Russia claims to have begun manufacturing the first foreign orders for its two-seat Kamov Ka-52 "Alligator" scout-gunships and will be able to deliver these helicopters in 2017.

The helicopters are being made for the Egyptian Air Force and the Egyptian Navy, the first foreign buyers of the Ka-52 and the only other operators of this heavily armed gunship after the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The Egyptian Air Force has 46 Ka-52s on order.

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The gunships now in production, however, are the Ka-52K, the naval version of the Ka-52. The Egyptian Navy has asked Russian Helicopters, makers of the Ka-52, to speed-up the delivery of their order. The Egyptian Navy will become the first operator of the Ka-52K.

It plans to deploy the Ka-52Ks on its two new Mistral-class helicopter carriers (or amphibious assault ships) originally built for Russia.

France, however, rescinded the sale to punish Russia for its invasion of Crimea in March 2014. The Mistrals were later sold to Egypt where they now serve as the ENS Anwar El Sadat (L1020) and the ENS Gamal Abdel Nasser (L1010).

The Egyptian Navy plans to deploy eight Ka-52Ks on each of these helicopter carriers in addition to other types of Kamov helicopters such as the Ka-27P.

Russian Helicopters Deputy CEO Igor Chechikov claims the first batch of Ka-52Ks will be delivered to Egypt within 2017. He also claims their factory "is booked with export orders until 2020."

There is no word when Russia will deliver the 46 Ka-52s ordered by the Egyptian Air Force. The deal for this contract was clinched in December 2015 through Russian state weapons trading company, Rosoboronexport.

The Russian Armed Forces plan to operate a fleet of over 146 Ka-52s by 2020. The Russian Navy is considering acquiring Ka-52Ks.

A Ka-52 mounts a Shipunov 2A42 30 mm cannon and has six hard points for a combination of weapons such as anti-tank missiles, unguided rockets and iron bombs.

Tagsamov Ka-52 "Alligator", Russia, Egyptian Air Force, Egyptian Navy, Ka-52K, Mistral-class helicopter carriers, Russian Helicopters