The
Kamov Ka-50 "Black Shark" (Russian:
Чёрная акула; Chornaya Akula, NATO reporting name:
Hokum A) is a single-seat Russian attack helicopter with the distinctive coaxial rotor system of the Kamov design bureau. It was designed in the 1980s and adopted for service in the Russian army in 1995. It is currently manufactured by the Progress company in Arsenyev.
During the late 1990s, Kamov and Israel Aerospace Industries developed a tandem-seat cockpit version, the
Kamov Ka-50-2 "Erdogan", to compete in Turkey's attack helicopter competition. Kamov also designed another two-seat variant, the
Kamov Ka-52 "Alligator" (Russian:
Аллигатор, NATO reporting name:
Hokum B)
