In the first half of the 80s, the Tupolev Design Bureau began developing a new multipurpose unmanned vehicle, which, in addition to performing reconnaissance missions, could strike at ground targets. According to the aerodynamic design, the new UAV repeated the well-mastered Tu-141 and Tu-143. But in comparison with the reconnaissance vehicles of the previous generation, it was a heavier product, equipped with a variety of onboard equipment - airborne radar and optoelectronic systems installed in the bow. The maximum speed of the vehicle is 950 km / h. Flight range - 300 km. The UAV Tu-300 is equipped with a non-afterburning turbojet engine. The launch is carried out using two solid-propellant launch boosters. To launch it was supposed to use a modified launcher of the VR-2 "Strizh" complex. Landing takes place using a parachute-jet system.
The prototype of the Tu-300 "Korshun-U" UAV, designed as part of the Stroy-F operational-tactical reconnaissance complex, made its first flight in 1991. The maximum take-off weight of the drone could reach 4000 kg (for a retransmitter -3000 kg). The device was first demonstrated at the "Mosaeroshow-93" exhibition. In addition to the strike version, the development of the Filin-1 UAV was announced - with electronic reconnaissance equipment, and the Filin-2 air repeater. According to the advertising materials presented, "Filin-2" was supposed to relay radio signals, flying at an altitude of 3000-4000 m for 120 minutes.
The strike modification has an internal cargo compartment and a suspension unit in the lower part of the fuselage, where various aviation weapons or containers with cameras, infrared equipment and side-looking radar, with a total weight of up to 1000 kg, can be placed. Mobile points for remote control of devices, a point for processing and decoding reconnaissance data are based on an army truck ZIL-131. However, due to financial difficulties in the mid-90s, work on the Tu-300 was frozen. In 2007, the Tupolev company announced that the developments obtained during the creation of the Tu-300 UAV will be used to create a new generation heavy reconnaissance and strike drone.
Along with medium and heavy unmanned aerial vehicles in the 80s of the last century in the USSR, as part of the creation of the Stroy-P aerial reconnaissance complex, light-class remote-controlled drones were designed for conducting visual reconnaissance in real time and adjusting artillery fire. To a large extent, the motivation for the development of Soviet mini-UAVs was the successful experience of using such drones by the Israelis in the early 80s during the military campaign in Lebanon. However, in the course of work to create an effective small-sized device, the developers faced numerous difficulties. For a drone with a very dense layout, where every gram of weight mattered, the dimensions and power consumption of electronic components played a huge role. Many electronic components produced by the Soviet industry were inferior to their Western counterparts in terms of performance, weight and dimensions. At the same time, a number of important components of the small-sized drone had to be created from scratch.
The first flight of the prototype RPV "Bumblebee", created in the OKB im. A. S. Yakovlev, took place in 1983. The device was equipped with a P-020 piston engine with a power of 20 hp. Of the 25 launches, 20 were recognized as successful. For reconnaissance of the area, it was supposed to use a television camera and a television signal transmission channel. In 1985, the development of the improved Shmel-1 RPV with a four-bearing chassis was started. Flight tests of a drone with a replaceable set of television or IR equipment began in April 1986. The device was stored and transported in a sealed fiberglass container folded. To launch it was supposed to use a mobile unit based on the BTR-D. The landing was carried out using a parachute with a shock-absorbing inflatable bag, which reduces the impact on the earth's surface. During testing and refinement until September 1989, 68 flights were made, of which 52 were successful.
But, apparently, the test results were not very encouraging, since on the basis of the Bumblebee-1 RPV it was decided to create the Pchela-1T apparatus with a P-032 piston two-stroke engine. The motor rotates a constant pitch pusher propeller located in the annular tail. Piston engines P-032 were produced until 1991 at the SNTK named after N. D. Kuznetsov. In total, a little more than 150 copies were built.
The launch of the Pchela-1T RPV was carried out using solid-propellant boosters from a mobile launcher based on the BTR-D amphibious assault vehicle. The complex includes a ground station for remote control based on the GAZ-66 and two technical support vehicles. One control point could simultaneously control two devices. In addition to the reconnaissance modification, it was envisaged to create a jammer, suppressing the work of VHF radio stations within a radius of 10-20 km.
