Lighter Vikhr loads (i.e. 4x)?

So, Kamov's are often photographs with only some of the tubes attached to the APU-6 rack. The APU-6 is designed so that the tubes can be unbolted allowing it to routinely be equipped with less than the maximum number of six missiles per hard-point.

I once saw it argued that this was a training configuration, but operationally deployed Kamovs (e.g. in Chechnya) carried less than the maximum number of missiles. Obviously, there are operational benefits (likely saving weight and increasing range) if one doesn't need more than a couple of missiles for the task.

So I was wondering if anyone else thought this might be a nice (and easy to complete) addition to Black Shark 3?

The new screenshots of the WIP model do seem to show what you are asking for.

Here's the link to it:

https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=3931180&postcount=198

Nope, those missiles are Iglas. ;)

Are you sure? I doubt that, the launchers look same as the Vikhrs, and the missiles are rather pointy, like the Vikhr, and, as far as I know, unlike the Igla.

You're right. Makes me doubt now.

It would be a very good new if we finally get the ability to carry 8 or 4 Vikhrs :)

And so perhaps can we hope that iglas come in a 3rd pylon. Very good eye :)

The pictures show partially loaded APU-6 Vikhr racks. That is, with 4 tubes instead of 6.

You're right. Makes me doubt now.

 

It would be a very good new if we finally get the ability to carry 8 or 4 Vikhrs :)

 

And so perhaps can we hope that iglas come in a 3rd pylon. Very good eye :)

And selecting "All A-A" should prepare systems to somekind A-A mode where vikhrs are in A-A mode and Iglas/R-73 are prepared too.

Oddly the said AA missiles are in wingtips....

And in KA-52 the pylons are next to it?

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I usually post from my phone so please excuse any typos, inappropriate punctuation and capitalization, missing words and general lack of cohesion and sense in my posts.....

Uh oh... Delete that pic :)… Quick...

We don't want them removing the ability to put the 13's on the inner pylons...

Hurry up... WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!!???!!!

I'm quite confident that the Igla rack will be on the outer pylons only, just like the Vikhr rack. There is no third weapon pylon, you can see that in the images. That image that shows Iglas going on the countermeasure "pylon"...well I don't know what to say about that, other than to say that the wingtip is not a weapon mount. There's just the inboard and outboard pylons.

We just need a 3rd pylon added to the Ka-50 for igla.

OMG! I'm super exited for this news, I can't wait to buy it and start having my revenge on Fighters.... you know what I mean ;)

P.e. I want better zoom and thermal imaging and RWR and A-A capabilities off course...

lol go buy an A-10 :p

I'm quite confident that the Igla rack will be on the outer pylons only, just like the Vikhr rack. There is no third weapon pylon, you can see that in the images. That image that shows Iglas going on the countermeasure "pylon"...well I don't know what to say about that, other than to say that the wingtip is not a weapon mount. There's just the inboard and outboard pylons.

I dont understand? On the pic it shows igla B mounted below the dispenser right?

Why do u say that the winhtips cant hold anything? Im prolly missing something

OMG! I'm super exited for this news, I can't wait to buy it and start having my revenge on Fighters.... you know what I mean ;)

 

 

P.e. I want better zoom and thermal imaging and RWR and A-A capabilities off course...

The Vhiker is actually not too bad as an A-A weapon. The problem is the EO. It just simply can't lock up fighters, and has a hard problem locking helicopters unless they're really close. So, yeah, we need Iglas. And we need FLIR for night missions.

@BranchPrediction - The wingtip is NOT a pylon. Not sure exactly what it is. Antenna? Just decoration ( most likely ). However, on the Ka-50, which seems to have the same size "wing", there is a third pylon right before the dispenser, and it mounts iglas.

I dont understand? On the pic it shows igla B mounted below the dispenser right?

 

Why do u say that the winhtips cant hold anything? Im prolly missing something

There ain't any abeyance info, nor even images to find them that, what I believe is from somekind build set manual etc.

But if you look at the. KA-50 collective, it says it all:

Now try to have logic in that.

Why does a collective have a four way weapons selector?

Outer Inner

Should be enough for any combination selection as you would know that what is somewhere, right?

Then the "All pylons" is as well very logical, as of you have both inner and outer hanging with rockets or bombs.

But why... Why you have separate "A-A"?

Why do you have a mode that is separated from inner and outer pylons?

Unless you can mount IGLAS to inner as well, so your combo of Vikhr + IGLAS is possible?

