to ferry troops, or as gunships, they were not able to do both at the same time. Converting a UH-1 into a gunship meant stripping the entire passenger area to accommodate extra fuel and ammunition, and removing its troop transport capability. The Mi-24 was designed to do both, and this was greatly exploited by airborne units of the Soviet Army during the 1980–89Soviet–Afghan War. The closest Western equivalent was the AmericanSikorsky S-67 Blackhawk, which used many of the same design principles and was also built as a high-speed, high-agility attack helicopter with limited troop transport capability using many components from the existingSikorsky S-61. The S-67, however, was never adopted for service.[3] Other Western equivalents are the Romanian Army'sIAR 330, which is a licence-built armed version of theAérospatiale SA 330 Puma, and the MH-60 Direct Action Penetrator, a special purpose armed variant of theSikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk.
The first combat use of the Mi-24 was with the Ethiopian forces during theOgaden War againstSomalia. The helicopters formed part of a massive airlift of military equipment from the Soviet Union, after the Soviets switched sides towards the end of 1977. The helicopters were instrumental in the combined air and ground assault that allowed the Ethiopians to retake theOgaden by the beginning of 1978.[15]
The Libyan air force used Mi-24A and Mi-25 units during their numerous interventions inChad's civil war.[12] The Mi-24s were first used in October 1980 in the battle ofN'Djamena, where they helped thePeople's Armed Forces seize the capital.
In March 1987, theArmed Forces of the North, which were backed by theUS and France, captured a Libyan air force base atOuadi-Doum in Northern Chad. Among the aircraftcaptured during this raid were three Mi-25s. These were supplied to France, which in turn sent one to the United Kingdom and one to the US.[6]
Front view of a Soviet Mi-24 HIND E ground-attack helicopter
The aircraft was operated extensively during the Soviet–Afghan War, mainly for bombingMujahideen fighters. When the U.S. supplied heat-seekingStinger missiles to the Mujahideen, the Soviet Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters proved to be favorite targets of the rebels.
It is difficult to find the total number of Mi-24s used in Afghanistan.[16] At the end of 1990, the whole Soviet Army had 1,420 Mi-24s.[17] During the Afghan war, sources estimated the helicopter strength to be as much as 600 units, with up to 250 being Mi-24s,[18] whereas a (formerly secret) 1987Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) report says that the number of Mi-24s in theatre increased from 85 in 1980 to 120 in 1985.[19]
In April 1979, Mi-24s were supplied to the Afghan government to deal with Mujahideen guerrillas.[20] The Afghan pilots were well-trained and made effective use of their machines, but the Mujahideen were not easy targets. The first Mi-24 to be lost in action was shot down by guerrillas on 18 July 1979.[21][22]
Soviet "Helicopter-tank" operation in Afghanistan
Despite facing strong resistance from Afghan rebels, the Mi-24 proved to be very destructive. The rebels called the Mi-24 "Shaitan-Arba (Satan's Chariot)".[20] In one case, an Mi-24 pilot who was out of ammunition managed to rescue a company of infantry by maneuvering aggressively towards Mujahideen guerrillas and scaring them off. The Mi-24 was popular with ground troops, since it could stay on the battlefield and provide fire as needed, while "fast mover"strike jets could only stay for a short time before heading back to base to refuel.
The Mi-24's favoured munition was the 80-millimetre (3.1 in)S-8 rocket, the 57 mm (2.2 in)S-5 having proven too light to be effective. The 23 mm (0.91 in)gun pod was also popular. Extra rounds of rocket ammunition were often carried internally so that the crew could land and self-reload in the field. The Mi-24 could carry ten 100-kilogram (220 lb)iron bombs for attacks on camps or strongpoints, while harder targets could be dealt with a load of four 250-kilogram (550 lb) or two 500-kilogram (1,100 lb) iron bombs.[23] Some Mi-24 crews became experts at dropping bombs precisely on targets.Fuel-air explosive bombs were also used in a few instances, though crews initially underestimated the sheer blast force of such weapons and were caught by the shock waves. The 9K114 Shturm was used infrequently, largely due to a lack of targets early in the war that required the precision and range the missile offered and a need to keep to stocks of anti tank missiles in Europe. After the Mujahideen got access to more advanced anti aircraft weapons later in the war the Shturm was used more often by Mi-24 units.[24]
Combat experience quickly demonstrated the disadvantages of having an Mi-24 carrying troops. Gunship crews found the soldiers a concern and a distraction while being shot at, and preferred to fly lightly loaded anyway, especially given their operations from high ground altitudes in Afghanistan. Mi-24 troop compartment armour was often removed to reduce weight. Troops would be carried in Mi-8 helicopters while the Mi-24s provided fire support.