The first flights of the light remotely piloted vehicle "Pchela-1T" began in 1990 and were very difficult, since the control equipment was unstable. On tests, the drone weighing 138 kg, with a wingspan of 3.3 m and a length of 2.8 m was able to reach a maximum speed of 180 km / h, and a cruising speed on the route was 120 km / h. The maximum flight altitude is up to 2500 m. The range of altitudes for optimal reconnaissance is 100-1000 m. The device could stay in the air for 2 hours. The service life is 5 flights. The warranty period is 7.5 years.
Combat tests of the "Pchela-1T" unmanned reconnaissance complex with RPVs took place in 1995 in the North Caucasus. In total, 5 vehicles were involved in the tests, which made 10 sorties, including 8 combat ones. The time spent in the air was 7 hours 25 minutes. The maximum distance of the drone from the ground control station reached 55 km, flight altitude: 600 - 2200 m. During combat tests, two devices were lost. Some sources say that they were shot down by militants during a mission, while others claim that the drones crashed during launch due to engine failure.
During tests in combat conditions, some shortcomings emerged. The P-032 engine turned out to be quite capricious when used in the field, especially during repeated starts. In addition, a two-stroke engine without a silencer strongly unmasked a remotely controlled vehicle flying at low altitude, as a result of which drones on the route were repeatedly fired upon by militants from small arms. The image obtained from an unstabilized camera with a pitch field of view of 5 ° - -65 °, due to the vibration transmitted by the engine to the body of the device, trembled strongly, and it was difficult to see small objects against the background of the earth. The black-and-white image in most cases, due to the low light sensitivity of the camera, turned out to be of low quality. As a result, the military assessed the capabilities of the Stroy-P unmanned reconnaissance complex low. Nevertheless, after some revision and repeated field tests in 1997, the complex was put into service. On the basis of the RPV, it was also planned to develop a radiation scout and an unmanned target. In 2001, state tests of the Pchela-1IK modification were carried out. An infrared camera was tested on board the drone, which provides reconnaissance and observation of the terrain at night and at low light levels.
In the early 2000s, work was underway to create more advanced reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles "Stroy-PL" and "Stroy-PD", with improved operational and flight characteristics and greater capabilities of RPVs. According to information published in the Russian media, in 2010, tests of the Stroy-PD unmanned aerial reconnaissance complex with the upgraded Pchela-1TV and Pchela-1K unmanned aerial vehicles were successfully completed.
As part of the Stroy-PD complex, for launching and maintenance and refueling of the Pchela-1K RPV, the TPU-576 transport and launcher of the Ural-532362 chassis and a ground control station based on the Ural-375 are used.
In 2005, information appeared that, within the framework of the state defense order, the Smolensk aircraft plant began mass production of the Pchela-1K RPV. According to the state, one set of ground equipment of the "Stroy-PD" complex should have 12 unmanned aerial vehicles. According to The Military Balance 2016, the Russian Army had a small number of Stroy-PD complexes with Pchela-1K drones. According to information published in Western sources, in 1994, a batch of ten "Pchela" RPVs with a complex of ground equipment were sold to the DPRK.
If in the 60s and 80s, Soviet unmanned aerial vehicles of the middle and heavy class generally corresponded to the world level, then after the collapse of the USSR, our country lagged far behind other technologically developed states in this area of aircraft construction. There were many reasons for this. Against the background of a lack of funding, a lack of understanding of priorities and the incessant "reform" of the armed forces, the unmanned direction was in the backyard. In addition, a significant part of the generals, thinking about the realities of yesterday, considered compact drones to be expensive toys, unsuitable for use in real combat. In fact, the capabilities of RPVs are quite large. For example, seeing a picture broadcast from an unmanned aerial vehicle, you can effectively control the fire of long-range artillery, immediately make adjustments, exercise control over enemy communications, and issue target designations to your aviation. In many ways, RPVs are capable of replacing the actions of ground reconnaissance groups, increasing the speed of obtaining and the reliability of information, which in modern combat is necessary for making timely decisions. However, in addition to the banal lack of money and inertia of the top military leadership, due to the loss of a number of key technologies and the destruction of industrial cooperation, the transfer of strategic enterprises to private hands and the termination of many promising research programs, the creation of truly effective UAVs in our country has become very problematic.
