The development of domestic UAVs against the backdrop of the Special Operation

"Orlan-10" is one of the main UAVs of the Russian army. Photo of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

The special military operation fully demonstrated the potential and value of unmanned aerial vehicles of various classes. The Russian army is armed with a variety of systems of this kind, with the help of which it solves a wide range of tasks. This ensures not only the successful conduct of hostilities, but also accumulates valuable experience. In addition, the foundations are being created for the further development of the UAV sphere.

Proven technology

Modern domestic UAVs for the first time began to be massively used in a real military operation in 2015, in Syria. At that time, Orlan, Eleron, Forpost, etc. were used for observation, reconnaissance, target designation and fire adjustment. In addition, as part of the Syrian operation, military tests were carried out on a number of completely new models, such as the Lancet loitering ammunition or the Pacer, a heavy reconnaissance and strike weapon.

During the Syrian operation, our army has gained extensive experience in operating unmanned systems. In addition, they worked out the issues of interaction of UAVs with other forces and means of troops in solving a number of basic tasks. By the beginning of the Special Operation for the Defense of Donbass, Orlans and other equipment had become widespread in accordance with current regulations.

Operators "Orlanov" at work. Photo by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

Starting from February 24, Russian UAVs of the available types are almost constantly on duty in the airspace above the combat zone and solve all the proposed tasks. First of all, "Eagles", etc. used as a means of reconnaissance and fire adjustment. They work in the interests of the missile forces and artillery, serve rifle units, etc. It is difficult to overestimate the results of the use of such reconnaissance means and their usefulness in achieving common goals.

Starting from last spring, reconnaissance and shock "Pacers" have been participating in the Special Operation. It has been reported several times that such equipment searches for and destroys various enemy ground targets. At the same time, new means of destruction were used, incl. those that have not been previously reported. According to various sources, such UAVs are still operating in the combat zone and are contributing to the common cause of enemy demilitarization.

Loitering ammunition of the main types and modifications, such as "Lancets", is widely used. At the same time, the growth in production rates makes it possible to increase the intensity of their use. Photos and videos from the war zone, received in recent months, allow us to consider Drones-kamikaze is one of the main means for destroying equipment and other enemy targets.

Heavy "Pacer" with rocket armament. Photo by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

In the light class

Already during the Special Operation, the Russian army and other formations that later joined it received a wide range of new UAVs of various classes. Part of this technology supplemented the existing unmanned fleet, while other samples created new niches and occupied them. As a result, our army's reconnaissance and strike capabilities have grown markedly.

First of all, light commercial UAVs that got into the army and other formations thanks to enthusiasts and activists drew attention to themselves. Despite the limited performance and a certain complexity of operation in frontline conditions, such drones have proven to be a convenient and effective means of aerial reconnaissance at the tactical level. The help of the rear and citizens, as well as measures by the Ministry of Defense, made it possible to quickly increase the saturation of troops with such equipment.

Initially, small UAVs were used only as carriers of optics. However, already in the first months of the Special Operation, they were "taught" to carry and use light weapons - a variety of grenades, mines, etc. They used handicraft suspension systems, and then came to industrial production.

The defeat of the ground target "Pacer". Photo by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

The niche of light UAVs was first filled through the purchase of foreign-made samples available on the market. To date, domestic developments have also appeared in this class. The transfer of such equipment to the troops is regularly reported, both for testing and based on the results of mass production. In addition, new samples of this class are constantly appearing.

A kind of offshoot from the class of small UAVs are the so-called. FPV drones are vehicles that carry a first-person camera and a specific payload. They are mainly used as light and maneuverable loitering ammunition to hit various targets, incl. hidden. As is the case with other classes, such vehicles are assembled from scratch or remade from available samples. There are already several models of FPV devices on the front, including new samples of domestic development.

Long range

Perhaps the main novelty of last year was the long-range strike UAV Geran-2. The existence of this technique became known only after the first episodes of its combat use against Ukrainian targets. As far as is known, the Russian industry has established mass production of such drones, and they are regularly used to defeat designated targets.

