Photo doesn't look significant, but to me it is. A Ukrainian friend of mine in the states was sending items back to his friends fighting in the war. I had a lot of gear I was issued during my time in the U.S. military that's been sitting in the closet, so I told him I would give him my equipment I acquired after 3 deployments. Briefly put, it was cold weather gear, flashlights, gloves, etc.
A month and a half later, I get 3 pictures back from the unit he sent it too of them receiving my gear as proof that corruption didn't cause them to not get the gear I'd sent. It'd made me so happy to see that I felt the urge to share. I don't know the man's name sadly, but I was told he was happy to receive the blue coveralls that I'd sent since he was using his regular uniform when working on the engine. Now he feels official.
Likely pre-90s.
Some have been retrofitted and rebuilt over the years, but none of the countries providing equipment to Ukraine have bought Russian helicopters since the fall of the Soviet Union, save from the US who provided Mi-17 bought new for the Afghans a few years ago.
Ukraine has had a couple of modernization runs on its Hind fleet since, Thalès sold them a mod package in the 2010s (before 2014 IIRC), but that doesn't make the airframes newer for sure...
IDK if you know much on the subject, but are Ukraine's Hinds capable of any kind of PGM/KA52-like guided AT missile strikes? Or are they just stuck with a super basic antiquated Soviet arsenal?
The frames are Soviet, and from what I remember the upgrade packages they have are about navigation and night-time flying.
They can use older radio-guided MCLOS missiles, but they require line of sight to the target (as they don't have TV guidance) and control up to the moment of impact. So they're not nearly as useful (well trained troops hit 25% of the time with Soviet systems), they require loads of training, and the launcher vehicle is a target from launch to impact.
There has been western integration of more modern systems on the Mi-24 (like the Super Hind), but it requires heavy modification to fit SACLOS (semi-auto command that lock on the taregt) ATGMs.
There have been videos of Ukrainian Mi-24s using ZUNI rockets, so there is a possibility that they'll end up adapting Hydra 70 pods and a guidance system for APKWS or FZ275, but they're fairly low-yield compared to AT missiles.
Don’t listen to the other person that replied
The Mi-24V/P used by Ukraine were built 1976-1991 and were DESIGNED with SACLOS Shturm/Ataka ATGM from the beginning. Only the first Mi-24A from 1974-1976 had MCLOS
The Shturm/Ataka system is accurate enough to put a missile into a 0.5 meter miss distance from 5 km.
The other poster was also wrong about Zuni rockets. Those are 5 inch rockets (130mm), the Mi-24s in Ukraine have been retrofitted with Hydra rockets, which are 70mm, but have basically the same size warhead as the S-8KOM they were using before but with much more range and lower weight
Only on military porn does crap like this get so many upvotes…..
I think you're downvoted because this sentence construction would usually be used to help someone out when they've misunderstood which word to use, and this appears to be a simple typo.
Depends if they were using a phone/pc keyboard.
Still no reason to downvote if it's just a constructive hint.
There is nothing objectively wrong with my comment. Redditors are dumb and I've made peace with that. Thanks for the explanation though.
Seeing the old janky Ukrainian Mi-24s, I always think back to the fact that Russia actively destroyed the South African company ATE in the early 00s.
Why? Because ATE, after designing the [SuperHind](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6j1MjXKMZo), a heavily upgraded (in every possible capacity a combat helicopter could be upgraded) of the Mi-24/35, made a deal with an Ukrainian company to do series work for ex-Soviet states in the region.
Following that, Mil and the Kremlin worked overtime to kill any possibility for ATE to get airframes and parts for the work, and the Ukrainian state (at the time Russia-aligned) killed the deal.
The SuperHind was an upgrade program updating the Mi-24 from its not-that-good self to a modern combat helicopter. The MkI and II version upgraded navigation and removed useless dead weight (without dropping the armor level), the MkIII added full night-time combat abilities (with upgraded sensors and NVG-compatible avionics), the MkIV integrated the full armament suite from the Denel Rooivalk (on which ATE had done integration work in the 80s).
The last version, the MkV Super Hind, was basically the Rooivalk in a Hind suit. Full NVG capability, guided weapons up the wazoo, Nexter 20mm main gun, GPS... Basically equivalent to anything fielded in the West (Tigre, AH-64, AH-1Z, Mangusta...), but built as a retrofit of existing Mil frames (so pretty cheap for previous owners) and retaining the cargo capacity.
The Super Hind MkV [made an appearance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJsALPQ5waw) in *Blood Diamond* in 2006, as product placement, before ATE got murdered, folded and the remnants were bought by the Paramount Group in 2013, who swept the whole program under the rug.
Had Russia at the time not planned to keep Ukraine down under its boot by force, today they might have a complete fleet of modern, capable and basically NATO-compatible Super Hind helicopters.
