Kamov Ka-25

The Kamov Ka-25, NATO reporting name Hormone, is a coaxial rotor naval helicopter developed for the Soviet Navy in the USSR from 1958 and later succeeded by the Ka-27. It was needed as an anti-submarine helicopter for new ships with helicopter platforms, and Kamov's compact design was chosen for production in 1958 after the Ka-20 demonstrator. Two free-turbine engines sit above the cabin and drive contra-rotating rotors with nitrogen-pressurised aluminium blades and automatic blade folding. Variants include the Ka-25BSh anti-submarine version, the Ka-25PS search and rescue version and the Ka-25Ts over-the-horizon targeting version. Operators included the navies of Bulgaria, India, Syria, Vietnam and Yugoslavia.