One of the most interesting and popular exhibits of the recent international military-technical forum "Army-2018" was a model of a promising engineering vehicle with the working name "Igorek". This product was distinguished from many other exhibits by its unusual appearance and special chassis. As conceived by the authors of the project, this device should really walk with its help - it is proposed to use a pair of massive support legs. Such a model could not fail to attract the attention of foreign experts, military personnel and journalists.
Together with other foreign publications, the Australian Internet portal News.com.au became interested in the new Russian development. This interest was realized in the form of the article “Russia wants a Star Wars walker. Kalashnikov is giving it one "-" Russia wants a walker from Star Wars. Kalashnikov Makes It "by Jamie Seidel. As is clear from the title, the topic of the article was the actual Russian project of a walking machine, as well as its comparison with already known models, however, exclusively from science fiction.
Model built according to the concept project "Kalashnikov"
In the subtitle, J. Seidel notes: Russia is the first country to try to send a giant walker, similar to those featured in the Star Wars saga, onto the battlefield. However, the author immediately expresses doubts about the real prospects of the project. He asks: is this not the case when form prevailed over content?
Russia is holding a military-technical exhibition in Moscow, the main purpose of which is to demonstrate the latest domestic developments in the military sphere. The entrance to the exhibition is "guarded" by something that comes straight from science fiction. This is a product of the class that in certain contexts is referred to by the term "Battle Mech".
J. Seidel recalls that such samples could previously be seen in the films "Star Wars" and "Avatar". Moreover, the popular Battletech franchise is entirely built around the concept of military walkers with armor and weapons.
It looks like Moscow is impressed by the presented sample. The original walker was presented by the Kalashnikov concern, one of the leading arms manufacturers, which has gained worldwide fame for its machine guns. The company claims that it is now trying to implement a completely new concept of a multipurpose vehicle with an unusual chassis. According to the Russian press, a model of a new walker 4 m high was built for demonstration at the Army-2018 forum.
Kalashnikov on the march
J. Seidel points out that the shown sample is just a stand for testing certain technical solutions. In general, the new development is called "the concept of a controlled upright complex". The purpose of this product is to solve engineering and combat tasks, although the authors of the project have not yet specified what tasks and how they will be solved. According to Russia Today, the project is still in its early stages. At the same time, there already exists a more perfect and developed machine that is participating in the tests. A full-fledged prototype is planned to be shown at the next "Army" exhibition.
The Australian author notes that the Russian walker has little resemblance to the Star Wars vehicles, whose exterior was formed by large armor panels mounted at an angle to each other. In addition, he is not armed to the teeth and does not carry a variety of equipment like the "Mechs" from Battletech.
Instead, the Russian model looks like a glass egg on two legs, equipped with a pair of smaller manipulators for working with different objects. In fact, the exhibit piece looks a little better than the low-budget movie props.
Nevertheless, according to J. Seidel, even in this form, the original apparatus demonstrates interesting principles. It clearly shows the possibility of bringing the AT-ST light armored vehicle from Star Wars or the multi-purpose loader from Aliens to life. Such concepts may well be implemented in one form or another.
However, the author believes that the implementation of such ideas may be associated with certain problems. First of all, he points to the issues associated with the combat use of walkers - with the practicality of their work on the battlefield.
Fables
J. Seidel writes that a walking combat vehicle, at first glance, has certain advantages over other equipment for the army. First of all, the walker has the best passability and can literally step over the obstacles present on the battlefield. In addition, the tall vehicle gives the crew good visibility and simplifies the use of available weapons. In general, it turns out to be a very creepy example of military equipment.
However, not all so simple. The author cites the opinion of specialists from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, who explain why walkers have not yet found a place in the army.
Walking reconnaissance vehicle AT-ST from the movie "Star Wars"
While superficially examining the mechanical battle monsters that appeared in last year's Star Wars: The Last Jedi, ASPI pointed out a number of their weaknesses. They note the problem in the form of the need to maintain balance, the increased loads on the relatively small metal support legs, as well as the large size, which makes the combat vehicle an easy target.
The harsh reality of many armed conflicts such as World War II, the wars in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq has shown that armored vehicles for infantry and reconnaissance vehicles must have a minimal profile. Due to their small size, they can remain unnoticed for as long as possible and move quickly in order to escape from the blow if necessary. Fiction walkers do not meet these requirements.
Dr. Andrew Davis of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute also notes that the leg propulsion system has serious drawbacks. First of all, it does not differ in perfection and high efficiency. As far as wildlife is concerned, in fact, the only reason wheels do not occur in biology is that evolution has not been able to create some kind of bearing with blood vessels.
