Russian military loss: Sergei Kotov and Ka‑29 sink near Kerch Strait
The presence of the Ka-29 helicopter on board the sunk ship during the night of March 4th to 5th was confirmed by Andriy Yusov, a representative of Ukraine's intelligence, as quoted by the Unian agency. – It was on combat duty, i.e., it was armed with ammunition and missiles – Yusov explains.
Let us remind you that the Sergei Kotov ship sank near the Kerch Strait, and the successful attack was carried out by the Magura V5 water drones. The ship was the newest among the 22160 Vasily Bykov project ships.
Valuable cargo on board the sunken ship
The Kamov Ka-29 is a model with a history that began in the 1970s, with its maiden flight occurring in 1976. Essentially, this combat transport helicopter, produced by Kumertau Aviation Manufacturing Company, is a modified version of the Ka-27 (also from the 1970s). It primarily differs from its prototype in the extended fuselage.
Thanks to its entirely redesigned fuselage, the Ka-29 can fit a three-person crew sitting side by side (one member serving as a gunner). Moreover, the helicopter can transport 15 soldiers with their gear. In its medical evacuation configuration, it accommodates four stretchers and seven passengers (including medical staff). The maximum external cargo weight it can carry is about 4 tonnes.
The Military Wiki portal highlights that the Ka-29 comes equipped with a photoelectric sensor and an anti-tank missile controller, enhancing safety during flight. A distinctive feature of the Kamov model is the absence of a tail rotor in the Ka-29, a characteristic solution due to the coaxial rotors mounted atop the helicopter. The Ka-29 is propelled by two Klimov TV3-117V engines, each offering nearly 2,950 hp. Thanks to this, the pilot can push the helicopter to a top speed of about 250 km/h and achieve a range of about 460 km on a full tank of fuel.
Its external armament can include up to eight guided anti-tank missiles 9M114 with a range of up to about 5 km. Additionally, the Ka-29 is designed to carry pods with rockets of 57 mm or 80 mm caliber and bombs.
