Primoco One 150 UAV in Ukraine: the first of six destroyed
UAV Primoco One 150 on the runway
Foreign partners are massively handing over a variety of unmanned aerial vehicles to the Kyiv regime aviation systems. So, last year several Czech-made Primoco One 150 aircraft and related equipment were sent to Ukraine. Not long ago, these UAVs began to appear in the airspace - and one of them has already been lost. Russian fighters successfully hit it, collected the fallen debris and sent it to a specialized organization for study.
Secret delivery
In 2020, the Czech company Primoco UAV SE for the first time showed its new development - a medium multi-purpose aircraft-type UAV called One 150. This equipment attracted the attention of potential customers, and supply contracts soon appeared. According to known data, One 150 products were shipped to customers from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, etc.
In June 2022, the development company announced that it had received another order for the One 150 UAV. The contract included the supply of six aircraft and ancillary products with a total value of 3,3 million euros to an unnamed buyer from Europe. Who exactly bought the Czech ones? Drones, it became known later.
UAV with open instrument compartment
Last November, Luxembourg officially announced the transfer of six Primoco One 150 UAVs to the Kyiv regime. Apparently, it was the Duchy that was the unnamed buyer who received the batch of Czech drones. As it turned out, it acquired the equipment not for its own needs, but for transfer to Ukraine.
No later than November-December 2022, Ukrainian operators were supposed to begin mastering new unmanned systems. In the near future they could appear in the combat zone. However, for a long time, reliable information about the use of One 150 products did not appear. Probably, valuable imported equipment was saved for one purpose or another.
First loss
Confirmed information about the flights of the Primoco One 150 UAV appeared only a few days ago. It is noteworthy that it was news about the detection and destruction of such a target. Apparently, these devices began to be used not so long ago, and the first loss has already occurred.
Fuselage of a downed UAV
The destruction of the first One 150 was reported by RIA Novosti on September 8. The air target was hit by anti-aircraft gunners of the volunteer detachment "BARS-10" over the former. Kakhovka Reservoir. Reportedly, an air surveillance post detected a UAV flying from the direction of Zaporozhye towards the city of Energodar. Data about the target was transferred to the BARS-10 detachment, which had the opportunity to intercept it. After waiting for visual contact with the object, the volunteers used a man-portable anti-aircraft missile system.
The UAV was successfully hit; the debris fell to the former bottom of the reservoir. It was decided to take out the elements of the drone for study, but this event turned out to be far from simple. The bottom of the reservoir is now a swampy area, partially mined by the enemy and under fire. The BARS fighters had to crawl to the goal and at great risk to themselves. On the fourth attempt, they managed to hook the UAV with a rope and pull it into their territory.
The valuable Czech-made trophy has already been sent to one of the specialized organizations. She will have to study the design of the device and its contents in order to obtain various data. They can be used to improve the means of combating modern enemy UAVs or to improve their own projects.
Multipurpose complex
Primoco UAV SE has been developing unmanned aerial systems since the first half of the last decade. In 2015, it presented its first development - a middle-class aircraft One 100 with a take-off weight of 100 kg. This product was subsequently promoted on the market, and since 2016 it has been mass-produced.
During the same period, the development of a modernized UAV began. The finished product, called One 150, was presented in 2020. By refining the design and replacing key components, the maximum take-off weight was increased to 150 kg with a corresponding increase in payload.
Both products in the Primoco One series are aircraft-type UAVs with the ability to install one or another payload. The airframe of the device is built according to a two-beam design: two pipe-beams with a tail unit are attached to the streamlined fuselage, which contains all the units. A high-mounted straight wing with advanced mechanization on the trailing edge was used. The plumage is H-shaped. The device is made dismountable and for transportation fits into a special container less than 3 m long.
The length of the UAV is 3,65 m with a wingspan of 4,85 m. The maximum take-off weight for the One 150 reaches 150 kg, of which up to 50 kg is the payload.
At the rear of the fuselage there is a 50 hp piston engine. with a pushing propeller. The cruising speed does not exceed 150 km/h, the ceiling is 3,3 km. Maximum flight duration – 15 hours; flight range – 1,5-2 thousand km. A runway of 300 m is required for takeoff and landing.
One 150 is equipped with autopilot and remote control system. Navigation is carried out using several satellite systems. Depending on the customer’s requirements, communication with the operator can be maintained via a direct radio channel or using satellite communications. In all cases, transmission of commands, telemetry, video signal, etc. is ensured.
Under the nose of the fuselage there is space for mounting an optical-electronic station. Different types of systems with day, night and rangefinder channels can be used, corresponding to the UAV’s carrying capacity. Additional volumes are also provided for other loads inside the fuselage. With the help of installed devices, One 150 can conduct reconnaissance, monitoring, etc. The design does not provide for standard methods of suspension and use of weapons.
Convenient target
The Primoco One 150 is overall a typical modern UAV in its class. It has sufficiently high flight characteristics that allow it to fly for a long time. With the help of an EOS of the selected type, he is able to conduct reconnaissance, make adjustments, etc. for several hours. Perhaps the Ukrainian formations will come up with their own way to arm the received UAVs.
Unmanned complex consisting of a control station and an aircraft
With all this, it is easy to see that the One 150 does not have any fundamental differences or advantages over other equipment in its class. In addition, it is not a difficult target for the air defenses available to the Russian army.
Recent events in the former area. The Kakhovka Reservoir shows the real potential of the One 150. Thus, the Ukrainian UAV failed to covertly reach Energodar; Russian air defense discovered it at a considerable distance from the city. How exactly this was done, for obvious reasons, is not specified. When the device entered the MANPADS range, it was attacked. The heat from the piston engine was enough for reliable operation of the infrared homing head on the rocket.
Such interceptions occur regularly. The enemy is constantly trying to use medium-sized aircraft-type reconnaissance and/or attack UAVs. This technique is predictably noticed and attacked. Modern domestic MANPADS have proven to be effective against such targets - and the Ministry of Defense regularly reports such interceptions.
The recent episode in the Energodar area is distinguished, first of all, by the type of UAV destroyed - this is the first One 150 product in our air defense account. In addition, we need to pay attention to the brave and competent actions of the BARS-10 fighters, who managed not only to shoot down the drone, but also to deliver its debris to our territory.
UAV disassembled
We can expect that in the near future the enemy will again try to use the Primoco One 150 UAVs it has. It is unlikely that these activities will be successful - drones have every chance of adding to the list of Ukrainian losses and entering the list of Russian victories. At the same time, it cannot be ruled out that studying the recovered fragments of the first downed device will help destroy others.
Dear Help
Thus, the latest supply of foreign unmanned aircraft does not help the Kyiv regime solve even tactical problems. Another imported UAV showed that it is not the most difficult target for Russian air defense. Moreover, such a result was clear in advance.
The first and, obviously, not the last episode of the destruction of the Primoco One 150 UAV also shows how ineffective foreign investments in helping Ukraine are. As reported more than a year ago, a batch of six Czech-made complexes cost Luxembourg 3,3 million euros, and they have already lost 550 thousand in the form of the first device without receiving any results. The prospects for the remaining “investments” in the form of 2,75 million are already clear.
Information