Mil Mi-24/25
It proved useful to carry a technician in the Mi-24's crew compartment to handle a light machine gun in a window port. This gave the Mi-24 some ability to "watch its back" while leaving a target area. In some cases, a light machine gun was fitted on both sides to allow the technician to move from one side to the other without having to take the machine gun with him.
This weapon configuration still left the gunship blind to the direct rear, and Mil experimented with fitting a machine gun in the back of the fuselage, accessible to the gunner through a narrow crawl-way. The experiment was highly unsuccessful, as the space was cramped, full of engine exhaust fumes, and otherwise unbearable. During a demonstration, an overweight Soviet Air Force general got stuck in the crawl-way.[6] Operational Mi-24s were retrofitted with rear-view mirrors to help the pilot spot threats and take evasive action.
Besides protecting helicopter troop assaults and supporting ground actions, the Mi-24 also protected convoys, using rockets withflechette warheads to drive off ambushes; performed strikes on predesignated targets; and engaged in "hunter-killer" sweeps. Hunter-killer Mi-24s operated at a minimum in pairs, but were more often in groups of four or eight, to provide mutual fire support. The Mujahideen learned to move mostly at night to avoid the gunships, and in response the Soviets trained their Mi-24 crews in night-fighting, dropping parachute flares to illuminate potential targets for attack. The Mujahideen quickly caught on and scattered as quickly as possible when Soviet target designation flares were lit nearby.
The war in Afghanistan brought with it losses by attrition.[20] The environment itself, dusty and often hot, was rough on the machines; dusty conditions led to the development of the twin PZU ('PyleZashchitnoe Ustroystvo') air intake filters. The rebels' primary air-defence weapons early in the war were heavy machine guns and anti-aircraft cannons, though anything smaller than a 23 millimetre shell generally did not do much damage to an Mi-24. The cockpit glass panels were resistant to 12.7 mm (.50 in calibre) rounds.[citation needed]
The rebels also quickly began to use Soviet-made and US shoulder-launched,man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) missiles such as theStrela andRedeye which had either been captured from the Soviets or their Afghan allies or were supplied from Western sources. Many of them came from stocks that the Israelis had captured during wars with Soviet backed states in the Middle East. Owing to a combination of the limited capabilities of these early types of missiles, poor training and poor material condition of the missiles, they were not particularly effective. Instead, theRPG-7, originally developed as an antitank weapon, was the first effective countermeasure to the Hind. The RPG-7, not designed for air defence, had inherent shortcomings in this role. When fired at the angles needed to hit aerial targets, the back-blast could easily wound the shooter, and the inevitable cloud of smoke and dust made it easy for gunners to spot the shooter's position.[citation needed]
From 1986,[23] the CIA began supplying the Afghan rebels with newer Stinger shoulder-launched, heat-seeking SAMs.[25] These were a marked improvement over earlier weapons. Unlike the Redeye and SA-7, which locked on to only infrared emissions, the Stinger could lock onto both infrared and ultraviolet emissions. This enabled the operator to engage an aircraft from all angles rather than just the tail and made it significantly more resistant to countermeasures like flares. In addition the Mil helicopters, particularly the Mi-24, suffered from a design flaw in the configuration of their engines that made them highly vulnerable to the Stinger. The Mi-24, along with the related Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters, had its engines placed in an inline configuration in an attempt to streamline the helicopter to increase speed and minimize the aircraft's overall frontal profile to incoming fire in a head on attack. However this had the opposite effect of leaking all the exhaust gasses from the Mi-24's engines directly out the side of the aircraft and away from the helicopter's rotor wash, creating two massive sources of heat and ultraviolet radiation for the Stinger to lock onto.[26] The inline placement of the engines was seen as so problematic in this regard that Mil designers abandoned the configuration on the planned successor to the Mi-24, the Mil Mi-28, in favour of an engine placement more akin to Western attack helicopters which vents the exhaust gasses into the helicopter's main rotor wash to dissipate heat.[citation needed]
Initially, the attack doctrine of the Mi-24 was to approach its target from high altitude and dive downwards. After the introduction of the Stinger, doctrine changed to "nap of the earth" flying, where they approached very low to the ground and engaged more laterally, popping up to only about 200 ft (61 m) in order to aim rockets or cannons.[27] Countermeasure flares and missile warning systems would be installed in all SovietMil Mi-2, Mi-8, and Mi-24 helicopters, giving pilots a chance to evade missiles fired at them. Heat dissipation devices were also fitted to exhausts to decrease the Mi-24's heat signature. Tactical and doctrinal changes were introduced to make it harder for the enemy to deploy these weapons effectively. These reduced the Stinger threat, but did not eliminate it.