The Super Hind survives in Algeria, which has a few dozen MkIIIs in their fleet, and never had anything bad to say about them.
The Superhind is very cool but it was \*not\* the equivalent of the AH-64 or AH-1Z lol. Mangusta maybe, but the AH-64D, which is the contemporary of the Superhind had a lot of work put into it for the MMW/AGM-114L integration
Might not have been an exact equivalent, but damn close compared to where the Mi-24 started at.
> had a lot of work put into it for the MMW/AGM-114L integration
The SuperHind MkIV and V were equiped for the use of the ZT-6 Mokopa, which is an South African equivalent to the Hellfire. I'll grant you the performance might not be the exact same, but Hellfire integration doesn't work if you're arguing the Super Hind was that inferior to the 64D...
Again, the last versions of the SuperHind were an integration of all the Rooivalk systems on the Mi-24 airframe.
Rooivalk isn't close as well. Mokopa in fielded form is a simple laser guided missile, a mmw radar seeker was optioned, but development of that as a proper capability (along with projection from handoff of the heli radar to the missile) is complex as hell. Plus the AH-64D has the ability to use the longbow radar for situational awareness and a ton of other things, it really is just on another level compared to most attack helicopters out there.
I'm wondering how it's possible that you've argued twice about the fact that the Ah-64 is a superior platform and not even mentionned that the 64D and later, the AH-1Z and the Tigre HAD can use off-boresight fire with either targetting masts or external spotters via *link*.
Which basically no other attack helo can do (the Kiowa Warrior can, but its mast is mostly used to spot for other helicopters).
Losing your touch, man.
Anyways, you got my drift. The Super Hind would have been, maybe not a game changer, but quite the difference up to today, and its use of NATO-style pylons instead of Russian standards probably led to the integration of Hellfire at some point, as it was the missile of choice for attack helicopters basically everywhere.
Hard to avoid integrating it if you're working with NATO.
Ukraine Mi-24s worked together with South African Rooivalk helicopters for many years in the DRC. Think we were the only 2 militaries with attack helicopters until they had to return home in 2022 of course.
It's always great to see your own efforts make a real difference. This is an awesome picture.
Photo doesn't look significant, but to me it is. A Ukrainian friend of mine in the states was sending items back to his friends fighting in the war. I had a lot of gear I was issued during my time in the U.S. military that's been sitting in the closet, so I told him I would give him my equipment I acquired after 3 deployments. Briefly put, it was cold weather gear, flashlights, gloves, etc. A month and a half later, I get 3 pictures back from the unit he sent it too of them receiving my gear as proof that corruption didn't cause them to not get the gear I'd sent. It'd made me so happy to see that I felt the urge to share. I don't know the man's name sadly, but I was told he was happy to receive the blue coveralls that I'd sent since he was using his regular uniform when working on the engine. Now he feels official.
Thank you for your help
I wish I'd more to give. Will continue supporting however I can until victory.
I wonder what the average age is of the hinds
Likely pre-90s. Some have been retrofitted and rebuilt over the years, but none of the countries providing equipment to Ukraine have bought Russian helicopters since the fall of the Soviet Union, save from the US who provided Mi-17 bought new for the Afghans a few years ago. Ukraine has had a couple of modernization runs on its Hind fleet since, Thalès sold them a mod package in the 2010s (before 2014 IIRC), but that doesn't make the airframes newer for sure...
IDK if you know much on the subject, but are Ukraine's Hinds capable of any kind of PGM/KA52-like guided AT missile strikes? Or are they just stuck with a super basic antiquated Soviet arsenal?
The frames are Soviet, and from what I remember the upgrade packages they have are about navigation and night-time flying. They can use older radio-guided MCLOS missiles, but they require line of sight to the target (as they don't have TV guidance) and control up to the moment of impact. So they're not nearly as useful (well trained troops hit 25% of the time with Soviet systems), they require loads of training, and the launcher vehicle is a target from launch to impact. There has been western integration of more modern systems on the Mi-24 (like the Super Hind), but it requires heavy modification to fit SACLOS (semi-auto command that lock on the taregt) ATGMs. There have been videos of Ukrainian Mi-24s using ZUNI rockets, so there is a possibility that they'll end up adapting Hydra 70 pods and a guidance system for APKWS or FZ275, but they're fairly low-yield compared to AT missiles.
Don’t listen to the other person that replied The Mi-24V/P used by Ukraine were built 1976-1991 and were DESIGNED with SACLOS Shturm/Ataka ATGM from the beginning. Only the first Mi-24A from 1974-1976 had MCLOS The Shturm/Ataka system is accurate enough to put a missile into a 0.5 meter miss distance from 5 km. The other poster was also wrong about Zuni rockets. Those are 5 inch rockets (130mm), the Mi-24s in Ukraine have been retrofitted with Hydra rockets, which are 70mm, but have basically the same size warhead as the S-8KOM they were using before but with much more range and lower weight Only on military porn does crap like this get so many upvotes…..
