The long-range tactical drone XQ-222 "Valkyrie" is being prepared for the "breakthrough" of the Russian zones "A2 / AD" in the European theater
Model for aerodynamic testing of the far unobtrusive shock UAV XQ-222 "Valkyrie"
Undoubtedly, the most popular and fastest strike weapons of the 9st century are hypersonic air attack weapons, which are adaptable to launch from various types of carriers and are capable of completing the task 12-4,5 times faster than standard subsonic tactical and strategic missiles of the JASSM-ER and Tomahawk families. . These weapons include both missiles and UAVs with ramjet engines, as well as operational-tactical ballistic missiles reaching speeds of 5,5-6M. Their main advantage is the minimum time for the enemy to detect, set up a route and intercept with medium and long-range anti-aircraft guided missiles. For example, if the marching section of the trajectory of a 30-machine hypersonic aircraft passes at an altitude of 300 km above the positions of the S-1PM150 anti-aircraft missile division, then immediately after this unit enters the 48-kilometer range of the 6N40E missile defense system, the calculation has only 50-30 seconds to intercept until the enemy aircraft is outside the elevation zone of the 6N64E illumination and guidance radar (in the so-called “dead zone funnel”, located at ≥XNUMX °, outside the illumination radar beam).
Even less time will remain if the enemy's hypersonic air attack means has a small radar signature and is equipped with airborne electronic countermeasures. Thus, the capture range of an air object with an RCS of 0,05 m2, defended by an onboard REP complex, for a 30N6E RPN can be 50–70 km. If there is a massive use of such hypersonic SPNs, then even several S-300PM1 divisions have almost no chance of fully repelling this strike. But they are present in a hypersonic high-precision weapons and significant shortcomings. Taking into account that the main flight segment of such aircraft usually takes place in the stratosphere (at altitudes of 20-40 km), they can be quite easily detected using optical-electronic sighting systems installed on tactical fighters and optical / electronic reconnaissance aircraft at distances of a couple of hundred and over kilometers. There are also no restrictions on the radio horizon for this type of target: the detection range depends solely on the energy potential of the ground-based radar, the EPR of the target, as well as the availability of electronic warfare equipment in the latter. The terrain will not help to hide the location of such an object.
Another thing is tactical missiles and drones-carriers of high-precision weapons operating both at high and ultra-low altitudes, where it is possible to use any bend in the terrain to hide their presence in the air section of the theater of operations. In the Russian Aerospace Forces, these WTO weapons include low-profile strategic cruise missiles of the 3M14T Caliber family and even more long-range X-101/102, in the USA - the well-known RGM / UGM-109E "Tomahawk Block IV" and AGM-158B JASSM-ER. But if in this sector of high-precision weapons the positions of the Russian and American defense industries are approximately on an equal level, then in the field of developing unmanned aerial vehicles carrying guided bombs and missiles, overseas "colleagues" have pulled ahead far ahead.
So, back in July, it became known that within the framework of the 52nd International Paris Air Show "Le Bourget-2017" the concept of a "non-returnable" promising long-range unmanned aerial vehicle with purely strike capabilities XQ-222 LCASD was presented to the public for wide viewing " Valkyrie”, the first prototype of which should take off in the spring of 2018, and reach operational readiness by the 20s. There is absolutely no need to be surprised at such a rush, because the American private company Kratos Defense & Security Solutions is working on the project, which, unlike Lockheed Martin and Boeing, loaded with orders for the F-35A and F / A-18E / F, has the opportunity to focus all efforts on the design of the Valkyrie. And the rush itself is not an accident and chronologically coincides with a slightly earlier (April) statement by the Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces of Russia Viktor Bondarev regarding the imminent achievement of the initial combat readiness of the S-500 Prometheus anti-aircraft missile system. Consequently, the hasty development of the XQ-222 "Valkyrie" can be considered an asymmetric response from the United States. It remains only to find out how dangerous the new unmanned aviation US Air Force complex for the naval, land and air component of the Russian air defense.