Famous episode of defeat tank Leopard 2 loitering ammunition "Lancet". View from the drone camera. Telegram photo / "Spetsnaz Archangel"

"Geran-2" belongs to the class of heavy UAVs, which has not yet received much distribution in our army. This is an apparatus weighing several hundred kilograms with a wingspan of meters. At a speed of no more than 200-250 km / h, it is able to fly up to 1-2 thousand km and hit a point target.

From the point of view of functions, "Geran-2" is a kind of analogue of cruise missiles. At the same time, the use of technologies and components from the UAV field made it possible to dramatically simplify the design and reduce its cost without serious limitations and loss in performance. In addition, in practice it turned out that an apparatus of this kind is a rather difficult target for enemy air defense.

Unmanned future

UAVs of various classes and types have long and firmly taken their place in the Russian army and regularly show their capabilities. The need for such technology is no longer in doubt. At the same time, the topic for debate so far may be the ways of further development of unmanned aerial vehicles. aviation complexes. But in the current processes of various kinds, one can find hints of future events.

Flight to the target, view from the FPV drone. Photo Telegram / "BOBR"

First of all, it should be expected that the Russian industry will continue to produce current UAV models, and will also develop new models. The main work in these areas will be done by large and well-known manufacturers, but small enterprises will also enter the scene. Already now they are trying to cover part of the needs of the army and show good results for their scale. It is likely that small companies that develop the most successful designs in the future will be able to become larger and increase production.

To date, the domestic industry has proposed UAV projects of all major classes and categories. However, not in all niches there is a mass production of equipment yet. For example, heavy drones remain few and far between, and the production of FPV vehicles is only gaining momentum. It should be expected that in all new and important categories it will be possible to reach the required level of production.

In parallel, enterprises will continue to develop promising models, both already known and completely new. Orion, Okhotnik and other products, still classified, will be brought to the series. Probably, these processes will not be hidden, and the industry will regularly report on its successes.

"Geranium-2" flies to its target. Photo AFP

It should be noted that the prospects for unmanned vehicles in our army depend not only on the development and production of specific samples. Of great importance is the accumulation, systematization and study of the experience of using UAVs in a real conflict. Drones and their operators have to work in difficult conditions with active opposition from the enemy, who has various foreign means.

Such experience will be useful both in organizing the operation and use of unmanned systems, and in creating new projects. Developers and operators now know what capabilities the enemy has and how it can interfere with their work. In addition, it becomes possible to predict the further development of its systems and tools.

Results and prospects

Obviously, the current Special Operation is of great importance not only for national security, but also for the development of the armed forces, incl. direction of unmanned aerial systems. With its help, all existing and new models of UAVs capable of solving various tasks are tested. At the same time, such tests take place in conditions of a real conflict, which helps to identify strengths and weaknesses.

In the early stages of the operation, the Russian army used almost all types of UAVs available for a wide range of tasks. In the future, the fleet of unmanned systems began to grow, both in quantitative and qualitative terms. Moreover, equipment of new classes appeared and went into operation. There is every reason to believe that the development of drones in our armed forces will not stop there. The following innovations can be expected in the very near future - and their appearance will definitely not please the enemy.

Comments

[Toucan]

The article contains only water and oil-oil, as well as a complete lack of useful information. Honestly sorry for wasting your time.
It is high time to indicate the author at the beginning of the publication.

[And11]

I agree, most of this author’s articles are just as empty.

[Lech from Android.]

By the beginning of the Special Operation for the Defense of Donbass, Orlans and other equipment were widely used in accordance with the current regulations.

Just don't lie...
I saw this spread when our columns of equipment were attacked by the Armed Forces of Ukraine from all sides and the infantry scattered in all directions to escape from shelling from ambushes.
Now, thank God, the situation with this has changed for the better ... and a year ago, the VO was trumpeting with might and main about the deplorable situation with reconnaissance and strike UAVs.
Until the thunder breaks out, the MO will not cross itself.

[Polite Moose]

Quote: Lech from Android.

Until the thunder breaks out, the MO will not cross itself.

