Strike drone. Russian attack drones (20 photos)

Conducting work on the development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is considered one of the most promising courses in the development of current combat aviation. The use of drones or drones has already led to important changes in the tactics and strategy of military conflicts. Moreover, it is believed that in the very near future their importance will increase significantly. Some military experts believe that the positive shift in the development of drones is the most important achievement in the aircraft industry of the last decade.

However, drones are used not only for military purposes. Today they are actively involved in “ national economy" With their help, aerial photography, patrolling, geodetic surveys, monitoring of a wide variety of objects are carried out, and some even deliver purchases home. However, the most promising new drone developments today are for military purposes.

Many problems are solved with the help of UAVs. Mainly, this is intelligence activity. Most of modern drones were created specifically for this purpose. IN last years More and more attack unmanned vehicles are appearing. Kamikaze drones can be identified as a separate category. UAVs can conduct electronic warfare, they can be radio signal repeaters, artillery spotters, and aerial targets.

For the first time, attempts to create aircraft that were not controlled by humans were made immediately with the advent of the first airplanes. However, their practical implementation occurred only in the 70s of the last century. After which a real “drone boom” began. Remotely controlled aircraft have not been realized for quite some time, but today they are produced in abundance.

As often happens, American companies occupy a leading position in the creation of drones. And this is not surprising, because funding from the American budget for the creation of drones was simply astronomical by our standards. So, during the 90s, three billion dollars were spent on similar projects, while in 2003 alone they spent more than one billion.

Nowadays, work is underway to create the latest drones with longer flight duration. The devices themselves must be heavier and solve problems in difficult environments. Drones are being developed to combat ballistic missiles, unmanned fighters, microdrones capable of operating as part of large groups(swarms).

Work on the development of drones is underway in many countries around the world. More than one thousand companies are involved in this industry, but the most promising developments go straight to the military.

Drones: advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of unmanned aerial vehicles are:

• A significant reduction in size compared to conventional aircraft, leading to a reduction in cost and an increase in their survivability;
• The potential to create small UAVs that could perform a wide variety of tasks in combat areas;
• The ability to conduct reconnaissance and transmit information in real time;
• There are no restrictions on use in extremely difficult combat situations associated with the risk of their loss. During critical operations, multiple drones can easily be sacrificed;
• Reduction (by more than one order of magnitude) of flight operations in peacetime, which would be required by traditional aircraft, preparing the flight crew;
• Availability of high combat readiness and mobility;
• Potential for the creation of small, uncomplicated mobile drone systems for non-aviation forces.

The disadvantages of UAVs include:

• Insufficient flexibility of use compared to traditional aircraft;
• Difficulties in resolving issues with communication, landing, and rescue of vehicles;
• In terms of reliability, drones are still inferior to conventional aircraft;
• Limiting drone flights during peacetime.

A little history of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)

The first remote-controlled aircraft was the Fairy Queen, built in 1933 in Great Britain. He was a target aircraft fighter aircraft and anti-aircraft guns.

And the first production drone to participate in a real war was the V-1 rocket. This German “miracle weapon” bombarded Great Britain. In total, up to 25,000 units of such equipment were produced. The V-1 had a pulse jet engine and an autopilot with route data.

After the war, they worked on unmanned reconnaissance systems in the USSR and the USA. Soviet drones were spy planes. With their help, aerial photography, electronic reconnaissance, and relay were carried out.

Israel has done a lot to develop drones. Since 1978 they have had their first drone, the IAI Scout. During the 1982 Lebanon War, the Israeli army, using drones, completely destroyed the Syrian air defense system. As a result, Syria lost almost 20 air defense batteries and almost 90 aircraft. This affected the attitude military science to the UAV.

The Americans used UAVs in Desert Storm and the Yugoslav campaign. In the 90s, they became leaders in the development of drones. So, since 2012, they had almost 8 thousand UAVs of a wide variety of modifications. These were mainly small army reconnaissance drones, but there were also attack UAVs.

The first of them in 2002 missile strike killed one of the heads of Al-Qaeda using a car. Since then, the use of UAVs to eliminate enemy military forces or its units has become commonplace.

Types of drones

Currently, there are a lot of drones that differ in size, appearance, flight range, and functionality. UAVs differ in their control methods and their autonomy.

They can be:

• Uncontrollable;
• Remote controlled;
• Automatic.

According to their sizes, drones are:

• Microdrones (up to 10 kg);
• Minidrones (up to 50 kg);
• Mididrons (up to 1 ton);
• Heavy drones (weighing more than a ton).

Microdrones can stay in airspace up to one hour, minidrones - from three to five hours, and middrones - up to fifteen hours. Heavy drones can stay in the air for more than twenty-four hours while making intercontinental flights.

Review of foreign unmanned aerial vehicles

The main trend in the development of modern drones is to reduce their size. One such example would be one of the Norwegian drones from Prox Dynamics. The helicopter drone has a length of 100 mm and a weight of 120 g, a range of up to one km, and a flight duration of up to 25 minutes. It has three video cameras.

These drones began to be produced commercially in 2012. Thus, the British military purchased 160 sets of PD-100 Black Hornet worth $31 million to conduct special operations in Afghanistan.

Microdrones are also being developed in the United States. They are working on a special program, Soldier Borne Sensors, aimed at developing and deploying reconnaissance drones with the potential to extract information for platoons or companies. There is information about plans by the American army leadership to provide individual drones to all soldiers.