Initially, we note that the "Valkyrie" must be classified as an "early" long-range tactical aviation of the 6th generation. The design features of this unique machine indicate that the emphasis of the concept is not at all on the high combat load of the machine, but on a huge radius of action (approaching the performance of strategic bombers of the 4th and 5th generations), ultra-small radar and infrared signatures, as well as for decent maneuverability. The first thing that catches your eye while getting acquainted with the concept is a large “month-shaped” air intake of a highly efficient non-afterburning turbofan engine located on the upper surface of the fuselage, which is done to reduce the RCS of the drone during exposure to ground-based radar facilities from the lower hemisphere.
We can also see a very original approach of the Kratos designers to the shape of the Valkyrie air intake in the longitudinal plane: the upper edge protrudes forward, its side sections have a 30-40-degree slope to the root, which contributes to the diversion and scattering of electromagnetic waves emitted by the airborne radars of enemy fighters and airborne radars of enemy aircraft for early warning and control. The XQ-222 EPR reduction is also facilitated by: a 90-degree camber of all-moving tail elevators-stabilizers and a specialized shield in the air intake duct, which prevents the passage of radar waves to the jet engine compressor blades. The engine nozzle has a flat rectangular section with a slight wedge-shaped tip: there is some similarity with the nozzle compartment of the decommissioned AGM-129A (ACM) stealth strategic cruise missile, which was supposed to be the main "nuclear asset" of the US Air Force Global Strike Command, used from suspensions strategic bombers-missile carriers B-52H and B-1B. This design is called "beaver tail" and does not apply to the details of the turbofan engine; it is a separate cooling circuit to reduce the temperature of the jet, which ultimately reduces the infrared visibility of the Valkyrie.
The strategic cruise missile AGM-129A (ACM) at one time was the most advanced type of precision weapons: its EPR did not exceed 0,01 - 0,02 м2, and the range reached 3700 km. Nozzle circuit "beaver tail" significantly reduced the infrared signature of the TFR
As for the flight performance and operational-tactical parameters of the XQ-222, they are at a very good level, given that the machine is equipped with a non-afterburning engine. In particular, "Valkyrie" is capable of accelerating to a speed of 1050 km / h at the maximum operating mode of the turbofan engine and maintaining transonic speed for a long time. The swept wing with an angle of 30° has a wingspan of 6,7 m with developed angular nodules at the root chord. This significantly increases the carrying qualities of the airframe, increasing the combat drone's maneuverability at low altitudes and efficiency at high altitudes. Moreover, the probability of stalling when maneuvering at low subsonic speeds (300–400 km/h) is noticeably reduced. The minimum height of ultra-low-altitude flight in the mode of following the flat terrain or the water surface is only 15 m! Only the S-300PS / PM1 and S-400 Triumph air defense systems at a distance of 35 km (using 48N6E2 / 3 anti-aircraft missiles) and at a distance of 60-80 km (using 9M96E2 missiles) are capable of intercepting the Valkyrie at such a moment. In the latter case, external target designation will be required from A-50U aircraft or ground-based surveillance and multifunctional radars closer to the XQ-222 trajectory. At first glance, it may seem that sooner or later the Valkyrie will definitely fall into the "capture" of one of the anti-aircraft missile divisions, but not everything is so simple.
The large range of the Valkyrie comes to the fore here, which is realized due to the optimization of the internal volumes of the airframe for the maximum dimensions of the fuel tanks (for this, the most compact chassis units and small-sized internal weapons bays are designed). According to representatives of Kratos, the range of the unmanned strike aircraft complex can be 4350 km at high flight altitude. It’s hard to believe in such numbers, given that the drone has a fuselage length of 8,8 meters. The figure of 3500 km looks more plausible. Therefore, a mixed high-low-high flight profile will reduce the combat radius to 3000 km. Such a large radius of action indicates that the XQ-222 has the ability to fly around the most dangerous air defense / missile defense position areas that form the air boundaries of the A2 / AD zones in order to enter the area where guided precision weapons are dropped on the highest priority targets deep behind enemy lines. In practice, it looks like this: in order for the JASSM-ER missiles launched from the F-16C Block 52+ to reach the Volga region or the Western Urals, any deviation from the direct trajectory is excluded due to the relatively short range of 1200 km; observance of a direct trajectory is fraught with falling into the radius of action of ground-based anti-aircraft missile brigades.