It should be understood that to create a modern military drone it is necessary:
1. Perfect element base for the creation of very light, compact elements of avionics and high-performance computing systems.
2. Economical small-sized aircraft engines designed for installation on small aircraft, which also have a significant resource and high reliability.
3. Lightweight and durable composite materials.
As you know, the Soviet Union was not a leader in all these areas at the time of its collapse. And in the "new Russia", these directions did develop according to the leftover principle. In addition, if an unmanned aerial vehicle of a light class can be controlled remotely via a radio channel, then for a UAV of a medium and heavy class it is necessary:
1. Satellite constellation of communication and control systems in real time.
2. Ground mobile control points equipped with modern communication facilities and automated workstations based on PVEM.
3. Algorithms for data transmission and control, including those that ensure the implementation of elements of "artificial intelligence".
A serious lag in these areas has led to the fact that in our country there are still no serial reconnaissance and strike drones that can compare with the MQ-1 Predator UAV, whose operation began in 1995. About 10 years ago, our military realized it, but it turned out to be impossible to quickly catch up with the gap of two decades, even with the allocation of significant financial resources for this. So, according to a statement made in April 2010 by Deputy Defense Minister V. A. Popovkin, the Russian Defense Ministry spent five billion rubles to no avail on the development and testing of domestic unmanned aerial vehicles. In this regard, simultaneously with the development of their own projects, UAV purchases abroad began. In recent years, a significant number of lightweight unmanned aerial vehicles have been developed in Russia. In order not to overload the review with unnecessary information, we will consider only the samples adopted for service in the Russian law enforcement agencies, as well as some promising models.
The company "ENIX" (Kazan) in 2005 began a small-scale assembly of the "Eleron-3SV" vehicles used in the mobile wearable reconnaissance complex. The device, built according to the "flying wing" scheme, with an electric motor has a take-off weight of 4.5 kg and is launched using a rubber shock absorber or a beam-type starting device with an air gun. The device is capable of staying in the air for up to 2 hours and flying at a speed of 70-130 km / h in an altitude range of 50-4000 m.
RPV type "Eleron-3SV" is designed to conduct short-range reconnaissance at a distance of up to 25 km, in the interests of military units of the first echelon and operating in isolation from the main forces. As a payload, television, thermal imaging and photographic cameras, a laser designator, a meteorological probe, a VHF radio interference transmitter can be used. Payload weight - up to 800 g. According to the information provided on the manufacturer's website, since 2005, the Russian Army, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation have delivered more than 110 RPVs.
In autumn 2008, the Dozor-4 RPV was field tested at the border outpost in Dagestan. The Dozor complex is located on the chassis of an all-terrain vehicle. The complex includes a mobile ground control station and a car in which the aircraft is transported in a special container in a semi-disassembled form, as well as fuels and lubricants and spare parts. The time of deployment and preparation of the complex for flight is no more than 45 minutes. Takeoff and landing are carried out using wheeled chassis on unpaved sites.
The Dozor-4 unmanned aerial vehicle is built according to a normal aerodynamic configuration with a double-girder fuselage and a pusher propeller. It has a two-fin vertical tail with a horizontal stabilizer. Wing and tail assembly - assembled and installed immediately before departure. The plastic propeller is driven by a German-made 3W 170TS two-stroke internal combustion engine. The power of the two-cylinder engine is 12 hp. Engine weight - 4, 17 kg.
The device with a wingspan of 4, 6 m and a length of 2, 6 m has a take-off weight of 85 kg. It is reported that "Dozor-4" is able to reach speeds of up to 150 km / h and hold out in the air for 8 hours. Maximum flight altitude - 4000 m. Maximum payload weight - 10 kg. To conduct reconnaissance on the flight route, a television camera with a resolution of 752 x 582 pixels, a 12 megapixel digital camera and a thermal imager are used.
