Russia Moves to Arm Mi-8 Helicopters With Cruise Missiles and Jet-Powered Drones

Russia is testing redesigned weapon mounting systems on its Mi-8AMTSh-VN military helicopters, potentially expanding their ability to carry small cruise missiles and jet-powered drones. The modifications have been spotted on aircraft used by Russian special operations forces.

According to the aviation-focused Telegram channel Vertical Team, the new mounting structures replace the Soviet-era BD3-57KrV weapon racks and feature a more aerodynamic design.

The modified helicopters are reportedly undergoing testing with new external weapon mounts that could support additional types of air-launched munitions, including compact cruise missiles and Dan-M jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicles. However, their intended use has not been officially confirmed.

One of the main changes involves reducing the number of external weapon attachment points from six to four. Despite this reduction, each mounting point retains a maximum payload capacity of 500 kilograms, comparable to the previous system.

The older BD3-57KrV racks had remained in service for decades despite operational limitations. Their design made it difficult to fully equip B8V20 unguided rocket pods mounted closest to the helicopter’s fuselage.

The redesigned structures appear intended to address these limitations while improving aerodynamic performance and potentially accommodating different weapon configurations.

The Mi-8AMTSh-VN, also known as the Sapsan, is a specialized version of Russia’s Mi-8 transport helicopter developed to support special operations missions, including troop deployments in difficult environments.

First unveiled at Russia’s Army military exhibition in 2017, the helicopter completed development between 2019 and 2020, incorporating operational lessons from Russia’s military campaign in Syria.

Earlier, Russia was reported to be equipping its Mi-28N attack helicopters with Strelets launch systems designed to fire Igla surface-to-air missiles. The modification was believed to be aimed at countering Ukrainian long-range drones, although its effectiveness against small aerial targets remained uncertain.

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