Mi-24 Hind

The Mil Mi-24, NATO Reporting Name "Hind" is a helicopter gunship/troop transport designed by the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant in the 1970's. It has capacity for eight (Two pilots and six passengers in a fuselage compartment) and is armed with a variety of weapons depending on the type. The "Hind D", the most common variant, is armed with a 12.7MM four-barreled rotary cannon and six hard points typically carrying four 9M17 Phalanga (NATO: AT-2 Swatter) and up to four 57MM rocket pods or four 'dumb' bombs and other weapons.

The Hind, in all its many variants, has been exported or produced in over 30 Countries.

Characteristics
The core of the aircraft is taken from the Mil Mi-8 (NATO: "Hip") medium transport helicopter, with two top-mounted turboshaft engines driving a five-blade 17.3 meter rotor and a three-blade tail rotor. In the Hind D and onwards, the cockpit is a distinctive tandem "Double Bubble" style canopy with the cannon in a 'chin-gun' configuration. Two mid-mounted, short wings hold the hardpoints for the mission-specific weaponry and also provide lift. It uses a retractable tricycle undercarriage. The body is heavily armored and the titanium rotors can withstand strikes from .50 Caliber rounds, though the tail is not as armored and vulnerable to even small arms fire. The cockpit is overpressurized to protect the pilots from NBC (Nuclear Biological Chemical) conditions.

Due to the combination of troop transport and helicopter gunship, the Hind has no direct NATO parallel.

The helicopter is unique among most helicopters in that it share some characteristics of fixed-wing aircraft. It can not hover when fully loaded and must also take off from a runway. Due to the aircraft's being at least twenty percent responsible for the lift of the aircraft, in a slow, deep snapping turn the wing facing away from the turn may gain extra lift and cause the aircraft to enter a Dutch Roll and crash. This, combined with the Hind's speed and weight can make it difficult to maneuver.

Combat History
The Helicopter was first fielded to the Soviet Red Army in 1976. Less than a year later, the Hind saw it's first combat, though not in Soviet Hands. It's first use was during the Ogaden War (1977-78) in the Ethiopian Air-Force to combat Somali forces. They were essential in the air/ground assault of the Somali forces and expelling them from Ethiopia. Also during 1978, the Vietnamese Air Force used the Mi-24 to great effect against the Khemer-Rouge during the Cambodian-Vietnamese war, chasing them to the border of Thailand.

One of the most publicized uses of the Hind was during the ten-year Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, beginning in 1979. Soviet forces used the gunship to great effect, earning it a nickname among the resistance forces as "The Devil's Chariot". However, with the introduction of FIM-92 Stinger Missiles to the rebel forces, provided by the American CIA, in 1983 the Hind was suddenly vulnerable. Although the Hind was particularly resistant against most of the weaponry used by the rebels to that point, the Hind however had no such protection against MANPAD's. Although the Soviets later added countermeasures, such as flares, means of reducing the Hind's infared signature and a missile-lock indicator, the missiles were still a problem until the end of the conflict in 1989.

Another notable appearance of the Hind was during the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Hinds outfitted for Nuclear, Biological and Chemical sample collection. This was the first and only time they have been seen used in this role to date.

From 1980-86, Iran and Iraq were engaged in a fierce war known as (among many other names) the Iran-Iraq War. During this time, Iraqi Mi-25 Hind D aircraft engaged AH-1J Seacobras of the Iranian Air-Force in the first and, to date, only Air-to-Air helicopter engagements in history. Some sources state that the Mi-24's suffered under the AH-1J's, others say vice-versa and others have said they were evenly matched.

After the Cold War, the Hind has continued to see service in the Russian Armed Forces and many other air-forces across the globe. During Desert Storm, Iraq hid many of it's aircraft in-country and shuttled them to Syria as well, who kept most of the aircraft after the war. The remaining Mi-24's were reportedly key for Sadamn to keep his hold on the country after his defeat in Desert Storm.

They were also later used by the Serbians and Croatians during the Croatian War of Independence and the Kosovo War, the Congolese during the First and Second Congo Wars, the Macedonian Air Force in the 2001 Macedonia conflict and Private Military Companies during various African and Middle-Eastern conflicts.

As of late, the Russian Army has also introduced two other Attack Helicopters--The Kamov KA-50 Werewolf and the Mil Mi-28 Havoc--as potential replacements for the Mi-24. However the Mi-24 is expected to serve in the Russian Air Force until 2015.

In Game
In Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Single Player Campaign, Hind helicopters play a significant role. They are most prominently located within Act II and III. Several Hinds are found within the levels All Ghillied Up and One Shot, One Kill, both airborne and parked. One is shot down at the beginning of the level All In and will kill the player if he does not descend down a vent shaft. Finally, in the level Game Over, an Mi-24 pursues several SAS and Marines from the missile base after destroying two missiles that were launched at the USA. It destroys a bridge, trapping them on it, then destroys a tanker truck that kills or severely wounds nearly all of the escapees. It continues to hover over the site as Imran Zakhaev and Ultranationalist troops began executing the survivors. The Hind is then destroyed by an Mi-28 Havoc, which causes enough of a distraction for Cpt. Price to slide the stunned and wounded player a pistol and kill Imran.

In Multiplayer, the Mi-24 is accessible to players on the Spetsnaz or OpFor team after winning a Seven Kill Streak. It is identical to the Supercobra in this capacity.