Mi-24s were also used to shield jet transports flying in and out ofKabul from Stingers. The gunships carried flares to blind the heat-seeking missiles. The crews called themselves "MandatoryMatrosovs", after a Soviet hero of World War II who threw himself across a German machine gun to let his comrades break through.[citation needed]
According to Russian sources, 74 helicopters were lost, including 27 shot down by Stinger and two by Redeye.[23] In many cases, the helicopters with their armour and durable construction could withstand significant damage and able to return to base.[citation needed]
Mi-24 crews carriedAK-74 assault rifles and other hand-held weapons to give them a better chance of survival if forced down.[20] Early in the war, Marat Tischenko, head of the Mil design bureau visited Afghanistan to see what the troops thought of his helicopters, and gunship crews put on several displays for him. They even demonstrated manoeuvres, such asbarrel rolls, which design engineers considered impossible. An astounded Tischenko commented, "I thought I knew what my helicopters could do, now I'm not so sure!"[20]
The last Soviet Mi-24 shot down was during the night of 2 February 1989, with both crewmen killed. It was also the last Soviet helicopter lost during nearly 10 years of warfare.[23]
Two MilMi-35 Hind helicopters during a training sortie over southern Afghanistan, 4 October 2009. U.S. Airmen with the 438th Air Expeditionary Training Group.
Mi-24s passed on to Soviet-backed Afghan forces during the war remained in dwindling service in the grinding civil war that continued after the Soviet withdrawal.[20]
Afghan Air Force Mi-24s in the hands of the ascendantTaliban gradually became inoperable, but a few flown by theNorthern Alliance, which had Russian assistance and access to spares, remained operational up to the US invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001. In 2008, the Afghan Air Force took delivery of six refurbished Mi-35 helicopters, purchased from the Czech Republic. The Afghan pilots were trained by India and began live firing exercises in May 2009 in order to escort Mi-17 transport helicopters on operations in restive parts of the country.
The Mi-25 saw considerable use by theIraqi Army during thelong war against Iran.[28] Its heavy armament caused severe losses to Iranian ground forces during the war. However, the Mi-25 lacked an effective anti-tank capability, as it was only armed with obsolete9M17 Skorpion missiles.[29] This led the Iraqis to develop new gunship tactics, with help fromEast German advisors. The Mi-25s would form "hunter-killer" teams with French-builtAérospatiale Gazelles, with the Mi-25s leading the attack and using their massive firepower to suppress Iranian air defences, and the Gazelles using theirHOT missiles to engagearmoured fighting vehicles. These tactics proved effective in halting Iranian offensives, such asOperation Ramadan in July 1982.[29]
An Iraqi Mil Mi-25, brought down during theIran–Iraq War, on display at a military museum inTehran.
