Successes and prospects: a new program for the development of domestic UAVs
Experienced UAV S-70 "Hunter". Photo "UAC"
To date, our country has made significant progress in the field of unmanned aviation complexes. The development of this industry will continue, and will now be carried out within the framework of a new program. As reported, in this program, special attention will be paid to the creation and development of percussion drones and weapons for them.
New plans
On January 8, Izvestia reported about the launch of the new program of the Ministry of Defense. Referring to its sources in the department, it writes about the development of new documents, and also discloses the goals and objectives of the program, the timing of its implementation, etc. It also provides estimates and forecasts on the outcome of such a program.
According to sources, the Ministry of Defense has developed a number of documents that determine further ways of developing domestic military UAVs. They pay attention to all classes of equipment and equipment, but the emphasis is on heavy unmanned strike complexes. The issues of development and implementation of such systems in the armed forces are determined.
The first "Paceman" / "Orion" complex, handed over to the army in 2020. Photo by the "Kronstadt" Group
Also, the Ministry of Defense has chosen ways for the further development of weapons for drones. Existing and new models of aviation weapons will be used not only with heavy UAVs. The possibility of installing suitable ammunition on light unmanned aircraft and helicopters is mentioned.
Work on the new program will continue for five years. At the same time, Izvestia's sources did not name the expected results of the program, did not mention specific samples of equipment and weapons etc. Probably, such information will appear later, as the work under the new plans is completed.
Ways of development
It should be noted that the new program for the development of unmanned aircraft is not the first of its kind. So, the first such plan was drawn up back in 2015-16. and was calculated for the next ten years. Half of this period has already passed, and the positive results of the work carried out are well known. Now the older program will be supplemented with new defining documents.
Forpost-R drops a KAB-20 bomb. Exercise "West-2021", September 2021. Photo by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
The details of the new program of the Ministry of Defense have not yet been reported. However, it is obvious that there will be a place in it both for modern models of equipment and weapons, and for promising developments of all classes. It should be expected that the existing and incoming UAVs will undergo modernization, promising samples will complete tests and go into service, and in parallel, the development of completely new complexes will continue.
As the groundwork from which the implementation of the new program starts, one can consider current and promising projects of various kinds. A number of modern UAVs and ASPs are now at various stages of development, testing and deployment in the army. Work on these projects should be completed in the coming years. This will happen during the period of the program and, most likely, new plans will affect such processes.
Striking technique
It is reported that the new program will focus on promising strike UAVs. Several complexes of this purpose have already been put into service, and new ones are expected in the near future. At the same time, the entire spectrum of unmanned vehicles in terms of weight and dimensions will actually be covered - from light to heavy samples.
Loitering ammunition "Cube-UAV". Photo Zala Aero
Since 2020, the Russian army has been receiving reconnaissance and strike unmanned systems "Walker" / "Orion". Last year she was given the first "Forpost-R" capable of carrying and using weapons. The striking capabilities of this technique have already been tested in exercises and real-life operations. Now combat units are mastering it.
Tests of the heavy UAV "Altius-RU" were completed last year. Now his further fate is being decided, incl. issues of supplies to the troops. In autumn, flight and fire tests of the promising unmanned helicopter "Termit" began. Apparently, in the foreseeable future, these products will also enter service and complement the existing aircraft.
Later, work is expected to be completed on the most complex and promising S-70 Okhotnik project. It is of particular importance for the further development of the Air Force, and this expectation will fully justify itself. It can be assumed that within the framework of the announced development program "Okhotnik" will receive some new opportunities or even undergo a full modernization.
Helicopter-type apparatus "Termit" with S-8L missiles. Photo Bastion-karpenko.ru
During the period of the new program, the first flights of promising UAVs "Thunder" and "Molniya" may take place. The first of these is a heavy vehicle designed to work with manned aircraft. "Lightning", in turn, is supposed to be used in groups, incl. under the control of "Thunders". The main ideas of these projects are being implemented by our industry for the first time.
The development of the direction of the so-called. loitering ammunition, and curious tendencies are observed in it. The domestic industry has already offered several UAVs of this type with different characteristics and capabilities from the Lancet and Cube-UAV families. None of them have officially entered service yet, but some have already been used in the Syrian operation. Apparently, the new development program will make them a full-fledged armament of the army.
Arms issue
In parallel with the development of reconnaissance and strike UAVs, work is underway on armament for them. There are two main approaches in this area. The first provides for the creation of completely new types of ASPs specifically for UAVs, and the second proposes the adaptation or processing of existing weapons for new unmanned vehicles.
A model of a promising UAV "Thunder", capable of working together with airplanes. Photo Group "Kronstadt"
Last year, the Ministry of Defense showed for the first time the combat operation of the Forpost-R UAV using the new KAB-20 small-size aerial bomb. Guided munitions of minimum caliber are compatible with a wide range of medium and heavy carriers and are capable of hitting ground targets with high accuracy. Small-sized guided missiles Kh-MD and Kh-50, also intended for various UAVs, were presented in the form of mock-ups this year.
At the end of last year, it became known about the development of a promising X-UAV aircraft missile. Reportedly, this product was created on the basis of the anti-tank missile complex "Kornet-D". Such a rocket can be used on a wide range of manned and unmanned aerial platforms.
It is reported that the heavy S-70 vehicle is capable of using air-to-surface ammunition developed for manned aircraft. In particular, the dropping of 250 kg bombs has already been demonstrated; it is possible to use 500 kg free-fall or controlled products. The complex of weapons of the UAV "Walker" was experimentally supplemented with anti-tank missiles "Vikhr-M", borrowed from attack helicopters.
The leadership of the Ministry of Defense is getting acquainted with the layout of the Molniya drone. Photo of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
The tests of the Termit unmanned helicopter, which began last fall, are of great interest. During this event, the UAV attacked a training target using an S-8L corrected missile, developed on the basis of unguided ammunition. Thus, "Termit" became the first domestic helicopter-type UAV to receive missile armament.
Projects and programs
Thus, to date, the Russian defense industry can boast of significant success in the field of unmanned aerial systems, incl. reconnaissance and strike purpose. In recent years, some of the samples and products of this kind have been brought into service, and other modern samples are expected in the near future. In addition, several projects are being created with an eye to the more distant future.
As it has now become known, in the next five years, work on new UAVs and ASPs for them will be carried out within the framework of a new large-scale program. It will likely contribute to the early and successful completion of current projects, as well as allow them to become the basis for the emergence of the next generation of technology.
What goals the program faces and whether it will be possible to achieve them is not yet known. However, the situation in the field of unmanned aircraft, despite all the complexity and emerging problems, is generally conducive to optimism. This allows us to hope that the main tasks of the new program will be fulfilled, domestic UAVs will show new successes, and the army will be able to use them.
Information