At a distance of direct visibility "Dozor-4" is controlled by commands from a ground point with simultaneous transmission of a picture from the drone to the control point. If the operator loses tracking, an autonomous control system is activated with a flight along a given route. UAV navigation occurs according to the commands of a small-sized inertial navigation system and signals from a GLONASS / GPS receiver. There can be up to 250 checkpoints along the route. On an autonomous flight segment, information is recorded on the onboard storage device.
In 2008, the Tipchak multipurpose complex, created at the Rybinsk Luch Design Bureau, was brought to a state suitable for adoption.
UAV UAV-05 with a takeoff weight of 60 kg is capable of reconnaissance within a radius of 40-60 km from the ground control point, in the range of flight speeds of 90-180 km / h and at an altitude of 200-3000 m. Flight duration - 2 hours., 4 m has a wingspan of 3.4 m and is capable of carrying a payload weighing 14.5 kg. The RPV is launched using a solid propellant booster, and the landing is carried out by parachute.
In addition to the UAV UAV-05, the UAV-07 with a take-off weight of up to 35 kg and a reconnaissance range of up to 50 km has been developed for use as part of the complex. Payload - 10 kg. The built-in equipment of the BLA-05 devices includes TV / IR cameras and a high-resolution digital camera. The payload may also include: equipment for relaying radio signals, jamming and radiation-chemical and radio-technical reconnaissance.
In addition to remotely controlled vehicles, the complex includes a transport launch vehicle, a technical support vehicle, a mobile control station with a retractable antenna post and up to 6 RPV units.
Serial production of elements of the Tipchak unmanned complex by order of the RF Ministry of Defense was carried out at the enterprises of the Vega concern. By its purpose, Tipchak is similar to the Stroy-PD unmanned reconnaissance system, but it has better capabilities.
In 2009, the ZALA 421-04M remotely controlled device, created by Zala Aero Unmanned Systems, entered service with a number of Russian law enforcement agencies. On a drone weighing 5.5 kg, a color video camera stabilized in two planes with an overview of any point of the lower hemisphere, with a smooth change in the angle of the field of view, or a thermal imager on a gyro-stabilized platform is installed. The ZALA 421-04M is a mini-UAV with a “flying wing” design with a pulling propeller driven by a battery-powered electric motor. Thanks to the use of an electric drive, the device does not unmask itself by the sound of the engine.
The launch of the vehicle is carried out from the hands using an elastic catapult and does not require a specially equipped runway and bulky equipment. Descent after completing the assignment is carried out using a parachute. Receiving information from the drone and issuing commands to it occurs through a control unit implemented on the basis of a special-purpose laptop coupled with a compact portable telecontrol station. During the flight of the drone, commands and information exchange are carried out through a rotating directional antenna mounted on a tripod.
Almost simultaneously with the ZALA 421-04M RPV, the security forces began purchasing an apparatus of a similar class "Irkut-10". According to the advertising brochures presented by the Irkut corporation, the vehicle with a maximum take-off weight of 8.5 kg is equipped with an electric motor with a pusher propeller. When creating a UAV built according to the "flying wing" scheme, composite materials are widely used, which provide high strength with a relatively low weight. If necessary, quick assembly and disassembly is possible without the use of special technical means, which facilitates maintenance and repairs in the field.
The complex consists of two RPVs, ground maintenance and control facilities. The UAV is launched from a portable catapult, landing is carried out using a parachute on unequipped unpaved platforms.
In parallel with the creation of domestic light unmanned vehicles, purchases of foreign-made drones were carried out. After getting acquainted with the Israeli mini-UAV IAI Bird Eye 400, it was decided to arrange its licensed assembly at the Ural Civil Aviation Plant in Yekaterinburg. The Russian version was designated Zastava. In 2011, the Russian Ministry of Defense signed a contract with UZGA for the supply in 2011-2013 of 27 complexes with mini-RPVs of the Zastava type with a total value of 1.3392 billion rubles.
According to this contract, the Israeli side handed over the necessary technical documentation, technological equipment, control and test stands and training complexes. Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd also supplies component parts and assemblies and conducts training for UZGA technical personnel. The UAV production technology meets the requirements of Russian regulatory and technological documents.
