MOSCOW, February 2 (Sputnik) — The Iraqi Army Air Corps has received a second shipment of two Russian Mi-28NE "Night Hunter" attack helicopters, Iraq's Ministry of Defense announced on Sunday.
"The Iraqi Ground Forces' Air Corps has received another shipment consisting of two Mi-28NE Night Hunter helicopters," the ministry announced in a press release. According to a video published by the ministry, the helicopters arrive on an An-124-100 jet belonging to Volga-Dnepr airlines.
According to the Moscow-based Centre for Analysis of World Arms Trade, in October 2012 Russia and Iraq concluded a contract to supply 28 Mi-35M and 15 Mi-28NE attack helicopters to the country. The first shipment arrived in Iraq on August 28, 2014.
The Mi-28NE Night Hunter attack helicopter is designed for search-and-destroy missions during any time of day and during difficult weather conditions, and can destroy armored and non-armored vehicles and equipment, enemy manpower and low-speed aerial targets. Its armaments consist of a 30-mm 2A42 autocannon with 250 rounds, 9M114 Shturm or 9M120 Ataka anti-tank guided missiles, 9M39 Igla-V and R-3 air-to-air missiles, S-8 and S-13 unguided rockets, and UPK-23-250V 23 mm machine gun pods.