Today, the RQ-11 Raven is considered the heaviest drone in the US Army. It has a mass of 1.7 kg, a wingspan of 1.5 m and a flight of up to 5 km. With an electric motor, the drone reaches speeds of up to 95 km/h and stays in flight for up to one hour.

It has a digital video camera with night vision. The launch is done manually, and no special platform is needed for landing. The devices can fly along specified routes in automatic mode, GPS signals can serve as landmarks for them, or they can be controlled by operators. These drones are in service with more than a dozen countries.

The US Army's heavy UAV is the RQ-7 Shadow, which conducts reconnaissance at the brigade level. It went into serial production in 2004 and has a two-fin tail with a pusher propeller and several modifications. These drones are equipped with conventional or infrared video cameras, radars, target illumination, laser rangefinders, and multispectral cameras. Guided five-kilogram bombs are suspended from the devices.

The RQ-5 Hunter is a mid-size half-ton drone developed jointly by the US and Israel. Its arsenal includes a television camera, a third-generation thermal imager, a laser rangefinder and other equipment. It is launched from a special platform using a rocket accelerator. Its flight zone is within a range of up to 270 km, within 12 hours. Some modifications of Hunters have pendants for small bombs.

The MQ-1 Predator is the most famous American UAV. This is a “reincarnation” of a reconnaissance drone into an attack drone, which has several modifications. The Predator conducts reconnaissance and carries out precision ground strikes. It has a maximum take-off weight of more than a ton, a radar station, several video cameras (including an IR system), other equipment and several modifications.

In 2001, a high-precision laser-guided Hellfire-C missile was created for it, which was used in Afghanistan the following year. The complex has four drones, a control station and a satellite communications terminal, and it costs more than four million dollars. The most advanced modification is the MQ-1C Gray Eagle with a larger wingspan and a more advanced engine.

The MQ-9 Reaper is the next American attack UAV, which has several modifications and has been known since 2007. It has a longer flight duration, controlled aerial bombs, and more advanced radio electronics. The MQ-9 Reaper performed admirably in the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns. Its advantage over the F-16 is its lower purchase and operating price, longer flight duration without risk to the life of the pilot.

1998 - the first flight of the American strategic unmanned reconnaissance aircraft RQ-4 Global Hawk. Currently, this is the largest UAV with a take-off weight of more than 14 tons, with a payload of 1.3 tons. It can stay in the airspace for 36 hours, while covering 22 thousand km. It is assumed that these drones will replace U-2S reconnaissance aircraft.

Review of Russian UAVs

What is at the disposal of the Russian army these days, and what are the prospects for Russian UAVs in the near future?

"Bee-1T"- Soviet drone, first flew in 1990. He was a fire spotter for multiple launch rocket systems. It had a mass of 138 kg and a range of up to 60 km. He took off from a special installation with a rocket booster and landed by parachute. Used in Chechnya, but outdated.

"Dozor-85"- reconnaissance drone for the border service with a mass of 85 kg, flight time up to 8 hours. The Skat reconnaissance and attack UAV was a promising vehicle, but work has been suspended for now.

UAV "Forpost" is a licensed copy of the Israeli Searcher 2. It was developed back in the 90s. "Forpost" has a take-off weight of up to 400 kg, a flight range of up to 250 km, satellite navigation and television cameras.

In 2007, a reconnaissance drone was adopted "Tipchak", with a launch weight of 50 kg and a flight duration of up to two hours. It has a regular and infrared camera. "Dozor-600" is a multi-purpose device developed by Transas, which was presented at the MAKS-2009 exhibition. It is considered an analogue of the American Predator.

UAVs "Orlan-3M" and "Orlan-10". They were developed for reconnaissance, search and rescue operations, and target designation. The drones are extremely similar in appearance. However, they differ slightly in their take-off weight and flight range. They take off using a catapult and land by parachute.

State tests of the new Russian heavy attack drone could begin as early as next year. This was stated by Deputy Minister of Defense Yuri Borisov during a visit to the Kazan Design Bureau named after Simonov. Apparently, we are talking about the first Russian heavy attack drone “Zenitsa”.

This drone was developed in Kazan and made its first flight back in 2014. Out now prototype, which takes into account all the experimental data obtained during preliminary tests. It is he, as Borisov expects, who will enter state testing next year. The Deputy Minister is confident that the tests will take place in a short time and will fully confirm that the designers have fulfilled the technical specifications. That is, purchases by the Zenitsa army are expected already in 2018. It is assumed that at first the serial production of the drone can reach 250 units.

We have been talking about attack drones for a long time. Without them in service, we spent a long time and energetically “exposing” the American Predator. It is supposedly an extremely indiscriminate weapon, firing missiles at both foot and horsemen, enemy personnel and military equipment, and civilians.

However, already at that time, energetic work was underway in our own state design bureaus and private firms to create the first Russian analogues"Predator". From time to time, reports appeared that some developer was already two steps away from transferring unmanned manpower fighters and armored vehicles for state testing.

Most of all, they talked about Dozor-600, created by the Kronstadt company since the middle of the last decade. The prototype made its first flight in 2009. Since then, information has periodically appeared that a little more and... In 2013 Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu demanded to speed up the progress of work. But at the moment this makes little sense. Because Dozor-600 is yesterday’s unmanned aircraft. Its payload is only 120 kg. The American veteran Predator, which has been in operation since the last century, has a weight of 204 kg. And the modern Reaper has 1700 kg. True, the developers insist that Dozor-600 is not only an attack drone, but also a reconnaissance drone. However, our army already has quite enough unmanned reconnaissance aircraft for every taste.