This war also saw the only confirmed air-to-air helicopter battles in history with the Iraqi Mi-25s flying against IranianAH-1J SeaCobras (supplied by the United States before theIranian Revolution) on several separate occasions. In November 1980, not long after Iraq's initial invasion of Iran, two Iranian SeaCobras engaged two Mi-25s withTOW wire-guided antitank missiles. One Mi-25 went down immediately, the other was badly damaged and crashed before reaching base.[23][30] The Iranians repeated this accomplishment on 24 April 1981, destroying two Mi-25s without incurring losses to themselves.[23] One Mi-25 was also downed by an IRIAFF-14A.[31]
The Iraqis hit back, claiming the destruction of a SeaCobra on 14 September 1983 (with YaKB machine gun), then three SeaCobras on 5 February 1984[30] and three more on 25 February 1984 (two with Falanga missiles, one with S-5 rockets).[23] A 1982 news article published on the Iraqi Observer claimed an Iraqi Mi-24D shot down an IranianF-4 Phantom II using its armaments, either antitank missiles, guns or S-5 unguided rockets.[32]
After a lull in helicopter losses, each side lost a gunship on 13 February 1986.[23] Later, a Mi-25 claimed shooting down a SeaCobra with YaKB gun on 16 February, and a SeaCobra claimed downing a Mi-25 with rockets on 18 February.[23] The last engagement between the two types was on 22 May 1986, when Mi-25s shot down a SeaCobra. The final claim tally was 10 SeaCobras and 6 Mi-25s destroyed. The relatively small numbers and the inevitable disputes over actual kill numbers makes it unclear if one gunship had a real technical superiority over the other. Iraqi Mi-25s also claimed 43 kills against other Iranian helicopters, such asAgusta-Bell UH-1 Hueys.[30]
In general, the Iraqi pilots liked the Mi-25, in particular for its high speed, long range, high versatility and large weapon load, but disliked the relatively ineffectual anti-tank guided weapons and lack of agility.[29]
Mi-25s were also used by the Nicaraguan Army during the civil war of the 1980s.[33][34] Nicaragua received 12 Mi-25s (some sources claim 18) in the mid-1980s to deal with "Contra" insurgents.[30] The Mi-25s performed ground attacks on the Contras and were also fast enough to intercept light aircraft being used by the insurgents. The U.S.Reagan Administration regarded introduction of the Mi-25s as a major escalation of tensions in Central America.
Two Mi-25s were shot down by Stingers fired by the Contras. A third Mi-25 was damaged while pursuing Contras near the Honduran border, when it was intercepted by HonduranF-86 Sabres andA-37 Dragonflies. A fourth was flown to Honduras by a defectingSandinista pilot in December 1988.
TheIndian Peace Keeping Force (1987–90) inSri Lanka used Mi-24s when anIndian Air Force detachment was deployed there insupport of the Indian and Sri Lankan armed forces in their fight against variousTamil militant groups such as theLiberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). It is believed that Indian losses were considerably reduced by the heavy fire support from their Mi-24s. The Indians lost no Mi-24s in the operation, as the Tigers had no weapons capable of downing the gunship at the time.[30][35]
Since 14 November 1995, the Mi-24 has been used by theSri Lanka Air Force in the war against the LTTE liberation group and has proved highly effective at providing close air support for ground forces. The Sri Lanka Air Force operates a mix of Mi-24/-35P and Mi-24V/-35 versions attached to itsNo. 9 Attack Helicopter Squadron. They have recently been upgraded with modern IsraeliFLIR andelectronic warfare systems. Five were upgraded to intercept aircraft by adding radar, fully functional helmet mounted target tracking systems, and AAMs. More than five Mi-24s have been lost to LTTE MANPADS, and another two lost in attacks on air bases, with one heavily damaged but later returned to service.[35]
ThePeruvian Air Force received 12 Mi-25Ds and 2 Mi-25DU from the Soviets in 1983, 1984, and 1985 after ordering them in the aftermath of1981 Paquisha conflict withEcuador. Seven more second hand units (4 Mi-24D and 3 Mi-25D) were obtained fromNicaragua in 1992. These have been permanently based at the Vitor airbase nearLa Joya ever since, operated by the 2nd Air Group of the 211th Air Squadron. Their first deployment occurred in June 1989 during thewar against Communist guerrillas in the Peruvian highlands, mainly againstShining Path. Despite the conflict continuing, it has decreased in scale and is now limited to the jungle areas of Valley of RiversApurímac,Ene andMantaro (VRAEM).[36][37][38]
A Peruvian Mi-35P
Peru also employed Mi-25s against Ecuadorian forces during the shortCenepa conflict in early 1995. The only loss occurred on 7 February, when a FAP Mi-25 was downed after being hit in quick succession by at least two, probably three,9K38 Igla shoulder-fired missiles during a low-altitude mission over the Cenepa valley. The three crewmen were killed.[39]
By 2011 two Mi-35P were purchased from Russia to reinforce the 211th Air Squadron.[40]
An Iraqi Mi-25 Hind-D, captured during the 1991 Persian Gulf War.