The unmanned aerial vehicle IAI Bird Eye 400 (Bird Eye) was created by the Israeli company IAI in 2003. The entire unmanned reconnaissance complex is placed in two container backpacks and can be effectively used by special forces. The first Zastava RPVs were tested in December 2012.
A light vehicle with a mass of 5.5 kg, a length of 0.8 m and a wing span of 2.2 m carries a payload of 1.2 kg. A miniature electric motor provides the Bird Eye 400 with a flight duration of about one hour, a range of 10 km and a flight altitude of about 3000 m. The maximum flight speed is 85 km / h.
Despite the small size of the payload, the mini-RPV is equipped with a very effective reconnaissance and surveillance system Micro POP, which is built on the principle of "open architecture" and allows you to replace a daytime TV camera with a thermal imager within a few minutes.
The "two-handed" complex, serviced by a crew of two, includes three RPVs, a portable control panel, a set of target optoelectronic equipment, a communications complex, power supplies and a repair kit. Launching RPVs, traditionally for devices of this mass and dimension, is carried out using a rubber shock absorber, and landing by parachute.
Apparently, the Zastava unmanned reconnaissance complex with RPVs was used in southeastern Ukraine. According to statements made by the Ukrainian military, two drones were shot down in an armed conflict zone in 2014-2015.
As part of the ROC "Navodchik-2" LLC "Izhmash" - Unmanned Systems "by 2010, a family of UAVs" Granat "was created. In total, four types of unmanned vehicles were tested, differing in the composition of the payload and the range of combat use: 10, 15, 25 and 100 kilometers. According to available information, the first of this family in 2012 was launched into mass production of the UAV "Granat-2".
The device weighing 4 kg is equipped with an electric motor and has a fairly compact dimensions. With a length of 1 meter 80 centimeters, the wingspan of this aircraft is 2 meters. The relatively small size allows you to launch the drone from your hands, without the use of special launching devices. Landing is done by parachute. The maximum flight speed is 85 km / h, cruising speed is 70 km / h. The duration of the reconnaissance is 1 hour. The maximum flight altitude is 3000 m. The operating altitude is 100-600 m. The onboard equipment includes photo, video and thermal imaging equipment. The complex includes two RPVs, a ground control station, spare parts for drones and ground equipment. Calculation - 2 people.
Due to its low cost, unpretentiousness and ease of operation, the Granat-2 RPV is very common in the Russian armed forces and is currently a standard means of artillery reconnaissance, adjusting the fire of barreled artillery and MLRS. Unmanned aerial vehicles of the "Granat-2" type have shown themselves well in hostilities in the south-east of Ukraine and in Syria.
Unmanned aerial vehicles "Granat-4" are intended for reconnaissance and adjustment of artillery fire and multiple launch rocket systems at a distance of up to 100 km (provided that they are in the radio visibility zone). To ensure communication with the RPV at a great distance from the ground control point, a retractable antenna mast device is provided in the control room based on the KamAZ-43114 vehicle. The "Granat-4" complex includes: two RPVs, two sets of replaceable payload modules (TV / IR / EW / photo), a complex of ground control facilities. In addition to visual reconnaissance and correcting the actions of artillery systems, there is a set of radio equipment that allows you to accurately take the direction finding of the high-frequency radio emission signal.
The remotely piloted vehicle weighing 30 kg is equipped with an internal combustion engine with a pusher propeller, and can carry a payload weighing up to 3 kg. A drone with a wingspan of 3.2 m is able to soar in the air for 6 hours. The working height of the patrol is 300-2000 m. The ceiling is 4000 m. The maximum speed is 140 km / h. Patrol speed - 90 km / h. The launch of the apparatus is from a catapult. Return by parachute. It takes 15 minutes to prepare the drone for launch.
As of 2014, the Russian Army had about three dozen complexes with Granat-4 drones. They took part in hostilities in the Syrian Arab Republic and in southeastern Ukraine, having established themselves as simple and reliable in operation, demonstrating the ability to perform a wide range of tasks. The modern equipment installed on the "Granat-4" UAV allows for visual and electronic reconnaissance day and night.
