Mil Mi-35M
The Hind rebuilt for night attack — fixed undercarriage, short wings, Mi-28 rotors and VK-2500 engines · Prototype 1995 · In production 2005
The Mi-35M is the export name of the Mi-24VM, a deep modernisation of the Mi-24V/VP by the Mil design bureau. The first prototype was built in 1995 and series production began at Rostvertol in Rostov-on-Don in 2005. Outwardly it is easy to spot: the retractable undercarriage gave way to a fixed one that absorbs energy in a crash, the wings were shortened to carry four pylons instead of six, and the main and X-shaped tail rotors come from the Mi-28. Power is from two Klimov VK-2500 engines.
Inside, it gained a glass cockpit with colour multifunction displays, GLONASS/GPS navigation and the OPS-24N sighting system with a gyro-stabilised GOES-324 turret containing a thermal imager, making round-the-clock attack possible. The nose turret carries a twin-barrel 23 mm GSh-23L, and it can fire Ataka and Shturm anti-tank missiles and Igla-V air-to-air missiles. Like every Hind, it keeps the eight-seat cabin.
Brazil signed for 12 in 2008; the Brazilian Air Force flew them as the AH-2 Sabre from 2010 and withdrew the last ones in 2022. Azerbaijan took 24 for its border service between 2011 and 2014, Pakistan received four in 2018, and Serbia operates four with the 714th Anti-Armour Helicopter Squadron.