"Valkyrie", with its 3000 kilometers of radius, has no such problems, and can very flexibly use any terrain detail for its own purposes. The Valkyrie will feel even more at ease in a section of airspace that is not covered by air defense fighter aircraft (Su-30SM, Su-35S or MiG-31BM), or is covered, but insufficiently. The shortage of 9M96E2 missiles with an active RGSN also does not play into the hands of the Russian Aerospace Forces in the event of the appearance of the Valkyries in the European theater of operations. Standard 48N6E2 / 3 missiles can only shoot down ATs in the line-of-sight zone (radio horizon) of the RPN 30N6E / 92N6E; "Valkyrie" can skillfully "bypass" this zone, and nothing good will come of it. The work of 64N6 radar detectors or 76N6 low-altitude detectors "Valkyrie" will be able to fix thanks to an advanced radiation warning system, the sensors of which will be integrated into the airborne / defense complex, which also acts as a passive electronic intelligence station. It is also reported that the XQ-222 will receive compact infrared sensors and an optical-electronic sighting system (TV channel of sight) for conducting optical-electronic reconnaissance over remote enemy territories that are outside the range of side-scan airborne radars of strategic reconnaissance RQ-4A / B "Global Hawk" and E-8C "J-STARS".
Next, consider the armament of the Valkyrie strike drone. No exact information on this subject was provided by either the developer company Kratos Defense & Securitu Solutions or the Western media. It is only known that its combat load is within 226 kg, and the internal weapons bays are about 2 meters long. As you can see, the XQ-222 is not intended for delivering a large range of missile and bomb weapons to a remote battlefield and long-term battles with enemy ground forces units. Its main goal is to suddenly overcome the most dense anti-missile barriers "A2 / AD" in the Western Military District of Russia and over the eastern part of China, conduct complex electronic intelligence, as well as deliver surgically accurate strikes against the critically important at that time command and staff infrastructure, interspecific Radar stations on key air routes, automated control stations for mixed anti-aircraft missile brigades, etc.
Based on the visible geometric dimensions of the internal weapons bay and payload, the XQ-222 will be able to take on board such types of missile and bomb "equipment" as 2 precision guided "narrow" bombs GBU-39 SDB ("Small Diameter Bomb") with a planning range up to 110 km when dropped from a height of 12-15 km, or 4 JAGM multi-purpose tactical missiles with a range of 16 to 28 km. The former can be used for high-altitude strikes against strategically important enemy targets covered by a short-range and medium-range anti-missile umbrella based on HQ-16A / B, Buk-M2 / 3 (to avoid falling into their radius of action); the second - to attack ground-based short-range air defense systems (ZRSK "Tor-M1 / 2", "Pantsir-S1") during low-altitude flight in the mode of enveloping the terrain.
The JAGM tactical missile fits perfectly into the overall dimensions of the XQ-222 "Valkyrie" internal weapons bay: length 1800 mm, case diameter 178 mm and weight 48,9 kg. At the same time, it can be considered a fairly modern high-precision weapon with an advanced combined guidance system, which provides: the highest noise immunity from classical ground-based means of setting REB, as well as all-weather use. The JAGM missile is a conceptual and structural analogue of the AGM-114L anti-tank guided missile, which received a Ka-band millimeter radar homing head to operate in conditions of high smoke, dust, when the enemy sets up a smoke screen, as well as in difficult meteorological conditions. JAGM received an even more modern 3-channel combined seeker, which is represented by: active radar, semi-active laser and infrared homing channels. Semi-active laser and infrared sensors provide the missile with immunity to interference in the event of enemy interference in the frequency range of 20-40 GHz. A twofold increase in range (in comparison with the AGM-114K / L helicopter versions) became possible due to the use of solid propellant with a reduced burning rate in a single-chamber engine.