In 2012, military tests of the Tachyon reconnaissance unmanned vehicle began, from the company Izhmash - Unmanned Systems. The RPV is built according to the "flying wing" aerodynamic design. When creating this drone, the experience of operating other small-class drones in the troops was taken into account. The Tachyon equipment is capable of functioning in difficult meteorological conditions, in the temperature range from -30 to + 40 ° С, and in gusts of wind up to 15 m / s. The vehicle with an electric engine has a take-off weight of 25 kg. Length - 610 mm. Wingspan - 2000 mm. Payload - 5 kg. Maximum flight speed -120 km / h, cruising speed - 65 km / h. The device is capable of staying in the air for 2 hours and conducting reconnaissance at a distance of up to 40 km from the launch point.
Tachyon serial reconnaissance systems have been delivered to the troops since 2015. There is information that hydrogen fuel cells have been tested on drones of this type. In this case, atmospheric air is used as an oxidizing agent. The use of fuel cells can significantly increase the duration of the flight.
Along with the devices of the "Granat-4" type, the most belligerent today are the UAVs "Orlan-10". This multifunctional drone was created by the specialists of the Special Technological Center (STC) in 2010. "Orlan-10" is part of the tactical echelon control system ESU TZ (unified tactical echelon control system), thanks to which it can broadcast information about targets to all combat vehicles connected to the combat information system.
At present, the UAV "Orlan-10" is perhaps the most advanced Russian unmanned aerial vehicle of the light class. When building the UAV Orlan-10, a modular architecture was used, which makes it possible to change the composition of the onboard equipment very quickly, as well as to transport the UAV disassembled.
The wide variety of interchangeable payload kits expands the range of possible tasks. The drone has its own electric generator on board, which makes it possible to use energy-intensive equipment: electronic warfare equipment and radio signal repeaters. As a payload weighing up to 6 kg can be placed components of the RB-341V "Leer-3" equipment, designed to suppress enemy ground communications.
The new modification "Orlan-10" is equipped with high-resolution cameras, which allows creating high-quality 3D maps and receiving and broadcasting high-definition images with the registration of current parameters (coordinates, height, frame number). In one flight, the device is capable of surveying an area of up to 500 km ². Navigation on the flight route is carried out using an on-board GLONASS / GPS signal receiver. To control the drone from a mobile ground station, transmit-receive equipment is used, which forms a crypto-protected command and telemetry channel. Video and photo images broadcast from the UAV are also encrypted.
From the control point, it is possible to direct the actions of four drones simultaneously at a distance of up to 120 km. Each drone can be used as an intermediate repeater when transmitting control signals and reconnaissance information. Although the mass of the device is relatively small (15-18 kg, depending on the modification and set of onboard equipment), it has flight data that fully corresponds to the volume of tasks it performs. The piston gasoline engine accelerates the Orlan-10 to 150 km / h. Loitering speed - 80 km / h. If necessary, Orlan-10 is capable of performing autonomous reconnaissance raids along a pre-programmed route at a distance of up to 600 km. The duration of a non-stop flight is up to 10 hours. The practical ceiling is 5,000 m. The drone is launched from a catapult, and the landing on returning by parachute.
Deliveries of the first UAVs "Orlan-10" to the troops began after 2012. At present, more than 200 vehicles of this type have been delivered to the Russian Army. The Eagles have performed well during reconnaissance flights in Syria. At the same time, they not only conducted reconnaissance and monitored the accuracy of the airstrikes, but also issued target designations to Russian combat aircraft, helicopters and artillery systems. Although the Orlan-10 is unarmed, Western military observers believe it is an effective part of the strike complex. The light Russian drone can be used as a system for controlling and adjusting artillery strikes in real time when controlling the fire of 152-mm self-propelled guns "Msta-S" and MLRS, receiving target coordinates from the UAV and corrections for shell bursts observed by means of gyro-stabilized television and infrared cameras.