The Mi-24 was also heavily employed by theIraqi Army during theirinvasion of Kuwait, although most were withdrawn bySaddam Hussein when it became apparent that they would be needed to help retain his grip on power in the aftermath of the war. In the ensuing1991 uprisings in Iraq, these helicopters were used against dissidents as well as fleeing civilian refugees.[41][42]
Twelve Mi-24s were delivered to Croatia in 1993, and were used effectively in 1995 by theCroatian Army inOperation Stormagainst theArmy of Krajina. The Mi-24 was used to strike deep into enemy territory and disrupt Krajina army communications. One Croatian Mi-24 crashed near the city ofDrvar, Bosnia and Herzegovina due to strong winds. Both the pilot and the operator survived. The Mi-24s used by Croatia were obtained from Ukraine. One Mi-24 was modified to carryMark 46 torpedoes. The helicopters were withdrawn from service in 2004.[46]
In 1995, the Sudanese Air Force acquired six Mi-24s for use inSouthern Sudan and theNuba Mountains toengage theSPLA. At least two aircraft were lost in non-combat situations within the first year of operation. A further twelve were bought in 2001,[48] and used extensively in the oil fields of Southern Sudan. Mi-24s were also deployed toDarfur in 2004–05.
Three Mi-24s were used by Mobutu's army and were later acquired by the newAir Force of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[49] These were supplied to Zaire in 1997 as part of a French-Serbian contract. At least one was flown by Serbian mercenaries. One hit a power line and crashed on 27 March 1997, killing the three crew and four passengers.[50] Zimbabwean Mi-24s were also operated in coordination with the Congolese Army.
The United Nations peacekeeping mission employedIndian Air Force Mi-24/-35 helicopters to provide support during theSecond Congo War. The IAF has been operating in the region since 2003.[51]
Two second-hand Mi-24Vs procured from Ukraine earlier in the 1990s were used by the YugoslavSpecial Operation Unit (JSO) against Kosovo Albanian rebels during theKosovo War.[52]
During theIvorian Civil War, five Mil Mi-24s piloted by mercenaries were used in support of government forces. They were later destroyed by theFrench Army in retaliation for an air attack on a French base that killed nine soldiers.[54]
In 2008 and 2009, the Czech Republic donated six Mi-24s under the ANA Equipment Donation Programme. As a result, the Afghan National Army Air Corps (ANAAC) gained the ability to escort its own helicopters with heavily armed attack helicopters. ANAAC operates nine Mi-35s. Major Caleb Nimmo, aUnited States Air Force Pilot, was the first American to fly the Mi-35 Hind, or any Russian helicopter, in combat.[55][56] On 13 September 2011, a Mi-35 of the Afghan Air Force was used to hold back an attack on ISAF and police buildings.[57]
The Polish Helicopter Detachment contributed Mi-24s to theInternational Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The Polish pilots trained in Germany before deploying to Afghanistan and train with U.S. service personnel. On 26 January 2011, one Mi-24 caught on fire duringtake-off from its base inGhazni. One American and four Polish soldiers evacuated unharmed.[58]
India has also donated Mi-35s to Afghanistan. Four helicopters were to be supplied, with three already transferred in January 2016.[59][60][61] The three Mi-35s made a big difference in the offensive against militants, according to GeneralJohn Campbell, commander of US forces in Afghanistan.[62]
The Polish contingent inIraq used six Mi-24Ds after December 2004. One of them crashed on 18 July 2006 in an air base inAl Diwaniyah.[63] Polish Mi-24Ds used in Iraq were not returned to Poland due to their age, condition, low combat value of the Mi-24D variant, and high shipping costs; depending on their condition, they were transferred to thenew Iraqi Army or scrapped.
War in Somalia (2006–2009) and Somali Civil War (2009–present)
Mil Mi-24s were used by both sides during thefighting in South Ossetia.[69] During the warGeorgian Air Force Mi-24s attacked their first targets on an early morning hour of 8 August, targeting the Ossetian presidential palace. The second target was a cement factory nearTskhinvali, where major enemy forces and ammunition were located.[69] The last combat mission of the GAF Mi-24s was on 11 August, when a large Russian convoy, consisting of light trucks and BMP IFVs which were heading to the Georgian village of Avnevi was targeted by Mi-24s, completely destroying the convoy.[69] The Georgian Air Force lost 2 Mi-24s on Senaki air base. They were destroyed by Russian troops on the ground. Both helicopters were in-operational.[70] The Russian army heavily used Mi-24s in the conflict. Russian upgraded Mi-24PNs were credited for destroying 2 Georgian T-72SIM1 tanks, using guided missiles at night time, though some sources attribute those kills to Mil Mi-28.[69] The Russian army did not lose any Mi-24s throughout the conflict, mainly because those helicopters were deployed to areas where Georgian air defence was not active,[69] though some were damaged by small arms fire and at least one Mi-24 was lost due to technical reasons.
