Kamov Ka-29TB Helix-B

The Ka-29 is a Soviet naval helicopter which was first noted by NATO in 1987. Initially believed to be a derivative of the Ka-27 anti-submarine and utility helicopter, the Ka-29 is actually a well-armed and armored assault helicopter for close support of amphibious operations. It features twin, counter-rotating rotors, and seats three crew side-by-side in the front cockpit. It is armed with a 7.62mm four-barrel Gatling gun which is concealed behind a small door on the starboard side of the front fuselage. It has two braced outriggers, each providing two hardpoints, on either side of the fuselage for additional armaments, which can include four AT-6 Spiral AT missiles, S-5 or S-8 (2.17-in. or 3.15-in.) air-to-surface rockets, a 23mm GSh-23 cannon with 250 rounds, or 1,102-lb. ZAB-500 incendiary bombs. A 30mm 2A42 cannon can also be fixed behind the port pylon.

When not carrying additional ordnance, the helicopter can transport 16 troops, four litters, seven seated casualties with a medical attendant, or 4,409 lbs. in cargo. The helicopter is capable of carrying 8,818 lbs. as an external slung load.

The Ka-29 has a range of 285 miles. It burns 197 gallons of jet fuel per hour at routine usage. A full load of fuel costs $3,744.

Subassemblies: Body +4, Coaxial rotor with Folding option +1, three Fixed Small Wheels +1.

Powertrain: Two 1,640-kW Improved HP gas turbines; 3,280-kW CAR drivetrain, 2,300-kWs advanced battery.

Fuel: 1,248 gallons jet fuel (Fire 13) in standard self-sealing tank [Body] (fire -1).

Occupancy: 3 NCS and see above.

Cargo: 4,409 lbs.

Armor F RL B T U

Crew: +0/+22 +0/+22 +0/+22 +0/+22 +0/+22

All Else: 4/25 4/25 4/25 4/25 4/25

Weaponry:

7.62mm 4-bar. Gatling/GShG7.62 [Body:F] (1,800 rounds Solid).

4,408 lbs. disposable ordnance [Body: L,R].

Equipment:

Body: Combat Helicopter Package [advanced radar detector, autopilot, dedicated targeting computer with software, digital recon camera, HUDWAC with pupil scanner, IFF, IR jammer (-2), 10x LLTV, military GPS, navigation instruments, two long-range radios with scramblers (300 miles), two smoke/decoy dischargers, two reloads (flares), 10-mile thermograph], targeting radar, terrain-following radar, 19-man environmental control, four hardpoints at 1,102-lbs. each (two starboard, two port).

Statistics:

Size: 37'x12'x18' Payload: 7.8 tons Lwt.: 13.9 tons

Volume: 725 cf Maint.: 16 hours Price: $108,000,000

HT: 12. HPs: 600 Body, 132 Rotors, 81 each Wheel.

aSpeed: 174 aAccel: 4 aDecel: 5 aMR: 1 aSR: 3

Stall speed 0.

Design Notes:

Body is 1,000 cf; rotor is 20 cf; wheels are 50 cf. Structure is medium, expensive with fair streamlining. Overall armor is expensive composite; armor for the crew stations is expensive composite. Crew station armor was purchased to cover the 120 cf required to house the crew stations. Mechanical controls. Fuel tank is standard, seal-sealing. Design weight was 1% over at 28,088 lbs.; design empty weight was 18% over at 14,869 lbs.

Real-world weight was used for performance calculations. Design cost of $1,486,028 was used for maintenance calculations. The real-world speed has been substituted; design aSpeed was 239 mph on one engine (as is typical for military helicopters). The single-barrel M134 was used in the design since there are no GURPS stats for the 7.62mm 4-barrel Gatling. Actual MG load-out is listed, however.

Variants:

The Ka-20 "Harp" (1957) was the initial design. This evolved into the operational Ka-25 "Hormone" (1967) with two 671-kW turboshafts. The design was generally unarmed, but featurted provision for torpedoes, nuclear depth charges or 4,190 lbs. of weapons stores.

The Ka-27 "Helix" (1982) featured two 1,633-kW turboshafts and up to 441 lbs. of disposable stores in an internal bomb bay.

The Ka-31 (1988) was designed for AEW.

The Ka-33 (1997) was intended for the civilian market. Little else is known.

From the Aerodrome for GURPS