Kronstadt has another development. And it was carried out jointly with the aforementioned Kazan Design Bureau named after. Simonova. This is the "Pacer", which is both more impressive than the "Dozor-600" and has a higher readiness. A year ago, information appeared that tests of the “Pacer” had begun at the Gromov Flight Research Institute. Nothing is known about the prospects for its adoption. And this is not surprising, since he was also very late in his birth. This is perfectly illustrated by a comparison of the main performance characteristics of the “Pacer” and the American “Predator”, which was put into service in 1995.

Flight characteristics of the Predator and Pacer UAVs

Maximum take-off weight, kg: 1020 - 1200

Payload weight, kg: 204 - 300

Engine type: piston - piston

Maximum flight altitude, m: 7900 – 8000

Maximum speed, km/h: 215 - presumably 210

Cruising speed, km/h: 130 — presumably 120−150

Flight duration, hours: 40 – 24

Although, of course, light attack drones, such as the “Pacer”, have their own niche in the army. They do an excellent job of solving anti-terrorist tasks of eliminating “particularly outstanding” militants. It is this path that Israel is following, creating compact drones armed with one or two short-range missiles with precise targeting.

OKB im. Simonova attacks the problem of creating a domestic strike drone on a broad front, not limiting herself to the development of two topics. In this case, all developments are brought to the stage of at least the production of prototypes. Simonov's team pinned great hopes on the middle-class Altair drone, weighing up to 5 tons.

Altair made its first flight at the end of last year. However, it turned out that the creation of a fully functional sample is still far away. The OKB is constantly and quite radically refining its brainchild. So, instead of the stated 5 tons, the drone began to weigh 7 tons. And according to the technical specifications, it was assumed that it would have a payload mass of about two tons, and a ceiling of 12 km. The maximum flight time is 48 hours. In this case, the drone must have a stable connection with the control complex at a distance of up to 450 km without the use of satellite channels.

Other characteristics are classified. But from what is known, it can be assumed that Altair should be at least no worse than the American Reper. Its ceiling is slightly lower, but the flight duration is significantly longer - 48 hours versus 28 hours.

When the development amount exceeded 2 billion rubles, the Ministry of Defense decided to reduce funding. At the same time, Altair was given a chance - by proposing to create civil modification for monitoring the Arctic regions, so that civilian structures will co-finance the project.

If they receive additional sources of funding, Kazan intends to complete the development of Altair in 2019 and introduce the drone into mass production in 2020. The decision to cut funding was made two weeks ago.

Upon careful study of the question of how many heavy attack drones the OKB im. Simonov, there is a suspicion (based on facts) that they are trying to present us with one product under the guise of another.

Firstly, Yuri Borisov, while in Kazan, said that the Simonov Design Bureau won a competition for the development of a heavy drone several years ago in a difficult competition. However, we know for certain that in the tender the Simonov team won the right to create the Altair, and not the Zenitsa. The cost of the tender is also known - 1.6 billion rubles.

Secondly, Zenitsa is not a heavy drone; its take-off weight is 1080 kg. And, therefore, the payload cannot in any way exceed a quarter of a ton. It is known that it was developed on the basis of the Soviet Tu-143 “Flight” drone, which was put into service back in 1982. The characteristics, of course, have been significantly improved today. For example, the ceiling increased from 1000 m to 9000 m, and the flight range - from 180 km to 750 km. But, of course, this became possible due to a significant increase in fuel mass, which did not benefit the payload. So the 250 kg we estimate may turn out to be too much for Zenitsa.

Flight characteristics of the UAV "Zenitsa"

Length - 7.5 m.

Wingspan - 2 m.

Height - 1.4 m.

Maximum take-off weight - 1080 kg.

Cruising flight speed - 650 km/h

Maximum flight speed - 820 km/h

Maximum range flight - 750 km

Maximum flight altitude - 9100 m

Aircraft engine type - jet

So we can assume that under the guise of “Zenitsa” they are offering us “Altair”, the attitude towards which at the Ministry of Defense, due to unknown reasons, has changed dramatically.

If we talk about a truly heavy attack drone, which our aviation industry may soon produce, then this is the 20-ton Okhotnik UAV. Although he should have already been born under the name “Scat”. The fact is that from the beginning of the 2000s, Skat was developed by the Mikoyan and Gurevich Design Bureau. In 2007, a full-size model was presented at the MAKS-2007 salon. However, soon funding for the project ceased due to the policy of the then Minister of Defense Anatoly Serdyukov on the purchase of high-tech weapons for the army abroad.

After the change of minister, the project was unfrozen, but transferred to the Sukhoi Design Bureau. RSK MiG was involved in the project as a co-executor.

The terms of reference for the “Hunter” were approved by the Ministry of Defense in 2012. Its details have not been disclosed. The drone will be built on a modular basis, which will allow it to be used to solve a wide range of tasks. The developers were determined to begin testing the prototype in 2016 and transfer it to the army in 2020. However, as usual, the deadlines have slipped. The year before last, the first flight of the prototype was postponed to 2018.

Because oh Flight characteristics of the "Hunter" nothing is known, we present the characteristics of the Skat UAV. Logically, the Hunter’s performance should be at least as good.