TheLibyan Air Force Mi-24s were used by both sides to attack enemy positions during the2011 Libyan civil war.[73] A number were captured by the rebels, who formed theFree Libyan Air Force together with other captured air assets. During the battle for Benina airport, one Mi-35 (serial number 853), was destroyed on the ground on 23 February 2011. In the same action, serial number 854 was captured by the rebels together with an Mi-14 (serial number 1406).[citation needed] Two Mi-35s operating for the pro-Gaddafi Libyan Air Force were destroyed on the ground on 26 March 2011 by French aircraft enforcing the no-fly zone.[74] One Free Libyan Air Force Mi-25D (serial number 854, captured at the beginning of the revolt) violated the no-fly-zone on 9 April 2011 to strike loyalist positions in Ajdabiya. It was shot down by Libyan ground forces during the action. The pilot, Captain Hussein Al-Warfali, died in the crash.[citation needed] The rebels claimed that a number of other Mi-25s were shot down.
TheSyrian Air Force has used Mi-24s during the ongoingSyrian Civil War, including in many of the country's major cities.[76] Controversy has surrounded an alleged delivery of Mi-25s[by whom?] to the Syrian military, due to Turkey and other NATO members disallowing such arms shipments through their territory.[vague][77]
On 3 November 2016, a Russian Mi-35 made an emergency landing near Syria'sPalmyra city, and was hit and destroyed, most likely by an unguided recoilless weapon after it touched down. The crew returned safely to theKhmeimim air base.[78]
TheMyanmar Air Force used the Mi-24 in theKachin conflict against theKachin Independence Army.[79] Two Mi-35 helicopters were shot down by the Kachin Independence Army during the heavy fighting in the mountains of northern Burma in 2012 and early 2013.[80]
On 3 May 2021, in the morning, a Myanmar Air Force Mi-35 was shot down by the Kachin Independence Army, hit by a MANPADS during air raids involving attack helicopters and fighter jets. A video emerged showing the helicopter being hit while flying over a village.[81][82]
Iraq ordered a total of 34 Mi-35Ms in 2013, as part of an arms deal with Russia that also included Mi-28 attack helicopters.[83] The delivery of the first four was announced by then-Prime MinisterNuri al-Maliki in November 2013.[84][85]
Their first deployment began in late December against camps of the al-Qaeda linkedIslamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and several Islamist militants in theal-Anbar province that had taken control of several areas ofFallujah andRamadi.[86] FLIR footage of the strikes has been released by the military.[87]
On 3 October 2014,ISIL militants reportedly used aFN-6 shoulder-launched missile inBaiji to shoot down an Iraqi Army Mi-35M attack helicopter.[88] Video footage released by ISIL militants shows at least another two Iraqi Mi-35s brought down by light anti-aircraft artillery.[89]
In 2018, Pakistan received 4 Mi-35M Hind-E Gunships from Russia under the $153 million deal.[90][91] They are now stationed at theArmy Aviation Corps base atQuetta Cantonment. The gunships have since been used in several counter insurgency operations against various militant groups in theBalochistan province of Pakistan.In early 2022, a base inNushki and a check-post inPanjgur belonging to theFrontier Corps BalochistanParamilitary were attacked byBLA terrorists. The attack in Nushki was swiftly repulsed but the situation in Panjgaur was not good to which Mi-35 Hind andAH-1F Cobra gunships were called in for support. It provided much needed ground support and reconnaissance in the counter offensive which led to success.[92][93]
During theannexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, Russia deployed 13 Mi-24s to support their infantry as they advanced through the region. However these aircraft saw no combat during their deployment.[94]
Ukrainian Mil Mi-24 during training at the time of the war in Donbas
During theSiege of Sloviansk, on 2 May 2014, two Ukrainian Mi-24s were shot down by pro-Russian insurgents. The Ukrainian armed forces claim that they were downed by MANPADS while on patrol close to Sloviansk.[95] The Ukrainian government confirmed that both aircraft were shot down, along with an Mi-8 damaged by small arms fire. Initial reports mentioned two dead and others wounded; later, five crew members were confirmed dead and one taken prisoner until being released on 5 May.[96][97][98]