In a fairly short period of time, Russian specialists were able to develop and organize the assembly of remotely piloted light and ultra-light class vehicles intended for patrolling and collecting intelligence in the near zone. Thanks to this, in 2014, it was possible to form 14 units of unmanned aerial vehicles, which were armed with 179 unmanned systems. However, it should be noted that the production of light RPVs is not completely localized in our country, and in their composition there is a large share of imported components: radio electronic elements, control systems, light high-capacity electric batteries, computer technology and software. At the same time, the creation of unmanned aerial vehicles with a reconnaissance range of over 100 km with the transmission of information in real time turned out to be a very difficult task. As you know, during the period of "Serdyukovism" the leadership of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation set a course for the acquisition of foreign models of equipment and weapons. So, according to the Russian Center for the Analysis of World Arms Trade (TsAMTO), in April 2009, two Israeli middle-class drone Searcher Mk II were purchased for complex tests. The deal amounted to $ 12 million. At the time of the sale, it was far from the most recent Israeli development, but there were no workable analogues in Russia at that time.
In 2012, the Ural Civil Aviation Plant (UZGA) launched the production of a licensed copy of the IAI Searcher Mk II UAV. - "Outpost". In 2011, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation issued a contract to UZGA for the supply of 10 complexes with the Forpost UAV with a total value of 9, 006 billion rubles. Each complex has a ground control station and three UAVs.
According to advertising information published by the Israeli concern Israel Aerospace Industries, the Searcher II unmanned aerial vehicle (eng. Searcher), which made its first flight in 1998, has a mass of 436 kg and a range of 250 km. The Searcher II is powered by a UEL AR 68-1000 83 hp piston engine. with. with a three-bladed pusher propeller. The device can be in the air for up to 18 hours. Maximum flight speed - 200 km / h, cruising speed - 146 km / h. The practical ceiling is 7000 m. The takeoff and landing of the aircraft with a length of 5, 85 m and a wingspan of 8, 55 takes place on an aircraft - on a three-wheeled chassis. In addition, the launch can be carried out from unprepared sites, using a catapult or solid propellant boosters.
The complex includes a control station, technical support vehicles and 3 drones. As of the end of 2017, 30 complexes were delivered to the troops. During a visit to UZGA by Deputy Minister of Defense Yuri Borisov in December 2017, it was announced that in 2019 the assembly of the Forpost UAV would begin entirely from Russian components. According to foreign sources, the Forpost UAVs were based at the Khmeimim airbase during the military operation of the Russian Aerospace Forces in Syria.
In 2007, at the MAKS-2007 air show, a model of the Skat reconnaissance and strike UAV was presented at the exposition of JSC RSK MiG. When designing the MiG "Skat", solutions were laid to reduce radar and thermal signature.
The device with a maximum take-off weight of 10 tons was planned to be equipped with a RD-5000B turbojet engine with a thrust of 5040 kgf. The unmanned "stealth" with a wingspan of 11.5 m was supposed to develop a maximum speed of 850 km / h and have a combat radius of 1500 km. The combat load weighing up to 6,000 kg was planned to be placed in the internal compartments and four external hardpoints. The weapons were supposed to include adjustable bombs weighing 250-500 kg and guided missiles Kh-31A / P and Kh-59. However, due to lack of funding, the promising project was frozen. Subsequently, the developments on the "Skat" were transferred to the "Sukhoi" Design Bureau and used in the design of the S-70 UAV, created within the framework of the "Okhotnik" research and development project. The design characteristics of this unit are unknown. According to expert estimates, its mass can reach 20 tons, and the maximum speed is estimated at 1000 km / h.
At the moment, the Russian Aerospace Forces are not armed with unmanned aerial vehicles, which, of course, cannot satisfy our military. Since 2011, the OKB im. Simonova, together with the Kronshtadt group, within the framework of the Altius-M project, is developing a heavy (take-off weight of 5000-7000 kg) Altair UAV, which, in addition to monitoring the earth and water surfaces and conducting electronic reconnaissance, will be able to carry guided aircraft defeat. The development of a complex of on-board equipment was entrusted to the EMZ them. V. M. Myasishchev. 1 billion rubles were allocated from the budget for the creation of an unmanned complex.
In August 2016, information appeared that a prototype of the Altair UAV, built at KAPO im. Gorbunov in Kazan, made the first flight. According to information published in open sources, Altair can have a flight duration of up to 48 hours, covering a distance of up to 10,000 km during this time. The drone is capable of taking on board up to 2 tons of payload and climbing to an altitude of 12,000 m. The aircraft's airframe is made of composite materials, its length is 11.6 m, and its wingspan is 28.5 m.