Length - 10.25 m

Wingspan - 11.5 m

Height - 2.7 m

Maximum take-off weight - 20000 kg

TRD engine thrust - 5040 kgf

Maximum speed - 850 km/h

Flight range - 4000 km

Practical ceiling - 15000 m

Just 20 years ago, Russia was one of the world leaders in the development of unmanned aerial vehicles. Only 950 Tu-143 aerial reconnaissance aircraft were produced in the 80s of the last century.

The famous reusable spaceship"Buran", which made its first and only flight in completely unmanned mode. I don’t see any point in somehow giving up on the development and use of drones now.

Background of Russian drones (Tu-141, Tu-143, Tu-243). In the mid-sixties, the Tupolev Design Bureau began creating new tactical and unmanned reconnaissance systems operational purpose. On August 30, 1968, Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR N 670-241 was issued on the development of a new unmanned system tactical reconnaissance"Flight" (VR-3) and the unmanned reconnaissance aircraft "143" (Tu-143) included in it. The deadline for presenting the complex for testing was specified in the Resolution: for the version with photo reconnaissance equipment - 1970, for the version with equipment for television reconnaissance and for the version with equipment for radiation reconnaissance - 1972.

The Tu-143 reconnaissance UAV was mass-produced in two variants with a replaceable nose part: a photo reconnaissance version with recording information on board, and a television reconnaissance version with the transmission of information via radio to ground command posts. In addition, the reconnaissance aircraft could be equipped with radiation reconnaissance equipment with the transmission of materials about the radiation situation along the flight route to the ground via a radio channel. The Tu-143 UAV is presented at an exhibition of aviation equipment at the Central Aerodrome in Moscow and at the Museum in Monino (you can also see the Tu-141 UAV there).

As part of the aerospace show in Zhukovsky MAKS-2007 near Moscow, in the closed part of the exhibition, the MiG aircraft manufacturing corporation showed its attack unmanned system "Scat" - an aircraft designed according to the "flying wing" design and outwardly very reminiscent of the American bomber B-2 Spirit or its a smaller version is the X-47B maritime unmanned aerial vehicle.

"Scat" is designed to strike both pre-reconnaissance stationary targets, primarily air defense systems, in conditions of strong opposition from enemy anti-aircraft weapons, and mobile ground and sea targets when conducting autonomous and group actions, joint with manned aircraft.

Its maximum take-off weight should be 10 tons. Flight range - 4 thousand kilometers. Flight speed near the ground is at least 800 km/h. It will be able to carry two air-to-surface/air-to-radar missiles or two adjustable aerial bombs with a total mass of no more than 1 ton.

The aircraft is designed according to the flying wing design. In addition, well-known techniques for reducing radar signature were clearly visible in the design. Thus, the wingtips are parallel to its leading edge and the contours of the rear part of the device are made in exactly the same way. Above the middle part of the wing, the Skat had a fuselage characteristic shape, smoothly coupled with load-bearing surfaces. Vertical tail was not provided. As can be seen from the photographs of the Skat model, control was to be carried out using four elevons located on the consoles and on the center section. At the same time, certain questions were immediately raised by the yaw controllability: due to the lack of a rudder and a single-engine design, the UAV needed to somehow solve this problem. There is a version about a single deflection of the internal elevons for yaw control.

The model presented at the MAKS-2007 exhibition had the following dimensions: a wingspan of 11.5 meters, a length of 10.25 and a parking height of 2.7 m. Regarding the mass of the Skat, all that is known is that its maximum take-off weight should have been approximately equal to ten tons. With such parameters, the Skat had good calculated flight data. At a maximum speed of up to 800 km/h, it could rise to a height of up to 12 thousand meters and cover up to 4000 kilometers in flight. Such flight performance was planned to be achieved using a two-circuit turbojet engine RD-5000B with a thrust of 5040 kgf. This turbojet engine was created on the basis of the RD-93 engine, but was initially equipped with a special flat nozzle, which reduces the visibility of the aircraft in the infrared range. The engine air intake was located in the forward part of the fuselage and was an unregulated intake device.

Inside the characteristically shaped fuselage, the Skat had two cargo compartments measuring 4.4 x 0.75 x 0.65 meters. With such dimensions, it was possible to suspend guided missiles in the cargo compartments various types, as well as adjustable bombs. The total mass of the Stingray's combat load should have been approximately two tons. During the presentation at the MAKS-2007 salon, next to the Skat there were Kh-31 missiles and KAB-500 adjustable bombs. The composition of the on-board equipment implied by the project was not disclosed. Based on information about other projects of this class, we can draw conclusions about the presence of a complex of navigation and sighting equipment, as well as some capabilities for autonomous actions.

The Dozor-600 UAV (developed by Transas designers), also known as Dozor-3, is much lighter than the Skat or Proryv. Its maximum take-off weight does not exceed 710-720 kilograms. Moreover, due to the classic aerodynamic layout with a full fuselage and a straight wing, it has approximately the same dimensions as the Stingray: a wingspan of twelve meters and a total length of seven. In the bow of the Dozor-600 there is space for target equipment, and in the middle there is a stabilized platform for observation equipment. A propeller group is located in the tail section of the drone. It is based on a Rotax 914 piston engine, similar to those installed on the Israeli IAI Heron UAV and the American MQ-1B Predator.

115 Horse power engines allow the Dozor-600 drone to accelerate to a speed of about 210-215 km/h or make long flights at a cruising speed of 120-150 km/h. When using additional fuel tanks, this UAV is capable of staying in the air for up to 24 hours. Thus, the practical flight range is approaching 3,700 kilometers.

