Visual confirmation has emerged of russia's delivery of Mi‑28NE attack helicopters to Iran. This represents a notable reinforcement, given the threat of new strikes or even a full-scale U.S. military operation.
The relevant photos were published on social media. It is claimed that this is the first batch to have arrived in the country. Evidence for this comes from a report by Iran's state media outlet Tasnim News.
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Notably, the Mi-28NE in the photo appears partially disassembled, which is typical for helicopters during transportation. While there is no specific information, the photos were most likely taken shortly after delivery.
Some social media users also managed to geolocate the place where the russian-made helicopters were photographed. It turned out to be the hangars of Pars Aerospace Services Company in Tehran.
It should be noted that Iran officially announced the acquisition of Mi-28NE helicopters along with Su-35S fighters back in November 2023, though rumors about the deal had been circulating since January. However, while the aircraft were spotted visually, there was no specific information about the helicopters until recently, so nothing was known about the status of the project.
At the same time, russians could have transferred both used helicopters as well as manufactured from scratch. The latter is more plausible if the supply started only recently, indicating that Iran was awaiting newly manufactured helicopters. However, it is impossible to confirm this with the information currently available.
Overall, the Mi‑28NE should be a significant addition to Iran's fleet. Currently, Iran's fleet includes up to 50 AH‑1J Cobra attack helicopters and an unknown number of single‑seat HESA Shahed 285 light helicopters derived from the Bell 206.
However, it is doubtful that they are seriously capable of changing the balance of power in the confrontation with the U.S. Moreover, the Iranians may lose their new Mi-28NE helicopters on the ground during air strikes without being able to use them.
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