Promising combat UAVs from the company "IMPULS 82": without diversity of species there will be no natural selection
Factors of evolutionary selection
It has probably become a platitude to say that the Russian special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine has largely become a war of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Again, it is a secret to few that at first the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) were ahead of us both in the quantity and quality of the UAVs used. And it is not only about the help of Western countries, although it is of great importance, but also about the lack of competitive air forces (AF), a shortage of artillery shells and cruise missiles The Ukrainian Armed Forces have placed their bets on UAVs.
As a result, they took a number of organizational measures, which resulted in intensive and extensive development of areas for the creation and use of UAVs. For example, Ukraine has already created a force of unmanned systems (UWS), but we do not have a similar branch of the armed forces yet.
At the same time, the Ukrainian SBS are just starting their activities, and their contribution to future Ukrainian victories or defeats is not yet clear, but Ukrainian UAVs have been causing us problems for a long time, so what is Ukraine's advantage?
Coat of arms of the Ukrainian SBS
It can be assumed that one of the most important factors was the permission to engage in UAVs for everyone who is ready to do so – small enterprises and design bureaus, pasta factories and manufacturers of plumbing, it does not matter whether they employ 2 people or 10000 people, as long as they produce products.
The second factor was the provision of financing and timely purchase of manufactured products for their subsequent use by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
And finally, the third factor is the presence of deep feedback loops that allow one to evaluate the effectiveness of a particular model, which allowed the Armed Forces of Ukraine to intensify development and increase purchases of those UAVs that performed well on the battlefield, and this allowed developers and manufacturers to quickly eliminate shortcomings and increase the effectiveness of their products.
It is important to understand that the topic of UAVs is very “live”, since combat UAVs are in constant confrontation with electronic warfare systems (EW). This means that what was developed before or at the very beginning of the SVO may simply no longer be operational, since the communication channels and video signal transmission of such UAVs are easily “choked” by the also evolved electronic warfare systems.
In Russia, the situation is twofold: on the one hand, there seem to be no particular obstacles to the development of UAV technology, but the financing of small businesses is in question, as are the supply and distribution channels for their products.
Often, those who were able to get under some investment project or “under the wing” of a large volunteer movement receive funding from the state or from private individuals, while for others it can be quite difficult to break into the SVO zone.
We have previously considered one of the domestic enterprises, manufacturers of aircraft-type kamikaze UAVs in the material "Hello" from KB "Oko" - it is possible that the Russian UAV storm begins today.
Today we will talk about the aircraft-type UAV developed and manufactured by the company "IMPULS 82" from the city of Simferopol.
By the way, this company is also a manufacturer of electronic warfare systems that can be used on both ground-based equipment and UAVs, which potentially allows for a very interesting “symbiosis”.
About Us
As a legal entity, the company "IMPULS 82" was founded quite recently and previously represented a team of like-minded people engaged in the development and small-scale production of aircraft-type UAVs within the framework of an aircraft modeling club, starting in 2015.
At that time, the main areas of application of UAVs were considered to be various civilian sectors of the national economy, such as mapping, solving geodetic problems, use in the interests of the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) of Russia, and others.
Between 2015 and 2017, 5 aircraft-type UAV prototypes were developed and assembled, manufactured using a normal aerodynamic configuration and a flying wing configuration. These UAVs underwent flight tests and participated in demonstration performances in Russia and Kazakhstan, where they received high marks for their design and flight characteristics.
Since 2017, the design documentation for UAV prototypes has been digitized for their subsequent production using modern composite materials and CNC machines. The UAV's filling has also changed, new control systems have been developed on a modern component base, and modern video surveillance equipment has been installed.
In parallel, in 2018–2021, specialists from the future company “IMPULS 82” were involved in the development of UAVs by one of the largest Russian companies in this area, whose name, unfortunately, cannot be disclosed due to current confidentiality agreements.
Since February 2022, when the Second World War began in Ukraine, the team of the future company "IMPULS 82" began developing a new direction for itself - electronic warfare equipment, which resulted in the development of a series of "TUMAN" products designed to counter enemy UAVs.
The TUMAN electronic warfare modules can be used in a stationary version or applied for installation on combat vehicles and civilian transport vehicles; perhaps we will return to this area of activity of the IMPULSE 82 company.
Electronic warfare unit "TUMAN"
In the context of this article, an interesting point is the possibility of integrating the TUMAN electronic warfare system onto UAVs, but more on that below.
Thus, specialists from the company “IMPULS 82” have developed three models of aircraft-type UAVs, on the basis of which it is possible to create modifications.
"FALCON", "SKAT" and "ADEBRA"
UAV "FALCON" is made according to a normal aerodynamic scheme and, depending on the modification, can have a wingspan of three to five meters and be equipped with two- or four-stroke internal combustion engines running on 92-octane automobile gasoline. The payload, depending on the modification, is from 1,5 to 5 kilograms.