Based on the characteristics of the Dozor-600 UAV, we can draw conclusions about its purpose. The relatively small take-off weight does not allow it to transport any serious weapons, which limits the range of tasks it can perform exclusively to reconnaissance. However, a number of sources mention the possibility of installing various weapons on the Dozor-600, the total mass of which does not exceed 120-150 kilograms. Because of this, the range of weapons permissible for use is limited only to certain types guided missiles, in particular anti-tank ones. It is noteworthy that when using anti-tank guided missiles, Dozor-600 becomes largely similar to the American MQ-1B Predator, both in technical specifications, and in terms of the composition of weapons.

Hunter

Heavy attack unmanned aerial vehicle project. The development of the research project “Hunter” to study the possibility of creating an attack UAV weighing up to 20 tons in the interests of the Russian Air Force was or is being carried out by the Sukhoi company (JSC Sukhoi Design Bureau). For the first time, the plans of the Ministry of Defense to adopt an attack UAV were announced at the MAKS-2009 air show in August 2009. According to a statement by Mikhail Pogosyan in August 2009, the design of a new attack unmanned system was to be the first joint work of the respective departments of the Sukhoi and MiG Design Bureaus (project " Skat"). The media reported the conclusion of a contract for the implementation of the Okhotnik research work with the Sukhoi company on July 12, 2011. In August 2011, the merger of the relevant divisions of RSK MiG and Sukhoi to develop a promising strike UAV was confirmed in the media, but the official agreement between MiG " and "Sukhoi" were signed only on October 25, 2012.

The terms of reference for the strike UAV were approved by the Russian Ministry of Defense on the first of April 2012. On July 6, 2012, information appeared in the media that the Sukhoi company had been selected by the Russian Air Force as the lead developer. An unnamed industry source also reports that the attack UAV developed by Sukhoi will simultaneously be a sixth-generation fighter. As of mid-2012, it is expected that the first sample of the strike UAV will begin testing no earlier than 2016. It is expected to enter service by 2020. In 2012, JSC VNIIRA carried out a selection of patent materials on the topic of R&D "Hunter", and in In the future, it was planned to create navigation systems for landing and taxiing heavy UAVs on the instructions of Sukhoi Company OJSC (source).

Media reports that the first sample of a heavy attack UAV named after the Sukhoi Design Bureau will be ready in 2018.

Combat use (otherwise they will say exhibition copies are Soviet junk)

“For the first time in the world, the Russian Armed Forces carried out an attack on a fortified area of ​​militants with combat drones. In the province of Latakia, army units of the Syrian army, with the support of Russian paratroopers and Russian combat drones, took the strategic height of 754.5, the Siriatel tower.

More recently, the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, General Gerasimov, said that Russia is striving to completely robotize the battle, and perhaps soon we will witness how robotic groups independently conduct military operations, and this is what happened.

In Russia in 2013 it was put into service Airborne forces newest automated control system "Andromeda-D", with the help of which you can carry out operational control of a mixed group of troops.

The use of the latest high-tech equipment allows the command to ensure continuous control of troops performing combat training missions at unfamiliar training grounds, and the Airborne Forces command to monitor their actions, being at a distance of more than 5 thousand kilometers from their deployment sites, receiving from the training area not only a graphic picture of the moving units, but also video images of their actions in real time.

Depending on the tasks, the complex can be mounted on the chassis of a two-axle KamAZ, BTR-D, BMD-2 or BMD-4. Moreover, considering specifics of the Airborne Forces, "Andromeda-D" is adapted for loading into an aircraft, flight and landing.

This system, as well as combat drones, were deployed to Syria and tested in combat conditions.

Six Platform-M robotic complexes and four Argo complexes took part in the attack on the heights; the drone attack was supported by self-propelled drones recently deployed to Syria artillery installations(self-propelled guns) "Acacia", which can destroy enemy positions with overhead fire.

From the air, drones conducted reconnaissance behind the battlefield, transmitting information to the deployed Andromeda-D field center, as well as to Moscow to the National Defense Control Center command post General Staff Russia.

Combat robots, self-propelled guns, and drones were linked to the Andromeda-D automated control system. The commander of the attack to the heights, in real time, led the battle, the operators of combat drones, being in Moscow, led the attack, everyone saw both their own area of ​​​​the battle and the whole picture as a whole.

The drones were the first to attack, approaching 100-120 meters to the militants’ fortifications, they called fire on themselves, and immediately attacked the detected firing points with self-propelled guns.

Behind the drones, at a distance of 150-200 meters, Syrian infantry advanced, clearing the heights.

The militants did not have the slightest chance, all their movements were controlled by drones, artillery strikes were carried out on the discovered militants, literally 20 minutes after the start of the attack by combat drones, the militants fled in horror, abandoning the dead and wounded. On the slopes of height 754.5, almost 70 militants were killed, there were no dead Syrian soldiers, only 4 wounded.”

According to experts, unmanned aerial vehicles are invaluable for modern military aviation. The advent of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones as they are also called, has changed the tactics of combat operations. The “drone boom” occurred in the late 70s of the 20th century. The Americans are generally recognized leaders in the global production of drones.

The use of UAVs in Russia was seriously considered only in 2008. The basis for this was the Georgian conflict. After the events in Georgia, all the advantages that the use of drones can provide became obvious. Information about Russian military UAVs is presented in the article.