Yes, even if it breaks out, they will still not be baptized. It's just that there are no atheists in the trenches, as they say. And in the MO campaign without exception. For a week, the top would be "accustomed to the faith" on the front, you see, something would stir.
But, in general, I don’t understand how it was possible, when planning the NMD, to ignore such a successful type of weapon as reconnaissance and strike UAVs, while having a huge amount of information about their use in the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, not to mention Syria?

[VPK-65]

Quote: Polite Elk

I don’t understand how it was possible, when planning the NMD, to ignore such a successful type of weapon as reconnaissance and strike UAVs

As far as I understood, "during the planning of the SVO" it was supposed to use the secret weapon "Medvedchuk" and fight off the flowers that the grateful Ukrainians were supposed to throw on the armor of the tanks with rubber truncheons - "democratizers", but something went wrong ...

[Alexey RA]

Quote: VPK-65

As far as I understood, "during the planning of the SVO" it was supposed to use the secret weapon "Medvedchuk" and fight off the flowers that the grateful Ukrainians were supposed to throw on the armor of the tanks with rubber truncheons - "democratizers", but something went wrong ...

T - Tradition.
Well, how not to recall the performance of Lev Zakharovich following the results of the previous SVO.

The harmful prejudice was deeply rooted that the supposedly population of the countries entering the war with the USSR would inevitably, almost without exception, rise and go over to the side of the Red Army, that the workers and peasants would meet us with flowers. This false belief arises from ignorance of the actual situation in neighboring countries. The war in Finland showed that we did not conduct political intelligence in the northern regions and therefore did not know with what slogans to go to this population and how to conduct work among them. We often treated peasants as a working class, but it turns out that this peasant is a big fist, a Shutskorovets, and he reacts in his own way. Collision with reality demagnetizes our fighter and commander, who is used to viewing the population of foreign countries from a general - superficial point of view. We need to know what the population of this or that country lives and is interested in.

© Head of the Main Political Directorate of the Red Army L.Z. Mekhlis

[Alexey RA]

Quote: Lech from Android.

Just don't lie...

So everything is written correctly - in accordance with current regulations.
Remember the 90th TD?

They formed the 2016th Panzer Division in 2017-90.
Without enough infantry? HA! Take it higher!
WITHOUT UAV SERVICE.
Tank division. Without full-time army drones.
I don't know why my eyes didn't pop out when I read this, but it is.
It's like giving birth to a ferocious merciless shark with huge jaws through long-term selection, but giving birth to her blind and with an eternal cold.
AND THEY DID IT!

© slanderer and slander Murz

[Vadim S]

There are many excellent developments, but our bureaucracy, the monopoly of large companies and endless certifications do not allow anything to break through! The Soviet system slows down the development of industry in general, and in the field of UAVs everything changes very quickly, until the entire adoption cycle has passed, the device becomes obsolete. Therefore, 5-7 samples are at war with us. Orlan-10 is no longer relevant at all, it is jammed instantly, the codes have long been split, but for some reason they are trying not to write about it. And there are new brains for him, but he must go through a long cycle of certifications and approvals. By then it will be outdated.

[Ruby]

No need to nod at the soviet system. This system in the Union had a lot of shortcomings, but in what ways, and in the military-industrial complex, it worked like a clock. And new systems were put into production in record time, and constant modernization was underway, and developments that we still feed on. Peacetime generals in any army are very hardened people. Largely. There are many examples of this in history. Suffice it to recall the history of the introduction of automatic small arms in the armies of the world. The reality of life is such that only war is an incentive to introduce something new. The mass introduction of drones inevitably leads to a radical breakdown of established traditions. It's primarily real-time intelligence. And this implies an instant response to the received data. But this destroys all foundations of subordination. How can it be that some sergeant from the UAV crew will give the command to the self-propelled gun battery to open fire and target designation. And why then the higher command?

[Alexey RA]

Quote: Yakut

This system in the Union had a lot of shortcomings, but in what ways, and in the military-industrial complex, it worked like a clock. And the new systems went into production in record time.

* naval officers grin sarcastically, remembering the history of project 1155 and project 956.

Quote: Yakut

and constant modernization was going on

... which in most cases came down to bringing the products squeezed through by the industry to the adoption of the products to the initial TTT. The classic case is the R-39, which reached the initially required characteristics only by the UTTX version. Oh yes - did not reach, because "Bark" did not take off.

