The Ka-52 passed its official joint tests in 2011, when it was recommended for service entry. The delivery of production-standard machines to the Russian Defence Ministry kicked off in December 2010 with the handing over of four production-standard Ka-52s to the Army Aviation Combat Training and Conversion Centre in Torzhok. The delivery of production-standard Ka-52s to the first Army Aviation base in Chernigovka in the Russian Far East began in May 2011. Later on, aircraft of the type were shipped to Korenovsk air base in the Krasnodar Territory early in 2013 and to the Army Aviation brigade station near the town of Ostrov, Pskov Region, in early 2014. Interestingly, the final assembly and check flights of the 16 Korenovsk-destined machines, which had been built by Sazykin-Progress by late 2012, was handled by Rostvertol JSC in Rostov-on-Don, where they were airlifted by Il-76 transports from Arsenyev in a partially disassembled state.

In late December 2013, 14 brand-new Ka-52s were handed over to the Defence Ministry in a ceremony in Arsenyev, attended by the RusAF Commander-in-Chief Lt.-Gen. Victor Bondarev and the media. 12 of the machines were designed for the newly-activated army aviation brigade in Ostrov, with the remaining two earmarked for a unit in Khabarovsk. The helicopters were shipped from the Russian Far East to the Pskov Region earlier this year by Il-76 and An-22 airlifters, and several of the machines flew as part of the Victory Day Parade in Moscow on 9 May 2014. In addition, three final aircraft were shipped to Chernigovka early last year. This enabled to complete conversion of an air squadron there from the Mi-24 to the Ka-52. Thus, last year's Ka-52 output equals 17.

Russian Helicopters issued an official statement in 2011 about the finalisation of a long-term contract with the Defence Ministry for "over 140" Ka-52 helicopters, with the contract to keep Sazykin-Progress plant busy virtually throughout the decade. To date, the manufacturer has made in excess of 60 production-standard helicopters of the type.

As is known, the Ka-52 was selected as the baseline attack helicopter model for the air groups to be deployed on Mistral-class amphibious assault ships being purchased by the Russian Navy. As far back as late November 2009, a Ka-52 prototype passed the basing tests on board a Mistral during the latter's port call to Russia. At present, Kamov JSC is finalising the development of a shipborne derivative designated as Ka-52K.

(Photo: Alexey Mikheyev)