UAV "FALCON"
The test samples achieved a maximum flight altitude of 4000 meters. At a cruising flight speed of 120 kilometers per hour, the flight time is 9 hours according to coordinates, i.e. the flight range of the SOKOL UAV exceeds 1000 kilometers. The range of action with remote control and receiving an image from a video camera is up to 50 kilometers.
Next model is – UAV "SKAT", made according to the "flying wing" scheme, with a wingspan of 3,2 meters, with an electric motor powered by batteries. The full takeoff weight of the UAV "SKAT" is 11 kilograms, the payload is 2,5 kilograms.
At a maximum flight altitude of 3000 meters at a speed of 95 kilometers per hour, the flight time was 5 hours, that is, the flight range of the SKAT UAV is about 500 kilometers, the takeoff of the SKAT UAV is carried out from a catapult, landing by parachute.
UAV "SKAT"
During test flights, a camera and a high-speed shooting camera (up to 5000 shots per minute) were installed on the SKAT UAV for the purpose of performing cartographic and geodetic tasks, reconnaissance, or observation of terrain and objects.
The flying wing aerodynamic configuration used in the SKAT UAV should potentially have a significantly lower radar signature compared to aircraft with a traditional configuration, made using a normal aerodynamic configuration or a canard configuration.
In 2023 it was developed and tested UAV "ADEBRA", which is essentially a seaplane UAV (Has anyone ever seen similar models, at least domestic ones?), capable of taking off from and landing on water – during tests, takeoff and landing were carried out in sea conditions of 1 point.
UAV "ADEBRA"
The takeoff weight of the UAV "ADEBRA" is 22 kilograms, the payload is up to 4,5 kilograms. At a maximum flight altitude of 5000 meters at a speed of 250 kilometers per hour, the flight time is 2,5 hours.
The patrol time on the water surface with periodic takeoffs and landings can reach 24 hours.
Currently, a prototype of the ADEBRA UAV with an electric engine and battery power has been tested. Other options for implementing the ADEBRA UAV, larger in size, with a gasoline engine or a hybrid system including a small diesel generator and an electric motor, are also being considered.
All the UAV models considered above are equipped with modern interference-resistant control systems, and can additionally be equipped with the “TUMAN” electronic warfare protection system, also manufactured by the “IMPULSE 82” company, designed to suppress video surveillance signals and FPV control channels.drones the enemy, which he is now using to hunt our long-range UAVs.
The main tasks for which it is planned to use the SOKOL, SKAT and ADEBRA UAVs, taking into account current realities, are reconnaissance, the use of electronic warfare systems, and in the future, the solution of strike missions as kamikaze UAVs, attacking either at specified coordinates or at the operator’s commands.
The possibility of equipping some UAV models with relay equipment and FPV attack drones to increase the range of the latter, i.e. turning an aircraft-type UAV into an “aircraft mother”, is also being considered.
Separately, it is necessary to mention the possibility of integrating a small-sized sonar, submerged on a cable to a depth of 70 meters, intended for monitoring water areas, onto the ADEBRA UAV, which is being developed.
Conclusions
Currently, the main focus of the IMPULSE-82 company is the production and delivery of electronic warfare equipment of the TUMAN family to the air defense zone – this focus required less initial financial resources to deploy production.
But even in the case of electronic warfare systems, there are financing problems, since our own funds only allow us to produce a small batch of electronic warfare systems; after they are sold, the proceeds are used to manufacture a new batch, and then the cycle repeats – production volumes increase very slowly.
Given the current financial situation, as well as the fact that electronics are largely purchased from China, there are risks of not only an increase in the production volumes of electronic warfare systems, but also a decrease.
With UAVs, things are even more complicated – this area requires even more financial resources to start serial production, while for now we can limit ourselves to only prototypes.
In this regard, the company "IMPULS 82" is interested in working with any partners who can help with financing, no matter whether they are government structures - holdings or corporations, or volunteers, individuals or commercial companies.
Both existing products and products modified according to the customer's technical specifications can be supplied. It is also possible to expand production of products at the partners' facilities.
As we already said at the beginning of the article, in the UAV and EW segments, the diversity of types – models, concepts, technical solutions – is of great importance. It is the diversity of types that allows the enemy to often be one step ahead of us – by conducting an evolutionary selection of the best samples from the many available.
The issue of diversity can only be resolved by involving many independent private contractors in the development and production of UAVs and electronic warfare systems, and the Russian Armed Forces also need to step up their work in this direction.
Let's hope that we will still see how the SOKOL, SKAT and ADEBRA UAVs will perform targeted tasks of the Russian Armed Forces, as well as be used in civilian unmanned aerial vehicles. aviation.
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