Another Australian Institute for Strategic Policy officer, Dr. Malcolm Davis, pointed to another problem with the walking war machine. Their biggest flaw was highlighted in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. In the scene of defending their base, the rebels realized that their weapons did not penetrate the armor of the Imperial walkers. In this regard, the idea appeared to use harpoons and cables to tie the supports of the equipment, and this led to success. M. Davis sums it up: "take one leg off and the whole car falls."
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The military-technical forum "Army-2018" became a platform for the first demonstration of a number of samples of different classes and different purposes. Among other things, concept projects of one kind or another were also demonstrated. The most noticeable in every sense was the promising proposal of the Kalashnikov concern in the field of multipurpose walkers. Initially, the presented model of the walking machine did not have its own name, but soon received the nickname "Igorok". The management of the developer organization agreed to make it a working designation of the project.
A simple layout was shown at the exhibition, demonstrating the general provisions of the project. "Igorka" was equipped with a large body with a habitable volume for the operator, as well as a pair of legs for movement and two small manipulators for working with a load. The total height of the product is about 4 m. The estimated total mass of the finished sample is 4.5 tons. The model shows that it is proposed to control the movement of moving parts using hydraulics. It must provide both mobility and work with a load.
According to known data, simultaneously with the demonstration of the Kalashnikov model, he is working on creating a full-fledged prototype that will be used in real tests. In the future, it can even be shown at the next exhibition "Army".
The Australian Internet portal News.co.au, as expected, could not pass by news from Russia, as a result of which an article appeared with a brief description of Igor and an attempt to evaluate this concept project. It should be noted that not all of the above arguments look worthy and can be taken into account.
First of all, one can criticize attempts to compare the Russian concept with "ready-made samples" from the cinema, and not the most successful ones. For example, connoisseurs of the Star Wars universe can easily find gross errors in the reasoning of Jamie Seidel and scientists from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. However, there were also shortcomings in other arguments.
According to experts from the Institute for Strategic Policy, the disadvantage of a walker like the AT-ST or "Igorka" is its large size, which makes it easier to detect on the battlefield and negatively affects its survivability. However, such an argument is easy to dispute.
It is easy to see that in recent years, the development of armored combat vehicles has followed the path of increasing dimensions and weight. This is facilitated by the development of means of detection and weapons. Even a small sample can be detected and attacked, with the result that defense becomes especially important. An increase in the level of protection, in turn, is achieved at the cost of an increase in size and weight. The designers and the military consider this price acceptable. Thus, the argument about the size of the walker does not quite match the current state of affairs.
Manipulator for handling loads
The next argument of Australian experts concerns the efficiency of a propulsion device with legs. Indeed, such a chassis is not the best in terms of energy use. In terms of a number of main characteristics, it is ahead of any other systems, especially wheels and tracks. A no less problem is the creation and manufacture of a walking propeller, since it is distinguished by very complex kinematics and needs an equally complex control system.
At the same time, the walking chassis has some advantages over other chassis options. So, due to a certain increase in dimensions, it is possible to increase the overall cross-country ability. In addition, the presence of several supports makes it theoretically possible to reduce the specific load on the ground in comparison with tracked, and even more so with wheeled vehicles.
It is hardly worth reminding that walkers of the "traditional" type have not yet been able to go beyond laboratories and testing grounds. The emergence of full-fledged samples suitable for use at the forefront turns out to be a matter of the distant future. Scientists and designers need to solve a wide variety of problems associated with both technical constraints and the practical application of technology.
The domestic project with the frivolous name "Igoryok" is still in its early stages and, apparently, has not yet reached the stage of checking the unusual chassis. At the same time, the existing concept already touches upon the issues of the future application of technology. A machine with a two-legged "chassis" is considered as a multipurpose engineering tool, suitable for solving a wide range of tasks. It can be used both in combat as a weapon carrier, and in the rear for work in logistics.
This or that variant of the use of an unusual technique has special requirements that must necessarily affect its appearance. Similar laws are valid in all areas, including in the field of walkers. Thus, a ready-made sample, the appearance of which is expected in the distant future, may have the most noticeable differences from the presented "Igorka". How exactly the finished cars will differ from the existing concept is still anyone's guess.
However, the unusual project should not be overestimated either. Walkers do have a number of serious problems that significantly complicate their creation and implementation. At the same time, one must remember that there are a lot of more familiar types of equipment for various purposes, already successfully solving urgent problems. Probably, the main goal of the current project of the Kalashnikov concern should be to determine the real value of the existing proposal.
