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The Ka-29TB (Transportno Boyevoy) is a dedicated assault transport derivative of the Ka-27 family, intended especially for the support of naval amphibious operations and featuring a substantially changed airframe. Its development commenced in 1973.

The prototype made its first flight in 1976. Trials were completed in 1979 and production began in 1984. The type entered service in 1985. The first example was seen by Western observers on the assault ship Ivan Rogov in 1987 in Mediterranean sea. The Ka-29TB was initially assumed to be the Ka-27B, resulting in the allocation of the Western reporting name Helix-B.

Many of the new variants went unnoticed, and the Ka-29TB was initially thought to be a minimum-change version of the basic Ka-27PL anti-submarine ωλɾʄλɾɛ helicopter, but without radar. In fact it was an entirely new machine. About 59 of these helicopters were produced. These are in service with Russian Navy (up to 47) and Ukrainian Navy (up to 12).

 

The Ka-29TB features an entirely new, much widened forward fuselage, with a flight deck seating three members of the crew side-by-side, one of these crew members acting as a gunner to aim the various types of ωɛλρσɳs carried on the four hardpoints of the helicopter’s pair of strut-braced lateral pylons, and the trainable 7.62 mm machine-gun hidden behind and articulated door on the starboard side of the nose. In addition, the two-piece curved windscreen of the Ka-27 has given way to a five-piece unit.

The Ka-29 accommodates 16 fully-equipped troops. Alternatively in the medical evacuation role it can carry 4 stretchers, 7 seated casualties and medical attendants. Also it can carry external loads on a sling with a maximum weight of 4 000 kg.

This helicopter could be armed with 9M114 anti-tank guided missiles of the Shturm-V system (Western reporting name AT-6 or Spiral). Four anti-tank missiles per hardpoint can be carrier. Since the early 1990s improved and more capable Ataka-V (AT-9 or Spiral-2) anti-tank guided missiles are available.

The Ka-29 can also carry pods with unguided 57 mm or 80 mm rockets, bombs, submunition dispensers and even torpedoes. It can also carry pods with 23 mm cannon and 250 rounds of ammunition each. There is provision for a 30 mm cannon, mounted above port outriger with 250 round ammunition feed from the cabin. These ωɛλρσɳs are used to support seaborne assault troops and to soften up enemy defenses.

The Ka-29 is also armored. It has 350 kg of armor around cockpit and engines.

An air data boom projects form the port side of the nose, which also carries an electro-optical sensor to starboard and a missile guidance/illuminating and TFR pod to port.

The Ka-29 can be deployed on ships, or coastal bases. This armed and armored helicopter requires no gunship escort and can operate on its own.

This helicopter has coaxial rotors. Such design significantly reduced vibrations. Furthermore it considerably improved firing accuracy. The Ka-29 was tested together with a single-rotor Mi-24 attack helicopter, equipped with the same sights and unguided rockets. It appeared that the Ka-29 is much more accurate.

At some point production of the Ka-29 was stopped. However if required, it might be restarted for the new Russian Navy amphibious assault ships.