Potential of the Inokhodets UAV
UAS "Inohodets" means: control station and unmanned aerial vehicles. Photo by Kronstadt Group
Several years ago, an unmanned aerial vehicle was adopted into service by the Russian Aerospace Forces. aviation the Inokhodets system, built around the heavy unmanned aerial vehicle of the same name. It was first used in real combat conditions in Syria, and since 2022 it has been taking part in the Special Operation to Protect Donbass. During combat sorties Drones "Inohodets" demonstrates its capabilities and high potential.
In a difficult class
The development of the future Inokhodets began in 2011. Initially, it was carried out by the Transas enterprise, but then the project was transferred to the Kronstadt Group. The experimental design work was carried out under the code name Inokhodets, and at a certain stage the drone received the name Orion.
By the middle of the decade, the project was completed, and flight tests began in 2016. In 2017, the Orion UAV was first demonstrated to the general public at the aerospace show. It should be noted that the exhibition featured the export version of the drone with the letter "E".
In 2019, the Inokhodets unmanned aircraft system entered the experimental military operation stage. The Aerospace Forces received the first UAS, which included three drones, a control station, and other necessary equipment.
Later it became known that the new UAVs took part in the Syrian operation of the Russian armed forces. They were used for reconnaissance, identifying terrorist targets and striking them. The promising UAV demonstrated high performance and was recommended for adoption.
"Inohodets" in combat flight. TPK is suspended under the fuselage missiles X-UAV. Photo by the Russian Ministry of Defense
At the end of 2021, the Kronstadt Group commissioned a new plant in the Moscow region city of Dubna. This plant was planned to establish production of the Inokhodets UAV for the Ministry of Defense and other customers.
Soon the production was launched, and the first drones of the new model were sent to the VKS units. Probably, the production of "Inohodtsev" continues to this day, however, the volume of orders from the Ministry of Defense, the rate of production and other details, for obvious reasons, remain unknown.
Combat application
By now, the Inohodtsy have accumulated significant experience in combat. They were first used in a real operation around 2016–2018 in Syria. The new type of UAS were then used for surveillance and reconnaissance. Data from the UAVs was used in planning and conducting various activities.
At the end of 2019, it became known that the strike capabilities of the Inokhodets were also tested in Syria. The drone successfully found and hit ground targets. Interestingly, during these tests, several new types of weapons specially developed for such drones were also tested.
In Syria, the Pacers operated in relatively simple conditions. The terrorist groups that were the targets of the strikes did not have serious anti-aircraft weapons, and the UAVs were free to operate. Fire from the ground posed virtually no threat to them.
The operator of the "Inohodets" at work. Photo by the Russian Ministry of Defense
In February-March 2022, the "Inohodtsy" began to actively participate in the Special Operation to protect Donbass. As before, they carried out reconnaissance missions, hit ground targets and provided support to other fire weapons. The Ministry of Defense and unofficial sources have repeatedly published footage of the combat use of these heavy UAVs.
It is curious that the work of the "Amblers" is covered rather poorly. Only a few videos and press releases have been published over the entire period. In addition, there was a long break in the publication of such materials, and it was resumed only recently.
The reasons for the information deficit remain unclear. It may be due to the general secrecy that is characteristic of the use of all the latest weapons and equipment. There is also a version about a temporary reduction in the activity of the "Inohodtsev" due to the presence of a developed air defense system in the enemy. Until it was possible to disable it by other means, the heavy drones did not participate in combat operations.
Multipurpose sample
The Inokhodets is a heavy-duty UAV capable of carrying reconnaissance equipment and weapons. It is built using a normal aerodynamic design and has a high aspect ratio fuselage, a straight wing, and a V-shaped tail unit.
The length of the UAV is 8 m, the wingspan is 16,3 m. The maximum takeoff weight is 1 t, and the payload is 200 kg.
The drone is equipped with a 115 hp piston engine with a pusher propeller. Cruising speed does not exceed 200 km/h, but at the same time provides a high range and duration of flight. The UAV is capable of staying in the air for more than a day. Due to such characteristics, the UAV can be classified as a MALE class. "Inohodets" is one of the first domestic examples of this class.
Small-sized ammunition for UAVs. Photo Wikimedia Commons
The on-board control system allows the drone to execute operator commands or independently solve simple piloting tasks. In the standard configuration, the Inokhodets is equipped with an optical-electronic station (OES) for reconnaissance and the use of weapons. Several OES options with different characteristics are offered. It is also possible to install additional devices, such as a side-view radar station, etc.
The drone is controlled from a ground station, which is built in a van on a car chassis. The kung is equipped with automated operator workstations with all the necessary equipment and communication facilities. Thanks to the use of repeaters, the station can control the UAV at a distance of hundreds or even thousands of kilometers.
There are several weapon mounts under the Inokhodets fuselage. A range of guided 25 and 50 kg bombs was developed for heavy reconnaissance and strike UAVs. Free-fall ammunition of the same weight can also be used. The Kornet-D ATGM was used to create the Kh-UPLA guided missile, equipped with a semi-active laser homing head.
Key Benefits
The Inokhodets UAS, built on the basis of the heavy UAV of the same name, has important features and advantages. Its strengths are applied in real conditions and demonstrate the significant potential of the entire system.
The main advantages of the "Inohodets" are related to its flight and technical characteristics. This drone is capable of flying for up to 24 hours and moving hundreds of kilometers from the launch site. Thanks to this, broad operational capabilities are achieved for performing various tasks - both reconnaissance and strike.
"Inohodets" works on armored vehicles. Photo by the Russian Defense Ministry
The "Inohodets" should be considered as a universal aerial platform capable of carrying loads of various purposes. Its 200 kg load capacity significantly increases the range of compatible loads and provides broad operational capabilities.
A new line of guided munitions has been developed for the Inokhodets and other modern UAVs. New types of missiles and bombs are capable of hitting a variety of targets at a distance of up to 8-10 kilometers. The small caliber of the ammunition is compensated by high accuracy. When using such weapons, the UAV remains outside the enemy's range Defense short range.
At the same time, the "Inohodets" is exposed to threats from longer-range anti-aircraft missile systems and fighter aircraft. A drone of this kind is quite easy to detect and disable using modern means. In this regard, special requirements arise for the preparation and conduct of a combat sortie in order to avoid unjustified risks for the UAV.
Promising direction
Thus, the "Inohodets" became one of the first domestic UAVs belonging to the MALE class, which is new for our Aerospace Forces. It has a successful combination of technical characteristics and combat capabilities, which determines its overall potential. The "Inohodets" UAV successfully passed tests and was accepted into service.
Serial "Inohodtsy" have been in service for quite a long time and are used to perform combat missions. However, they are not the only ones of their kind. Currently, there are other UAVs with similar capabilities, and new MALE-class projects are being developed. The emergence of domestic UAVs of this kind has already significantly expanded the capabilities of the VKS, and their number will only grow in the future.
Information