The aerodynamic design of the glider repeats the single-engine UAV "Orion" of the middle class with a range of up to 3000 km, announced by the "Kronstadt" group. In addition, the power supply system and on-board control equipment are largely unified with Orion. But unlike Orion, Altair has two engines located under the wing. The power plant uses two RED A03 diesel engines, which are produced in Germany. The liquid-cooled turbocharged aircraft diesel engine has a take-off power of 500 hp. and weight with a gearbox is 363 kg.
The avionics of a heavy drone include: an information and control system with satellite and radio channels for information exchange, equipment for interfacing with a complex of ground equipment, a system for monitoring and diagnosing onboard equipment, a navigation inertial satellite system, an onboard radar system. As a payload, various optoelectronic reconnaissance equipment, side-looking radars, as well as corrected bombs and guided missiles can be used. The complex includes: a control station, equipment for receiving and transmitting signals, a ground control station for automatic take-off and landing, as well as two unmanned vehicles. The main tests of the Russian heavy UAV Altair are expected to be completed in 2020. However, as the experience of recent years shows, the fine-tuning of technically complex projects with a high coefficient of novelty in our country tends to take a long time.
Last summer, at the MAKS-2017 air show, the Kronshtadt group presented its Orion UAV, developed on the instructions of the RF Ministry of Defense within the framework of the Pioneer ROC. Orion is the Russian counterpart of the MQ-1 Reaper UAV and looks like it. The tender for the development of the Medium-Range Unmanned Aviation Complex (UAS SD) "Inokhodets" was announced on October 14, 2011. The companies Tupolev and Vega also took part in it.
Like the MQ-1 Reaper, the Russian Orion UAV is a midwing with a high aspect ratio wing, a V-shaped tail unit and a pusher engine located in the tail section. The two-bladed AV-115 propeller with a diameter of 1.9 meters is driven by a four-cylinder Rotax 914 gasoline four-cylinder turbocharged engine with 115 hp. In the future, it is planned to use Russian-made engines APD-110/120. After takeoff, the landing gear of the drone is retracted. It is assumed that the maximum flight duration of the Orion UAV with a takeoff weight of about 1200 kg will be at least 24 hours, and the ceiling will be 7500 meters. Payload weight - 200 kg. Speed - 120-200 km / h.
In the nose of the device there is a gyro-stabilized sighting optical-electronic system developed by the Moscow company NPK SPP on the Argos platform, supplied by DS Optronics, the South African branch of the Airbus concern. The optoelectronic system, consisting of two thermal imaging cameras with a variable angular field, a wide-angle television camera and a laser rangefinder-target designator, is capable of detecting and tracking in automatic mode and performing target designation for the use of guided weapons. The central compartment can accommodate interchangeable platforms with digital cameras: surveillance radar, which is covered by a large radio-transparent fairing, or a passive radio reconnaissance station designed to collect information about enemy air defense systems.
During the Army-2017 forum, held in August 2017, the Aviaavtomatika OKB and VAIS-Tekhnika companies for the first time demonstrated guided bombs weighing 25-50 kg, tested on the Orion UAV. Three different types of bombs have laser, television and satellite positioning system guidance.
According to information published in the media, flight tests of the first prototype of the Orion UAV began in the spring of 2016. It is known that in the summer and autumn of 2016, the prototype of the device was tested at the airfield of the Flight Research Institute named after M. M. Gromov in Zhukovsky. Compared to other unmanned aerial vehicles in service with the Russian Army, the Orion UAV is undoubtedly a significant step forward. But it should be understood that in terms of its flight data, it generally corresponds to the MQ-1 Reaper UAV. In December 2016, the US military decided to abandon the further operation of the outdated Predator and completely replace it with the MQ-9 Reaper UAV with a 910 hp turboprop engine. The Grim Reaper has a maximum flight speed of over 400 km / h, a combat load weighing up to 1700 kg and a range of over 5000 km. Thus, despite certain successes in the development of unmanned aircraft, our country still remains in the role of catch-up.