Another interesting quality of a tactical missile is the ability to use it in the "fire-and-forget" mode with obtaining target designation on the trajectory via satellite communication channels. Thanks to this, the XQ-222 is able to attack a target out of line of sight, for example, if it is located behind a high hill or hill. In the event that an attack drone penetrated deep into the airspace unnoticed, the sudden appearance of this missile can be expected in any part of the rear zones 2,5-3 thousand km from the front line; and it’s not a fact that an attack drone with an EPR of 0,03-0,05 m2 will be immediately detected and intercepted, because during a major regional conflict in the same European theater of operations, most fighters of the 4th and 5th generations will be involved in tasks to gain air superiority over Raptors, Super Hornets, Lightnings and other promising tactical aircraft.
Dummy target-EPR simulator of various types of aircraft ADM-160C "MALD-J"
And do not forget that the Valkyries will operate not in units of 4 drones, but in whole squadrons of 12-24 vehicles. They will be supported by both low-observable tactical missiles JASSM-ER, and UAV simulators / directors of the REP ADM-160C "MALD-J". Calculating 24 "Valkyries" in such an air flock will be quite difficult. The only thing that can radically improve the situation by the time the XQ-222 is put into service is the start of modernization of existing 4th generation fighters with PFAR / AFAR radars capable of detecting new drones at considerable distances of 100-120 km, as well as fine-tuning and adoption into service promising combat EMP generators of the Ranets-E type, capable of incapacitating UAV avionics at a distance of 14-20 km and significantly disrupting its operation at a distance of 40-50 km. However, this project was also “safely frozen”, while there is still no sufficient number of 9M96E2 missiles to work on complex over-the-horizon targets in the Aerospace Forces.
In the meantime, it became known about the economic side of the issue of mass production of promising low-profile Valkyrie drones. In particular, the price of one unit will be 2,5 - 3 million dollars (35 or 30 such drones can be created for the cost of one F-40A). The extremely attractive price and high expected combat effectiveness are already causing serious interest in the car from the US Air Force and the US government. According to Kratos CEO Eric DeMarco, the U.S. government, through unnamed representatives, has already shown interest in the XQ-222, having considered acquiring 100 units. And this is only a drop in the ocean in comparison with the orders that may follow later. When the execution and execution of the first contract follows, the operational-tactical situation in the European theater of operations will radically change far from in our favor. What can we oppose in accordance with Gorbachev's hackneyed term "asymmetric response"? The answer is predictable: nothing but the strategic KR Caliber and X-101/102. The remarkable project of the long-range attack UAV "Skat" from RAC "MiG" was not destined to be embodied in a serial modification, actively entering the combat units of the Naval Aviation of the Navy or the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation. A single-engine 10-ton drone with a length of 10 and a span of 11,5 m, made according to the “flying wing” scheme, could deliver about 1500 - 2000 kg of deadly high-precision weapons to enemy positions, leaving a minimum chance of interception in comparison with the weapons carried by the Valkyrie ". Why?
The fact is that JAGM tactical missiles and “narrow bombs” of the GBU-39 SDB family, although they belong to the highly intelligent means of air attack of the 39st century, have extremely low take-off speed and maneuverability. So the GBU-0,7 “Small Diameter Bomb”, after being dropped from the internal suspension point, plans to reach the target at a speed of the order of 0,9 - 0,015M, while its RCS is about 2 m92; it does not have the ability to perform anti-aircraft maneuvers, since it will quickly lose its “energy” and will not be able to reach the target due to the lack of a power plant. Modern multifunctional radars of the 6H80E type can detect it at a distance of 100-1,4 km, since the discharge is often carried out from the stratosphere. The JAGM tactical missile has a similar EPR, while the speed in the upper stage reaches Mach 136. Therefore, immediately after the launch is detected (at the time of engine operation), it can be easily detected by a hot torch using the L-9 Mak-F infrared station, which is installed on the 34A9 Gyurza air defense system. After that, it can be intercepted using the 333MXNUMX SAM. Even the Igla-S or Verba MANPADS are capable of destroying the JAGM, but only if the operator is well trained, or after receiving target designation on a tactical tablet terminal from the Ranzhir UKBP.
