Russia is working on replacing the Mi-24 HIND with something more terrifying. This is Russia's version of the AH-64 Apache - the Mi-28 Night Hunter. Even it's name sounds menacing.

The helicopter was built for search and destroy missions against tanks, troops and enemy positions. Development began in the early 1970s after the USSR debuted the HIND. The three person Mi-28 was built for speed and attack power rather than troop transport.

Sadly, the Mi-28 languished in R&D purgatory until the mid-1990s.

The latest iteration, designated the Mi-28N Night Hunter measures 56 feet long with an equivalent roto diameter and 2,200hp Isotov TV-3 117VM turboshaff engines to drive it to speed topping 172 knots over a distance of 124 miles.

It's fast and smart, and has integrated avionics, allowing it to performing automated Nape-of-the-Earth maneuvers to avoid radar detection. It features a helmet mounted target acquisition and tracking system similar to the ones on the new Eurofighter.

The copter carries more than 2300 kg of ammo including a combination of 16 anti tank missiles, two pods with 80 and 120mm rockets and a 900 round a minute 2A42 30mm cannon.

[Defense Industry Daily - Rian - Russian Helicopters - Wikia - Wikipedia - Flight Global]