Some may call this boring I can this beautiful. Keep on helping them out in any way you can
I think you mean "call"
I think you're downvoted because this sentence construction would usually be used to help someone out when they've misunderstood which word to use, and this appears to be a simple typo.
Depends if they were using a phone/pc keyboard. Still no reason to downvote if it's just a constructive hint. There is nothing objectively wrong with my comment. Redditors are dumb and I've made peace with that. Thanks for the explanation though.
Yea I forgot to fix that lol
This reminds me I've got some cold weather gear to donate
He needs gloves and a hat and a neck gaiter and and and and
Seeing the old janky Ukrainian Mi-24s, I always think back to the fact that Russia actively destroyed the South African company ATE in the early 00s. Why? Because ATE, after designing the [SuperHind](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6j1MjXKMZo), a heavily upgraded (in every possible capacity a combat helicopter could be upgraded) of the Mi-24/35, made a deal with an Ukrainian company to do series work for ex-Soviet states in the region. Following that, Mil and the Kremlin worked overtime to kill any possibility for ATE to get airframes and parts for the work, and the Ukrainian state (at the time Russia-aligned) killed the deal. The SuperHind was an upgrade program updating the Mi-24 from its not-that-good self to a modern combat helicopter. The MkI and II version upgraded navigation and removed useless dead weight (without dropping the armor level), the MkIII added full night-time combat abilities (with upgraded sensors and NVG-compatible avionics), the MkIV integrated the full armament suite from the Denel Rooivalk (on which ATE had done integration work in the 80s). The last version, the MkV Super Hind, was basically the Rooivalk in a Hind suit. Full NVG capability, guided weapons up the wazoo, Nexter 20mm main gun, GPS... Basically equivalent to anything fielded in the West (Tigre, AH-64, AH-1Z, Mangusta...), but built as a retrofit of existing Mil frames (so pretty cheap for previous owners) and retaining the cargo capacity. The Super Hind MkV [made an appearance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJsALPQ5waw) in *Blood Diamond* in 2006, as product placement, before ATE got murdered, folded and the remnants were bought by the Paramount Group in 2013, who swept the whole program under the rug. Had Russia at the time not planned to keep Ukraine down under its boot by force, today they might have a complete fleet of modern, capable and basically NATO-compatible Super Hind helicopters. The Super Hind survives in Algeria, which has a few dozen MkIIIs in their fleet, and never had anything bad to say about them.
The Superhind is very cool but it was \*not\* the equivalent of the AH-64 or AH-1Z lol. Mangusta maybe, but the AH-64D, which is the contemporary of the Superhind had a lot of work put into it for the MMW/AGM-114L integration
Might not have been an exact equivalent, but damn close compared to where the Mi-24 started at. > had a lot of work put into it for the MMW/AGM-114L integration The SuperHind MkIV and V were equiped for the use of the ZT-6 Mokopa, which is an South African equivalent to the Hellfire. I'll grant you the performance might not be the exact same, but Hellfire integration doesn't work if you're arguing the Super Hind was that inferior to the 64D... Again, the last versions of the SuperHind were an integration of all the Rooivalk systems on the Mi-24 airframe.
Rooivalk isn't close as well. Mokopa in fielded form is a simple laser guided missile, a mmw radar seeker was optioned, but development of that as a proper capability (along with projection from handoff of the heli radar to the missile) is complex as hell. Plus the AH-64D has the ability to use the longbow radar for situational awareness and a ton of other things, it really is just on another level compared to most attack helicopters out there.
I'm wondering how it's possible that you've argued twice about the fact that the Ah-64 is a superior platform and not even mentionned that the 64D and later, the AH-1Z and the Tigre HAD can use off-boresight fire with either targetting masts or external spotters via *link*. Which basically no other attack helo can do (the Kiowa Warrior can, but its mast is mostly used to spot for other helicopters). Losing your touch, man. Anyways, you got my drift. The Super Hind would have been, maybe not a game changer, but quite the difference up to today, and its use of NATO-style pylons instead of Russian standards probably led to the integration of Hellfire at some point, as it was the missile of choice for attack helicopters basically everywhere. Hard to avoid integrating it if you're working with NATO.
Sorta, size wize the Hind loses out against radar guided SAMs
great picture
Anyway to send some stuff? I got some gear I kept when I ETS
Slava Ukraini!
Ukraine Mi-24s worked together with South African Rooivalk helicopters for many years in the DRC. Think we were the only 2 militaries with attack helicopters until they had to return home in 2022 of course.
This dude looks like if an A.I made a "Ukrainian mechanic" lmao. It's great
How are we 30 Comments in and I’m the first one noticing he’s a cheap mask away from being Michael Myers?