Quote: Yakut

How can it be that some sergeant from the UAV crew will give the command to the self-propelled gun battery to open fire and target designation. And why then the higher command?

So this is nowhere to be found.
The task of the sergeant is to find the target and give out its coordinates / binding to the terrain. And then the information goes up, where the headquarters issues target designation to a suitable battery, and the corresponding structure prepares data for firing. The sergeant in this scheme either corrects the fire on the target he has discovered, or is looking for new ones. According to the norms of the Cold War, it took from 5 to 10 minutes to open fire on a detected target in such a scheme.
The problem is that this system can work normally only if there is modern equipment for reconnaissance of targets, prompt issuance of data for firing, closed reliable communications and competent personnel who know how to use all this.

[the same doctor]

What is seen on the Internet is difficult to call development. Here, rather, growth in numbers and diversity. I hope there is something that is already absolutely clear, but it is not yet shown on the Internet.

[lelik613]

"I told my grandmother not (censored) like a radio" (c) obvious, not just probable

[acetophenone]

The development of military thought and technology is going on in different countries at different speeds. One is faster. In others, it's slower. Ours is slower. That is, there is a backlog and it DOES NOT DECREASE. Who is to blame and what to do with him (with them) is a separate issue. But the facts are this.
We are being whistled a lot and wondering what terrible defaults are looming on the dollar. And in fact, not the dollar, but the ruble is getting cheaper. I'm already calm about this nonsense. But I see that in the mass people believe. And that means what? Right. There will be no change.

[Alexander Timchenko]

“Initially, small UAVs were used only as carriers of optics. However, already in the first months of the Special Operations, they were “taught” to carry and use light weapons - a variety of grenades, mines, etc. They used handicraft suspension systems, and then it came to industrial production."

That is, when planning the NMD, the leadership of the Ministry of Defense completely ignored the real experience of hostilities here, in the Donbass, starting from the same 2015, when the facts of dropping all kinds of ammunition from UAVs were regularly made public.

[stankow]

There are so many words in this article about nothing!
...............

[Sergei Zhernakov]

Everything we see on social networks, at exhibitions... is an outdated approach to creating UAVs.
I am not talking about the development and production of heavy structures; their complexity and high cost seal their sentence.
I'm talking about light front-line vehicles, which should be in every company as consumables, like Kalash cartridges.
What we see in practice: small UAVs are created by handicrafts and industry using model or aircraft technology. And this is slow and expensive.
It's no secret that she is the weakest. The damaged component of the UAV is the airframe. In practice, model aircraft sports equipment, engines, and other components of an aircraft model last for years, but the airframe lasts until the first accident.
While the industry is hastily mastering the production of electronics for drones, while a sufficient number of operators are being trained, we must master my technology for the production of aircraft-type UAV gliders.
Production will be based on conventional industrial equipment, the productivity of which will allow the production of 1000 gliders per day per shift, at a price slightly more expensive than a roll of toilet paper.
Only with an industrial approach to production can we seriously talk about saturating troops with means of unmanned surveillance and defeating the enemy.
I cannot talk about the essence of the technology here. But everything is very simple. I cannot purchase equipment, create production, and demonstrate the technology in action. I live in Kaliningrad, surrounded by NATO troops, and such production cannot be carried out here. Even a demo.
The technology cannot fall into enemy hands.
However, idealess, stupid bureaucrats continue to advance the production of UAVs using outdated technologies, spending huge amounts of Russian money on the construction of expensive factories...... I am silent about what is going into the bureaucratic pockets in the process of this expensive construction.
Well, I'm not in a hurry yet. I'm still waiting. I am sure that the time will come when we will flood the front with a sufficient number of small UAVs, when for a soldier, launching a drone will be as ordinary as going to the toilet. I am also sure that by producing 1000 gliders per piece of equipment per work shift, provided the same intensity of electronics production, it will be possible to talk about swarms of UAVs, when the same attack helicopters will be surrounded by thousands of unmanned aerial vehicles, which will completely nullify the air defense enemy...
Like so.