Getting to know the device

The abbreviation UAV stands for “unmanned aerial vehicle.” It indicates that a pilot is not needed to control this aircraft. The movement of the UAV can be controlled remotely: from an airplane, from the ground or from space.

About classification

Today, a huge number of different drones have been produced for aviation needs. Each model has its own configuration features and component characteristics. According to experts, UAV manufacturers in Russia have not yet developed standards for the manufacture of drones. This, in turn, led to a lack of requirements for the drone. UAVs can be classified using the following parameters:

• Design.
• Start type.
• Special purpose.
• Specifications.
• Type of power supply for the power plant.
• Navigation characteristics and radio frequency spectrum.

Types of drones

Unmanned aerial vehicles presented on the global aviation market are:

• Uncontrollable.
• Remote controlled.
• Automatic.

Depending on their size, drones are divided into several groups:

• Microdrones. Their weight does not exceed 10 kg. Such aircraft are designed for a one-hour flight.
• Mini drones. UAVs weigh around 50 kg. They can stay in the air for 3 to 5 hours.
• Midi. The weight of such a drone is about a ton. It is capable of overcoming 15-hour flights.
• Heavy. The mass of such devices exceeds a ton. Of all the above types, these drones are considered the most advanced. Heavy UAVs are suitable for intercontinental flights.

Russia does not have a production base focused on the commercial or consumer market.

About the advantages of drones

Unlike manned airplanes and helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles have the following strengths:

• In UAVs reduced overall characteristics, which cannot be said about traditional aircraft.
• Drones are less expensive to produce.
• The military command has the opportunity to use UAVs in combat conditions without putting the pilot’s life at risk. Due to the relative cheapness of the device, it is not a pity to “sacrifice” it if necessary.
• Since UAVs are capable of transmitting received information in real time, they can be used for reconnaissance purposes.
• Drones have high combat readiness and mobility. To launch them, there is no need to raise the entire flight crew.
• Several UAVs can be used to form small mobile complexes.

About the disadvantages

Despite the presence of undeniable advantages, unmanned aerial vehicles are not without some disadvantages. Weaknesses UAVs are:

• Unlike traditional aviation, such nuances as landing and rescuing the aircraft have not been sufficiently thought out for drones.
• Drones are significantly inferior to controlled aircraft and helicopters in such a parameter as reliability.
• In peacetime, the use of drones is limited.

The tasks of drones in civilian life

UAVs appeared immediately after the creation of the first aircraft. However, the production of drones was put into production only in the 1970s. As it soon turned out, with the help of these devices it is possible to carry out aerial photography, monitor various objects, geodetic research, and also deliver purchases to your home.

Areas of application of UPLs

In Russia, unmanned aerial vehicles are designed to perform the following tasks:

• Monitoring and protection of state borders.
• Intelligence and identification of terrorist threats.

Drones are widely used by the military during special operations in Syria. Drones are also used in agriculture. UAVs are used to carry out aerial photography and inspection of oil pipelines. According to aviation experts, the civil sphere in the use of UAVs in Russia (drones) occupies only 30%.

About use in the army

The direction for UAV production in Russia has been set by the military. The army command uses drones primarily to perform reconnaissance missions. It is in this direction that the main UAV manufacturers in Russia are working. In recent years, in addition to reconnaissance drones, attack drones have begun to be produced. Kamikaze drones belong to a separate group. In addition, some UAV models are adapted for electronic warfare with the enemy, to relay radio signals. Drones can also provide target information for artillery pieces. During military exercises in Russia, UAVs are used as relatively inexpensive aerial targets. Cheap production of drones allows the military to sacrifice these unmanned vehicles when performing important tasks.

About the first models of Russian drones

Compared to Israel and the United States, Russia today is significantly inferior in the production of UAVs. Many Russians are interested in the question of what kind of unmanned aerial vehicles their country’s military aviation has. One of the first, still Soviet, models is the Pchela-1T drone.

The UAV made its first flight in 1990. His task: to adjust the firing from the Smerch and Hurricane artillery guns. Today this model is in service with Russia. The Bee-1T UAV is designed for a range of up to 60 thousand m. The weight of the device is 138 kg. To start the drone there are provided special installation and rocket boosters. The drone lands using a parachute. "Pchela-1T" was used by the Russian army during the Chechen conflict. During the military operations, this Russian UAV made ten flights. Two models were shot down by militants. According to aviation experts, today this model is outdated.

Another old-style Russian reconnaissance drone is the Dozor-85 model. After successful tests in 2007, the military ordered the first batch of 12 drones. "Dozor-85" is intended for border guards. The weight of the device is 85 kg. A UAV of this model can remain in the air for no more than 8 hours.

About the aircraft manufactured in 2007

"Skat" is a reconnaissance and attack UAV of Russia. The aircraft was designed at the experimental design bureau of Mikoyan and Gurevich and JSC Klimov. The location for the UAV display was the MAKS 2007 air show. The device was presented in the form of a full-size mockup. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, as the main developer of the Russian attack UAV, was the Sukhoi AKH. Soon, as stated CEO RSK "MIG" Sergey Korotkov, design work on the drone has been stopped. The reason for this was insufficient funding for the project. However, as stated by the CEO, as of 2015, production of the drone was resumed again. The project is funded by the Russian Ministry of Industrial Trade. Intended unmanned vehicle for reconnaissance. In addition, with the help of aerial bombs and guided missiles, this device can fire at ground targets.