The main “caliber” of our “Skat” was heavy “straight-through” 2,5-machine anti-radar missiles Kh-31P, anti-ship missiles Kh-31A, subsonic Kh-31U Uran, as well as any other multi-purpose missiles that fit into the dimensions of the internal compartments drone (4400 x 750 x 650 mm). The first two, despite their decent radar signature, are quite difficult to intercept using various types of self-propelled air defense systems due to their high flight speed and anti-aircraft maneuvering ability. For the Avenger air defense system, the Kh-31P family is completely out of the interception speed range. Unfortunately, the Skat UAV project, just like the Ranets-E high-frequency EMP generator concept, was shelved back in the late 2000s.
Even in China, things are much more rosy. Firstly, far from one aerospace exhibition was remembered by visitors for the appearance of advanced demonstrators of reconnaissance and attack unmanned aerial vehicles. The most notable of these are the Wing Loong and Wing Loong II percussion machines. The flight duration of the latter is about a day with a ceiling of 5000 m. At the same time, there are 6 hardpoints designed to accommodate strike weapons. The machine is capable of striking within a radius of 2000 - 3000 km. Of the reconnaissance vehicles, one can single out the high-altitude strategic drone of optical and electronic intelligence "Soar Dragon" ("Soaring Dragon"). This drone cannot be considered a full-fledged analogue of the American Global Hawk, because the range is only 3200 km versus 4450 km for the RQ-4A and 7050 km for naval version of the MQ-4C "Triton". At the same time, the practical ceiling of 18000 m provides exactly the same atmospheric conditions for long-range optical reconnaissance as that of the Global Hawk. In the front lower part of the fuselage, you can see a similar radio-transparent segment, behind which lies a powerful centimeter radar complex for mapping the terrain in synthetic aperture mode and classifying surface and ground targets. The functionality of the radar completely coincides with the American AN / ZPY-2.
At the same time, the specialists of the Chengdu and Guizhou companies had to slightly alter the standard airframe design of the American Global Hawk by installing an advanced sweptback horizontal tail unit associated with the wing. This is done to prevent stalling and maintain the normal carrying qualities of the drone with increasing angles of attack, since the center of gravity of the machine is significantly shifted to the tail section. This drawback is observed due to the installation of a heavier Guizhou WP-13 turbojet engine, which is a modernized version of the old domestic R-13-300 (it was equipped with Su-15 and MiG-23 fighter-interceptors). Its mass is 1200 kg, while the Rolls-Royce AE4 used on the RQ / MQ-3007 has a mass of 719 kg. This is one of the visible answers.
Our colleagues from the Middle Kingdom also have another interesting unmanned aerial vehicle with reconnaissance and strike capabilities. We are talking about a 5,8-meter CH-T1 drone with a take-off weight of 3000 kg, a payload of about 750-800 kg and a flight speed of 850 km/h. As you can see from the photographs posted in May 2017 on various Chinese information resources, we have a promising shock ekranoplane drone (apparently, “one-time” / non-returnable), capable of flying in “gliding mode” at ultra-low altitudes of 1,5 - 3 m above the water surface and 6 - 10 m - above the earth's surface. Under the radio-transparent nose fairing is a multifunctional airborne radar / active RGSN, which forms a digital map of the terrain and detects surface, ground, and possibly air targets. The practical ceiling of the product is limited to 3000 m, which is enough to carry out low-altitude raids on island positions or aircraft carrier strike groups of the US Navy. It can be seen that the glider of the drone-ekranoplan-rocket is designed taking into account the stealth technology: the tail horizontal tail unit with elevators has a 120-140-degree camber, the front horizontal tail unit is small and fixed. Most of the structural components of the airframe are made of composite materials.
