According to the annual report published this summer by Rostvertol JSC (a subsidiary of Russian Helicopters), the company continues to fulfil the Rosoboronexport-made contracts for 28 Mi-35M and 15 Mi-28NE attack helicopters.

The first four-ship Mi-35M batch was shipped to Iraq a year ago, on 8 November 2013. This was reported, inter alia, by Iraqi Premier Nuri al-Maliki on his Facebook wall. Late last year, the Mi-35Ms started being flown in Iraq in support of the operations against armed rebels, which has been covered by the Iraqi media closely enough. On 27 September 2014, the Iraqi Defence Ministry issued an official statement about the delivery of the third batch of helicopters from Russia. Probably, it meant four more Mi-35Ms.

Rostvertol made the first batch of export-designed Mi-28NE helicopters this summer. Three of them - complete and given the characteristic desert camouflage paintjob, but lacking the insignia and side numbers - could be seen during the celebration of the manufacturer's 75th anniversary on 1 July 2014. One of the aircraft was shown at a static display dedicated to Rostvertol's jubilee, another could be easily spotted at the airfield and yet another was in the final assembly hall among other complete products.

Following the factory flight tests in late in August 2014, the machines were partially disassembled and brought to Rostov-on-Don's airport for delivery to the customer by an An-124 Ruslan heavy-lift transport aircraft. The airlift took place on 28 August, and a day later, the Iraqi Defence Ministry issued an official statement about its acceptance of the first Mi-28NE batch. "The helicopters shall enter service to contribute to the fight of our armed forces against the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIS)", the Iraqi Defence Ministry official website reports.

At the same time, a video clip was published, showing the work in a hangar where the three Mi-28NEs were being re-assembled following their shipping to Iraq. The video footage was accompanied by an interview by Iraqi Defence Ministry spokesman Lt.-Gen. Mohammed al-Askari. Another video clip was published in mid-September, showing the first flights of the Mi-28NE in Iraq and comprising an interview of another ranking Iraqi commander.

The manufacturing and assembly of another export Mi-28NE batch is under way at Rostvetrol.

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Lt.-Gen. Mohammed al-Askari:
"The Mi-28NE service entry is quantum leap in the development of Iraqi Army Aviation"

"We have received the first batch of advanced Mi-28NE armoured combat helicopters. The Iraqi Army's operations against terrorists have shown that our armed forces badly need helicopters like these, featuring high manoeuvrability and firepower, up-to-date and highly effective. The Mi-28NE is fitted with a guided missile system, a highly accurate gun, a sophisticated navigation suite for round-the-clock operations, close air support, reconnaissance, attacks on terrorist groups and their installations, and search-and-rescue operations.

I believe the arrival of these helicopters is a quantum leap in the development of our Army Aviation, affording it new capabilities of fighting the terrorists under adverse conditions.

The Mi-28NE helicopter is designed for fighting round the clock. It features cutting-edge avionics and night-vision devices and high firepower, which will enable our Mi-28NE fleet to take out most of the targets they are to encounter".

(Photo: Andrey Fomin)