The size of the UAV is 10.25 m. The height of the drone is 2.7 m. The drone is equipped with a three-legged chassis and one turbofan engine RD-5000B, for which a flat nozzle is provided. The weight of the UAV is no more than 20 thousand kg. The aircraft is capable of transporting a combat load of up to 6 thousand kg. The drone is equipped with four suspension points. Their location was the internal bomb bays. The drone is capable of reaching a maximum speed of 850 km/h. Designed to cover 4 km distances. The combat radius is 1200 km.

About the Russian-Israeli project

2010 was the year a contract for the production of drones was signed between the Russian military department and the Israeli company IAI. According to the agreement, the vehicles are assembled at aircraft manufacturing enterprises of the Russian Federation. The Israeli-made Searcher drone, produced in 1992, was taken as the basis. In Russia, the UAV was improved and renamed “Forpost”. The take-off weight of the drone is 400 kg. The flight range does not exceed 250 km. The device is equipped with a satellite navigation system and thermal imaging cameras.

Other models

Since 2007, reconnaissance activities have been carried out by aircraft models of the Tipchak UAV. The launch weight of the aircraft is 50 kg. The drone's flight duration does not exceed two hours. Conventional and infrared cameras are provided for the UAV.

In 2009, the Russian company Transas released the Dozor-600 UAV. The aircraft is a multi-purpose drone. It was first presented at the MAKS-2009 exhibition. Experts believe that this drone is an analogue of the MQ-1B Predator. However, there is no reliable information about the exact characteristics of the American UAV. Russian aircraft designers have further plans to equip the radar system with a video camera and a thermal imager. A target designation system is also being developed for the drone. Using Dozor-600, the military carries out reconnaissance and surveillance in front-line areas. Information indicating the strike capabilities of this drone is not yet available.

Russian military aviation uses the Orlan-3M and Orlan-10 UAV models. With the help of these devices, reconnaissance, search operations and target designation for salvo fire from artillery guns are carried out. Externally, both models of “eagles” are very similar. The minor differences are in their take-off weight and range. A special catapult is used to launch both drones. The UAV is landed using a parachute.

About the new Russian UAV

For the needs of the military aircraft manufacturing company Zala Aero Group has created a new model of unmanned aerial vehicle, which is known as the Zala 421-08. Main project manager: Zakharov A.V. The main task of the UAV is to carry out surveillance and correct salvo fire from artillery guns. In addition, a drone can be used to assess damage. According to experts, distinctive feature This aircraft is capable of performing video and photo surveillance from a short distance. The drone uses a “flying wing” design. The drone is provided with:

• Glider with autopilot.
• Controls.
• Power point.
• Onboard power supply system.
• Removable blocks containing target load.
• A system that is responsible for landing using a parachute.

The drone body is equipped with special miniature LED lights. Thanks to them, the drone does not get lost at night. The vehicle is also equipped with automatic parachute landing. The video channel operates within a radius of 15 km, audio - 25 km. The drone has a short flight duration of only 80 minutes. The wingspan is 81 cm. The maximum flight altitude is 3600 m. The drone is launched from a catapult. Landing is carried out using a parachute or a special net. The aircraft is equipped with an electric traction motor. The drone has a speed of 65 to 130 km/h. The maximum take-off weight is 2.5 kg. Operation of the drone is possible in temperature conditions from -30 to +40 degrees, as well as at a maximum permissible wind speed of 20 m/s. The aircraft is equipped with a special module, with the help of which target tracking is carried out automatically.

About "Okhotnik-B"

Aviation designers of the Sukhoi and MiG companies are carrying out design work on the production of a modern model of Russian UAV. 2017-2020 - this is the time frame allotted to designers to create an unmanned aerial vehicle. In the documentation, the drone is listed as “Okhotnik-B”. In the Russian media, the former head of the United Aircraft Corporation stated that the Sukhoi company is considered the main developer of the drone, and the MiG corporation acts in this project as a co-executor. According to the leading Russian expert in the field of unmanned systems Denis Fedutinov, the UAV will be no different in appearance from the reconnaissance and attack vehicles produced by the United States and technologically advanced European countries. When manufacturing the drone, Russian designers used the “flying wing” design. At the moment, more detailed information about the future aircraft is not available. It is known that Okhotnik-B will belong to the type of heavy drones, and its flight and combat characteristics will be as close as possible to the parameters of the X-47B, produced by the American company Northrop Grumman. Subsonic speeds will be possible for the Russian unmanned vessel, its range of action will be 4 thousand meters. It is planned to arm the Okhotnik-B with a variety of target loads, including shock ones. As the expert stated, the load mass will be at least two tons. Flight tests are planned for 2018. The drone will enter Russian service no earlier than 2020.

About the manufacturers

The companies Geoscan Aero, Tranzas, Armair and Zala Aero (a subsidiary of the Kalashnikov concern) are carrying out design work to create unmanned aircraft for the economic and military sectors of the country.

Development of new Russian drone aviation specialists work at the Tupolev plant. The products of these companies are in demand in both the military, industrial and commercial sectors. With the help of UAVs produced by Zala Aero, pipelines, reservoirs, state borders, nature reserves. Operational search activities are carried out using drones. The machines produced by Geoscan Aero are used primarily in the commercial sector. With their help, photo and video shooting and delivery of various goods to the customer are carried out.

The advent of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has significantly expanded the possibilities armed forces and reduced human losses. Their use made it possible to carry out dangerous missions without risking the lives of pilots.

