Comments by "VisibilityFoggy" (@VisibilityFoggy) on "AH-64 Apache vs KA-52 Alligator - Which is better?" video.

The problem is that the Russian supply chain is far less reliable, and more centralized. You must buy parts from a specific Russian supplier, where and when they choose, and availability is not as great as it is from privately-owned American or European firms. Russian equipment also has reliability issues and the Kamov, in particular, is very maintenance-intensive. While the price could be "two for one," actual combat readiness could vary greatly. There's also the issue of munitions. The Apache can carry munitions from numerous NATO member states (ie. US, UK, France), which compete on price and provide more political flexibility.
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The original variant (the Ka-50) was the "Black Shark." I guess they wanted to stick with marine species names when they updated it to the Ka-52. A lot of this stuff is for marketing purposes. When Egypt purchased them, it became the "Nile Crocodile," for example.
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@browning2471 - Alligator is the Russian marketing name. The NATO reporting name is "Hokum." The Ka-50 is Hokum-A and the Ka-52 is Hokum-B. In NATO reporting, Soviet/Russian helicopters are given names that start with the letter "H," just like fighters and attack fixed wing aircraft are given names that start with "F" (Su-27/30/33/34/35 are all "Flanker," the MiG-29 is "Fulcrum," the Su-25 is "Frogfoot" and the Su-24 is "Fencer," and the new Su-57 is "Felon"). Russian bombers are given "B" names by NATO (Tu-95 "Bear," Tu-160 "Blackjack" and Tu-22M "Backfire").
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That's exactly how Egypt does it.
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There's also the angle that the AH-64 and the Ka-52 were designed for different purposes. The AH-64 was designed purely as an anti-armor attack platform envisioned to pop up from behind a hill in Germany and engage Soviet tanks with Hellfires, then drop back, preventing land divisions from crossing the Rhine. The Ka-52 is considered an "armed scout" helicopter that is mainly used for the purpose of ISR with the option of going on the offensive to clear the way for forces behind it. The American competitor for the Ka-52 was actually the RAH-66 Comanche, which was built but never ordered by the U.S. Army. I believe the two that were manufactured are in a museum somewhere.
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There's a good chance the U.S. will be fielding coaxial rotors in their next joint-purpose helicopter development project. I guess, on the bright side, it means nobody is planning any new wars in the Middle East.
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The cost of the electronics and avionics is higher in the Apache. Also, American labor costs more than Russian labor, from R&D, to assembly, and even on to procurement officers. Western military equipment is never going to be as cheap as Russian equipment unless it's purchased in humongous bulk like the F-16, for example.
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It pops off the rotors before ejection using a mini-rocket. I wouldn't mind being a pilot. I'd really hate to be the person a few blocks away where those rotors land.
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