VLADIVOSTOK, October 31 (RIA Novosti) - Russia may sell up to 15 Ka-52 attack/reconnaissance helicopters to foreign customers annually, the chief designer of the Kamov design bureau said on Friday.

Production of Ka-52 Alligator (NATO: Hokum-B) helicopters started on Wednesday at the Progress aircraft maker, based in Russia's Far East.

"We have been involved in talks on exports of Ka-52...and 10-15 helicopters annually appears to be a reasonable number," Sergei Mikheyev said.

The official refused to confirm the potential buyers or the value of delivery contracts, but expressed hope that the Ka-52 would meet the high demand on the global arms market.

The Ka-52 is a twin-seat derivative of the Ka-50 Hokum-A attack helicopter, and is designed primarily for reconnaissance and target designation purposes. It is similar to the U.S. AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.

Mikheyev said Russia's fleet of Mi-8 Hip and Mi-24 Hind combat helicopters is becoming obsolete and needs urgent modernization.

"The aircraft that will be put in service with the Russian army in the future must not be inferior to those used by a potential enemy," the designer said.