The upgraded Ka-52M ‘Alligator’ reconnaissance/assault helicopter will enter state trials soon, CEO of the Russian Helicopters Group (part of the state tech corporation Rostec) Andrei Boginsky told TASS on Thursday.

"Now two helicopter prototypes have been made, and their trials have already been completed. We are now presenting this helicopter to the Defense Ministry for joint state trials," the chief executive said on the sidelines of the MAKS-2021 international air show.

The head of the Russian Helicopters Group earlier said that the upgraded helicopter could be featured at the Army-2021 International Military-Technical Forum.

The rotorcraft manufacturer launched the experimental design work on the upgrade of the Ka-52 helicopter by instruction of the Russian defense chief in 2019, taking into account the experience of its combat employment.

As the gunship’s designers say, the Ka-52M missile armament has been standardized with the weapons suite of the Mi-28NM helicopter, another state-of-the-art Russian attack chopper, which has helped increase the target destruction range considerably.