But again, shouldn't pilot know at that moment that they choose "Inner" if that is required?

I can't find any logic (that Russians are famous for) in that, why you have a weapons pylon selector for a dedicated third A-A weapons?

And the left panel has programming buttons to set A-A mode to Vikhr:

The same thing is with these Vikhr stations. As I have always seen only two kinds setups.

1) Full 2 racks, 6 missiles on both.

2) test flying etc with 2 Vikhr on right wing.

Never I have seen 2 or 4 on both wings.

I have even seen a uneven load of fuel tank in one and full 6 Vikhr on other.

And does the Skhval system even know what missile to launch next? So it does always launch at specific order, but pilot can't choose from which side or doesn't need to program anything to weapons data that what Vikhr position in the rack is loaded at all?

So the system will query on launch a order of the missile launchers until the comes next that says it is ready to launch?

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I usually post from my phone so please excuse any typos, inappropriate punctuation and capitalization, missing words and general lack of cohesion and sense in my posts.....

 

But why... Why you have separate "A-A"?

Perhaps simply in order to enable the boresight mode ?

Why does a collective have a four way weapons selector?

Because I think they meant for one wing to carry Vhikers and the other to carry iglas. OR, there is supposed to be a third pylon, like on the Ka-52, to carry Igla only (Most likely reason).

Personally, I think all we have to do is look at the Ka-52 to realize what the Ka-50 would have looked like if it had gone into mass production. It is basically a one-pilot Ka-52, made for Russian special forces attack capability.

Perhaps simply in order to enable the boresight mode ?

The HUD modes change by selecting pylon Inner-Outer, so you wouldn't need anything like that to enable boresight for IGLA.

All that you would then need to know is that you have rockets hanged on inner and IGLAs on the outer. And same way as you switch between Vikhr and rockets, you do switch between rockets and IGLA.

There are four modes:

Inner

Outer

A-A weapons

All stations

Its logic is just escaping me that why there is special A-A mode when you select either side anyways? "All Stations" is easy to understand.

So far only "logical" I can think of is that you can have a IGLA mounted separated on other wing while other side has rockets, so you are replacing one of the rocket pods with IGLA pair and this way able to select "Inner" or "A-A".

It doesn't even explain pylon ejector logic to have selector for "A-A" weapons, instead either Inner or Outer.

But if Vikhrs could be carried in either one (all says it is just the outer pylon) then it wouldn't matter to have IGLA on other pylons. But if you need to give up with Vikhr to get IGLA, it is like going to gunfight with a knife.

Sure the KA-50 was designed to operate as protector for Mi-8, but having just cannon, rockets and few IGLA is like what for?

It will be interesting to finally see what bug fixes has done to the KA-50 cockpit etc. As I am very puzzled by the collective weapons selector modes.

Because I think they meant for one wing to carry Vhikers and the other to carry iglas. OR, there is supposed to be a third pylon, like on the Ka-52, to carry Igla only (Most likely reason).

I think that third pylon would be reason that the collective was designed for such combo, that never was done for KA-50. So it is KA-52 collective in the KA-50. That is only explanation I find totally logical. You choose any A-G ordinance with inner/outer, or at any given time you can select IGLA's as you alway carry those in full combat load.

Personally, I think all we have to do is look at the Ka-52 to realize what the Ka-50 would have looked like if it had gone into mass production. It is basically a one-pilot Ka-52, made for Russian special forces attack capability.

That development route is easy to see, but I think that we can expect to see a dual fielding of Vikhr and IGLA on two ways. Have IGLA in either inner or outer pylons, Vikhr always only on outer pylon, and have rockets or Kh-25ML in inner and outer pylons. This way you would always be able carry Vikhr + IGLA combo but give up with rockets, and the collective weapons selector hat is for future KA-52 design with third pylon in wing.

In all lecture I have read, it is stated that KA-50 can carry any weapon combination it has available. And Vikhr is only one that is dedicated to outer pylon. So if there is IGLA possible to be mounted, it can't be only for outer pylon as well where VIkhr is possible be mounted, as you can't field Vikhr and IGLA same time. And hence not possible have all weapon combinations loaded.

Now just need to find more info about that lighter Vikhr loadout racks. 2/4x instead 6x.

We know that some proposals (e.g. the Ka-50-2) offered a third set of pylons (along with a nose mounted turret)... but I suspect it is more likely that it is just the switch activating additional electronics.

The pictures show partially loaded APU-6 Vikhr racks. That is, with 4 tubes instead of 6.

This might explain my excitement :)