Chinese “sliding” multipurpose long-range drone CH-T1
A feature of the CH-T1 drones is that they are capable of operating at altitudes of up to 10-15 m with numerous network-centric strike regiments of several dozen vehicles. Detecting them with ground-based radars is much more difficult than detecting, for example, a "swarm" of heavy 2-machine anti-ship missiles 3M45 "Granit" (the latter have a higher RCS than the composite CH-T1, and the flight height above the water surface is at least 5 m, while Chinese missiles have 1-2 m). Chinese ekranoplan drones are capable of using the massive anti-ship strike tactics used by our P-800 “Granite: 24 - 32 CH-T1, having formed 3 or 4 strike lines of 8 vehicles, approach the ship strike group at a height of 3 - 4 m; one of the drones rises to a height of 300 - 500 m and scans the sea surface for the presence of enemy surface ships (scanning can also be carried out in the passive mode of the ARGSN to reduce the likelihood of detection by shipborne radars).
In the latter case, the enemy will be located by the radiation of their own AN / SPY-1D (V) radars and the emitted radio channels of the Link-16 tactical system. This drone will transmit accurate target designation of the detected objects on board the slave UAVs “creeping up” from below, after which their high-performance sighting and navigation systems will quickly distribute targets. This stage will take place at a distance of 30-40 km from the targets. At a distance of 10 - 15 km, the vehicles will turn on the on-board electronic warfare systems and begin an attack on the KUG. About half of the CH-1Ts will be intercepted with the help of the RIM-162 ESSM or RIM-116 Block 2 missiles, while the rest will successfully reach the enemy ships. A high-explosive fragmentation “equipment” weighing 1 ton will “turn inside out” the Arley Burkov and Ticonderoga add-ons, and also disable the entire radar architecture of the Aegis systems.
Naturally, this outcome can be countered by the presence of American E-2D carrier-based aircraft, which, over 100 - 150 km, will detect a “swarm” of Chinese drones and, via the Link-16 radio channel, point 1 dozen ship-based long-range RIM-4 ERAM missiles at CH-T174 , but on the air theater, in addition to drones, there will also be several hundred other aircraft, including tactical naval aviation, YJ-18 supersonic anti-ship missiles, etc. The use of these drones can be very successful. The aforementioned Kratos company is also working on a similar project of a “non-returnable” strike UAV. The concept has the index UTAP-22 "Mako" and has been undergoing flight tests for a long time. According to the manufacturer, "Mako" should be used both in conjunction with the "Valkyrie" and independently. Its aerodynamic design is more conservative: a 6,13-meter ogival fuselage with a swept wing span of up to 3,2 m. Basalt", only the speed of the American product barely reaches 22 km / h.
The range, on the contrary, reaches 2600 km, and the practical ceiling is 15200 m. The drone has the same advanced sighting and navigation system as the XQ-222 "Valkyrie", and should also receive many optical and electronic intelligence sensors that allow and enemy airspace a lot of important tactical information. While the Americans are preparing to launch their Valkyries and Mako in large-scale production, we can only hope that the ongoing delays with the start of mass production of Altius-M diesel UAVs will finally end, and a worthy replacement for the domestic RED A03 / V12 aviation diesels will be found. development. In addition, the Kronstadt and Sukhoi companies promise to provide a turning point in the development of the Russian segment of military unmanned aircraft by the beginning of the 20s.
Information sources:
http://forum.militaryparitet.com/viewtopic.php?id=17879
http://5cek.livejournal.com/568848.html
http://bmpd.livejournal.com/2587497.html
http://militaryrussia.ru/blog/topic-719.html
http://rbase.new-factoria.ru/missile/wobb/jagm/jagm.shtml
Information