Automated future: anti-drone modification of the Anti-Maidan / Rubezh shooting complex
Small and light unmanned aerial vehicles used by the enemy pose a known threat. To combat it, various technologies and systems are being proposed and developed. For example, the Russian company Lobaev Arms proposes to identify and destroy enemy Drones with the help of a robotic shooting complex. Such a project has already started, and the existing developments will become its basis.
In the process of development
For several years, Lobaev Arms has been developing automated / robotic shooting systems in mobile and stationary versions under the names Antimaidan and Rubezh. To date, significant progress has been made. So, at the end of last year, an updated version of the complex was tested, which showed an increase in pointing accuracy and other characteristics, and work continues.
In August this year, during the Army-2022 forum, the founder and head of the company, Vladislav Lobaev, spoke about the latest achievements of new projects. According to him, work on the second version of the Rubezh complex has been completed. It is intended to deal with enemy snipers and can be used to protect perimeters. In addition, this system is potentially suitable for combating small UAVs.
October 14 RIA News published a new interview with V. Lobaev, in which he revealed new successes and plans for his company. So, work on the anti-sniper "Frontier" is being completed; a prototype of such a complex was made for testing and demonstration to the customer. In addition, it was decided to use the previously mentioned potential of the system in the context of air defense.
According to V. Lobaev, now Lobaev Arms, together with an unnamed Russian concern, is conducting research work on the topic of an anti-drone version of the existing complex. If R&D shows the potential of such an idea, development work will be launched. How soon it will be able to start and how long it will take, has not yet been reported.
Pickup drive tests
It is noted that the adaptation of the Anti-Maidan / Rubezh complex to solve new problems is fully justified economically. Thus, a target drone has a limited cost, and the price of an anti-aircraft missile to intercept it is several times higher. The use of a rifle complex will make it possible to drastically reduce the cost of hitting air targets.
"Frontier" or "Anti-Maidan"
The Frontier or Anti-Maidan projects provide for the creation of an automated rifle complex to combat various ground targets. Such devices should be placed permanently on protected objects or positions, although modifications for installation on mobile platforms have been previously proposed.
The main element of both complexes is the combat module - a remotely controlled device with a firearm system, optical means and a control system. Its dimensions and weight allow mounting on a tripod or other base. Aiming in two planes is provided by electric drives with high speed and accuracy. So, last year, during tests, the Rubezh module showed a horizontal guidance speed of 180 deg / s. Pointing accuracy is 0,1 MOA, resulting in a fire accuracy of 0,2 MOA. The operation of the mechanisms is almost silent.
"Frontier" is equipped with a firearm in the form of a rifle chambered for an intermediate cartridge of 7,62x39 mm or 5,56x45 mm. Stores for 60 or 100 rounds are used. Rifle control is fully automated. FROM weapons interlocked optoelectronic unit that provides target search and aiming.
Exactly how the Frontier / Anti-Maidan will look like in the anti-aircraft version has not yet been reported. Obviously, the remote-controlled combat module will be supplemented with a set of certain units. Their composition is unknown and probably not yet determined. In the course of research and development work, the authors of the project will have to choose the optimal weapon, as well as suitable optical and other systems.
Optical device from the complex
Promising Ideas
Thus, Lobaev Arms is going to refine the existing products and complexes, after which they will be able to solve a fundamentally new task. How soon it will be possible to complete such a project and how successful it will be, is not yet known. However, it can already be seen that the proposed concept has a number of positive features and is generally of interest, at least from a technical point of view.
In fact, we are talking about the creation of a specialized anti-aircraft installation with barreled weapons, capable of dealing with small and maneuverable air targets. At the same time, modern technologies and existing developments will make it possible to obtain high performance and combat qualities.
Target in the form of a light UAV, incl. commercial model, has a number of characteristic features. So, it is not easy to detect and accompany it with the help of optoelectronic or radar systems. Thanks to good optics, the drone can observe from a considerable distance from a ground object, which determines the requirements for the range of air defense fire. High accuracy is also required to guarantee the defeat of a small target.
In its current form, the Anti-Maidan / Rubezh complex is equipped with cameras for monitoring and aiming weapons. It is possible that the existing units correspond to the tasks of combating UAVs, but they can also be replaced with more advanced ones. In addition, an anti-aircraft gun can be included in the general air defense circuits. In this case, it will receive preliminary information about the targets from outside - from radar or other reconnaissance means.
During the tests, the automated complex showed high firing accuracy. With the declared characteristics, it is able to hit the UAV, as a maximum, with a few shots. At the same time, the combat module can be equipped with special rifles or even machine guns that use a different cartridge and show different levels of performance. It is obvious that the anti-aircraft installation will receive weapons that meet the requirements for the range of fire.
Light UAV of one of the popular models
It should be noted that the use of small arms will provide serious economic advantages. When using cartridges of the main types, the cost of a volley and hitting a target will be minimal. In this regard, Rubezh will be able to bypass existing artillery and missile systems. However, the cheapness of combat work will be associated with a limited range and reach.
"Frontier" is controlled from a remote operator's console; one gunner can control several such complexes. Probably, the existing fire control system will be finalized taking into account the specifics of air defense. It must confidently accompany small targets that perform maneuvering in all three planes. In addition, high accuracy is required in the calculation of targeting data in order to speed up the destruction of the target and reduce the consumption of ammunition.
When solving all these technical problems, it will be possible to create a full-fledged automated rifle complex capable of fighting even complex air targets. In addition, this version of "Frontier" / "Anti-Maidan" will retain the original functions of searching for and destroying ground targets. In fact, it becomes possible to create a multifunctional protection complex, moreover, for stationary or mobile use.
With a vision for the future
As reported, the development of a new automated anti-drone complex based on the Rubezh product is still in its very early stages. The necessary studies are being carried out, based on the results of which the main decisions will be made and ways of further development of the project will be chosen.
The new project will be created on the basis of an existing sample that has passed part of the tests and confirmed its characteristics. This fact already gives grounds for restrained optimism. It can be expected that in the foreseeable future in our country the development of several new automated systems for various purposes will be completed at once - including a specialized tool for combating small UAVs.
Information