On 5 May 2014, another Ukrainian Mi-24 was forced to make an emergency landing after being hit by machine gun fire while on patrol close to Sloviansk. The Ukrainian forces recovered the two pilots and destroyed the helicopter with a rocket strike by anSu-25 aircraft to prevent its capture by pro-Russian insurgents.[99]
Ukrainian Su-25s, withMiG-29 fighters providing top cover, supported Mi-24s during the battle forDonetsk Airport.[100]
On 12 November 2014, Azerbaijani forcesshot down an Armenian forces Mi-24 from a formation of two which were flying along the disputed border, close to the frontline between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops in the disputed Karabakh territory. The helicopter was hit by an Igla-S shoulder-launched missile fired by Azerbaijani soldiers while flying at low altitude and crashed, killing all three on board.[103][104][105]
On 9 November 2020, during theNagorno-Karabakh war aRussian Mi-24 was shot down by Azerbaijani forces with a MANPADS.[110] The Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry stated that the downing was an accident. Two crew members were killed and one sustained moderate injuries. The Russian defence ministry confirmed the downing in a press release the same day.[111]
During the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, both Ukraine and Russia have used Mi-24 helicopters. On 1 March 2022, Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian Mi-35M helicopter with MANPADS, in the Kyiv Reservoir (see alsoBattle of Kyiv). On 5 May 2022, the helicopter was retrieved by Ukrainian engineers inVyshgorod.[112] Two Russian Mi-35 were shot down by a MANPADS on 5 March 2022.[113][114] On 6 March, one Mi-24P with registration numberRF-94966 was shot down by Ukrainian MANPADS in Kyiv Oblast.[115][116] On 8 March 2022 one Ukrainian Mil Mi-24 from theUkrainian 16th Army Aviation Brigade [uk] was lost overBrovary, Kyiv. Pilots Col. Oleksandr Maryniak and Cptn. Ivan Bezzub were killed.[117][118] On 17 March a Russian Mi-35M was reported destroyed byUkrainian Ministry of Defence, unknown location.[119] On 1 April 2022, two Ukrainian Mi-24s reportedly entered Russia andattacked an oil storage facility inBelgorod.[120]
In May 2022, the Czech Republic donated Mi-24 helicopters to Ukraine.[121] In July 2023, it was reported that Poland secretly donated at least a dozen Mi-24s to Ukraine.[122] In late 2023, Russia tried to buy the deactivated Mi-35 from theBrazilian Air Force, but the Brazilian government denied the sale.[123]
In early 2025, theNigerian Air Force offered to sell its Mi-24 helicopters to Ukraine. Despite early interest, the offer was denied due to their poor condition.[124]
As of 27 May 2025, visually confirmed losses compiled by Oryx blog are listed as following: 4 Mi-24P, 4 Mi-24V/P/35M, 10 Mi-35M for the Russian side, and 2 Mi-24P and 7 Mi-24 of unknown variant for the Ukrainian side.[125]
Orthographic projection of the Mil Mi-24.Cabin door to the rear troop-utility compartmentPossible armament configuration on Mi-24WYakushev-Borzov YakB-12.7 machine gunMi-24 during "Centre 2019" exercise
Total payload claimed is up to 2,400 kg of external stores from Mi-24P (Russians typically claim 2,400 kg like link in first ref but link in second ref claims 2,500).[203][204]
Inner hardpoints can carry at least 500 kg.
Outer hardpoints can carry at least 500 kg when carrying PTB-450 450 litre fuel tanks (fuel weight up to 378 kg except empty tank weight), or B-8V20 rocket pod withS-8 (rocket) that weigh over 400 kg when fully loaded with HE-FRAG-Delayed rounds for anti-armor roles (20 round loaded weight including pod is 457 kg) or the lighter Anti-Concrete rocket (20 round loaded weight including pod is 427 kg).[205] 4 × R-60 AIM - 2 per each 4 pylons. Also can be loaded under wingtips but cannot find any pictures or records that R-60M being fired from wingtip.
Wing-tip pylons can only carry the9M17 Phalanga (in the Mi-24A-D), the9K114 Shturm complex (in the Mi-24V-F) per each side.
Bomb load
Bombs within weight range (presumably ZAB, FAB, RBK, ODAB etc.), up to 500 kg
MBD multiple ejector racks (presumably MBD-4 with 4 × FAB-100)
KGMU2V submunition/mine dispenser pods
First-generation armament (standard production Mi-24D)
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