The year 2013 is coming to an end and the enterprises of the defense industry are summing up the results of their labor activity. It should be noted that some organizations and enterprises managed to fulfill the annual plan long before the end of the year. For example, in mid-November, the Concern "Radioelectronic Technologies" (KRET) and its structural subdivision, the Bryansk Electromechanical Plant, handed over to the Ministry of Defense all the previously ordered electronic warfare (EW) complexes "Krasukha-4".
Machines of the REB 1RL257 "Krasukha-4" complex, BEMZ, 15.11.2013 (https://rostec.ru)
The ceremony of handover of two complexes of electronic warfare 1RL257 "Krasukha-4" took place in mid-November at the Bryansk Electromechanical Plant. Earlier, in the spring of this year, KRET handed over to the customer the first four complexes out of the six ordered. Thus, the contract under the State Defense Order-2013 concerning new electronic warfare systems was fully completed by the end of autumn. In the future, it is planned to build and transfer to the military another batch of electronic warfare systems of the new model.
The 1RL257 Krasukha-4 electronic warfare station is designed to counter the airborne radars of strike, reconnaissance and unmanned aircraft of a conventional enemy. It is argued that the capabilities of a broadband active jamming station make it possible to effectively combat all modern radar stations used on aircraft of various types. According to some reports, the Krasukha-4 electronic warfare system is capable of jamming not only the signal of enemy radar stations, but also radio control channels for unmanned aerial vehicles.
The development of the Krasukha-4 complex began in the mid-nineties. Simultaneously with the 1RL257 complex, a system for a similar purpose 1L269 "Krasukha-2" was developed. The complexes differ from each other in the composition of the equipment used, in the characteristics and in the chassis used. Thus, the Krasukha-2 complex is mounted on the four-axle chassis BAZ-6910-022, and the Krasukha-4 - on the four-axle chassis of the KamAZ plant. The information that allows you to compile a detailed list of differences between the complexes is classified.
Several organizations were involved in the Krasukha-4 project. The development of the complex was carried out by VNII Gradient (Rostov-on-Don), the Novgorod plant “Kvant” took part in the production and testing of the prototype, and the Bryansk Electromechanical Plant is in serial production of electronic warfare machines. According to some reports, the enterprise from Bryansk receives a number of components of the complex from related industries, and some are manufactured on site. The technical design of the electronic warfare system 1RL257 "Krasukha-4" was ready at the end of the last decade. Serial production began in 2011.
Unfortunately, due to the novelty, the characteristics of the Krasukha-4 complex are unknown. Only fragmentary information is found in open sources. So, according to available data, the 1RL257 complex includes two vehicles with special equipment. Both vehicles are equipped with a set of electronic equipment and antennas of various designs. One of the machines has an antenna unit on a telescopic arm, apparently intended for communication. A set of characteristic antennas is installed on the roof of the second vehicle. The three parabolic antennas can be rotated in any direction and raised to any angle. Thus, the Krasukha-4 electronic warfare system is capable of transmitting a radio signal without restrictions in azimuth and elevation.
Both machines of the complex use high performance digital equipment. Some sources claim that a number of hardware components are difficult to manufacture and can take up to several days to produce a single board. Nevertheless, such a board is capable of replacing several large blocks of analog equipment. It is known that the station EW 1RL257 "Krasukha-4" can interfere in a wide frequency range. The range, according to some sources, exceeds 300 kilometers.
The main task of the new electronic warfare system is to counter the radar stations of aircraft of various types. For this, according to some media outlets, the "Krasukha-4" complex has appropriate operating algorithms. The equipment is capable of detecting the source of the radio signal (aircraft radar), analyzing it and, if necessary, jamming at the desired frequency.
According to open information, to date, the Ministry of Defense has received six Krasukha-4 electronic warfare systems. Their places of service were not announced, which is due to the specifics of the combat work of such systems. As for another KRET development, the Krasukha-2 complex, it is also supplied to the Russian armed forces. Moreover, it is offered for export.