For a long time, drones were assigned the role of targets for military pilots and operators. anti-aircraft installations. However, the scientific and technological revolution in the field of radio engineering, optics and electronics became the foundation for the creation of heavy multi-purpose devices capable of conducting reconnaissance and delivering strikes for several days.

The greatest successes in this field have been achieved by the United States and Israel. IN American army there are about 500 attack drones. Experts believe that Russia will take into account the experience of their use in the fight against illegal armed groups in Syria.

Scope of application

Currently, the Russian army does not have attack drones. About 70 UAVs are involved in the Syrian operation - light tactical devices "Orlan-10" and "Eleron-3" and heavy "Forposts".

The devices perform missions to patrol the area around the Khmeimim airbase and the port of Tartus, to search for and additional reconnaissance of targets, and to monitor the area after missile and bomb attacks by the Aerospace Forces. In particular, the use of “Outposts” allows you to keep track of hit targets and demonstrate the work of the videoconferencing to the whole world.

Director of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST) Ruslan Pukhov told RT that the Syrian campaign made it possible to realize the need for several new types of weapons, including attack drones, to appear in the Russian Armed Forces.

• Unmanned aerial vehicles "Zastava", "Orlan"
• Press service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

The head of the department for research of Middle Eastern conflicts and the armed forces of the region at the Institute for Innovative Development, Anton Mardasov, is confident that the use of attack drones is in demand in Syria both today and in the future.

The expert explained that after the end of the main phase of the operation, the scope of use of UAVs may expand. According to him, the disappearance of the military structure of the Islamic State* and the movement of gangs underground “will require the Russian group to do more elaborate work in destroying ground targets.”

Mardasov believes that the lion's share of tasks in the SAR will be able to be performed by domestic attack drones, which should soon enter service. Heavy UAVs are optimal for carrying out limited missions - for example, to destroy a command post, individual moving targets, a concentration of manpower in an urban area, or a militant warehouse.

Application prospect

American experience in Afghanistan shows that attack UAVs can minimize the risk to the lives of personnel and civilians. However, the key to the combat effectiveness of drones is competent reconnaissance.

In Afghanistan, due to a lack of intelligence from January 2012 to February 2013, out of 200 “militants” eliminated by drones, 35 turned out to be civilians. The reason for the mistakes was not malice, but a lack of complete information about the targets being hit.

It is assumed that attack UAVs will be able to remain in the air for several days, monitoring the area, and hit unexpectedly appearing mobile groups of terrorists before aircraft arrive. Such tactics can increase the level of efficiency of the Russian Aerospace Forces group and reduce the likelihood of unexpected counterattacks by militants, from which the Syrian army constantly suffers.

Mardasov believes that the prospects for use in modern warfare The UAV was recognized by the Russian command during the 2008 South Ossetian conflict, during which Georgian troops used American and Israeli-made drones. Now, according to him, in Russia there is a reassessment of the attitude towards impact vehicles.

“In order to close the gap in the range of weapons as quickly as possible, Israeli light drones Bird Eye 400 and heavy IAI Searcher 2 drones were purchased. In 2012, at the Ural plant civil aviation The release of a licensed copy of Searcher 2 - “Forpost”, developed at RTI Systems OJSC, has begun,” Mardasov said.

The expert noted that Israel sold Moscow a UAV with limited functionality. This stimulated Russia to make active efforts to create its own heavy vehicles that correspond to foreign analogues.

“The Syrian campaign has confirmed the need for the Russian army to have not only light, but also heavy UAVs. The larger the device, the more equipment best quality it can carry and, accordingly, the wider the range of tasks performed by the drone and the higher the efficiency of its use,” Mardasov noted.

"Orion", "Altair", "Hunter"

Chief editor of UAV.ru, aviation expert Denis Fedutinov explained to RT that heavy UAVs, as a rule, combine reconnaissance and attack functions. In the United States, the first mass-produced drone of this type was the MQ-1 Reaper. In 2007, at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada, the first attack squadron in the United States was formed from these devices.

The expert said that Russia is currently developing several complexes of heavy UAVs. We are talking about the Orion devices of the Kronstadt company, Altair of the OKB im. Simonov and "Okhotnik" of the Sukhoi Design Bureau.

• Prototype demonstrator of the Altair heavy-class unmanned aerial vehicle developed by JSC NPO OKB named after M.P. Simonov."
• americanmilitaryforum.com

“Drawing certain parallels with foreign UAV systems of a similar class, we can assume that, due to their size and associated capabilities, they could potentially be carriers of not only reconnaissance equipment, but also weapons,” Fedutinov said.

According to him, the Russian army has gained some experience in using light vehicles, which will be useful when heavy reconnaissance and attack UAVs enter the army. In particular, practical skills in the technical operation of Eleron-3, Orlan-10, Zastava and Forpost can be transferred to the new drones.

“I believe that for the operation of reconnaissance and attack UAVs of a fairly heavy class, separate units will be created in the Air Force structure, in which military personnel will specialize exclusively in the use of drones and their maintenance,” Fedutinov said.

UAVs not only expand the capabilities existing species weapons due to interaction in a single intelligence and information field, but also gradually become independent combat units. Drones are one of the key elements the future replacement of people with machines on the battlefield, Fedutinov believes.

“Due to a number of objective circumstances, Russia lagged behind in the development of UAVs. Now the situation is changing in better side, since there are opportunities not only to apply the best developments of the past, but also to work them out in practice, that is, in combat conditions,” concluded RT’s interlocutor.