Iran's large number of armed helicopters appear, signaling a possible attack on US forces, will the next be the WZ-10E?

Recently, a video shot inside Iran has drawn high attention from the Pentagon. Dozens of Mi-28NM "Night Hunter" attack helicopters are neatly lined up, with uniform paint and new condition, clearly newly delivered Russian equipment.

Currently, with the Lincoln aircraft carrier's large-scale deployment, Washington is not excluding the possibility of carrying out a "limited strike" against Iran under specific conditions, such as targeting its nuclear facilities or missile bases. The Iranian side obviously has included this possibility in its combat plan, so it is accelerating the modernization of its air assault forces.

The Mi-28NM is a heavy attack helicopter upgraded from the Mi-28N by Russia, equipped with millimeter-wave radar, a new electro-optical system, and a more powerful VK-2500P engine, giving it strong night-fighting and combat capabilities under complex weather conditions. Although it lags behind the American AH-64E "Apaches Guardian" in electronic warfare systems, information technology level, and weapon compatibility, it is still a formidable low-altitude fire platform in the Middle East battlefield environment. Especially considering that Iran's terrain is mountainous and urban areas are densely populated, attack helicopters have unique advantages in close support, counter-raid, and rapid response missions.

For a raid like Venezuela, the US mainly relies on Apaches to escort stealth Black Hawks. This time, they may also face a tough opponent like the Mi-28NM. However, despite this, the Mi-28NM is still somewhat behind the Apache.

This raises a key question: will Iran consider introducing China's WZ-10E?

The WZ-10E is a version specifically designed for export by China, equipped with an improved domestic turboshaft engine, a millimeter-wave radar pod, a data link system, and various precision-guided weapons, with a higher overall level of informatization than the Mi-28NM. However, Dao Ge thinks that the possibility of Iran purchasing it is not very high, unless Tehran offers a bigger deal.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1856364309209100/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.