Quite recently, the Kalashnikov concern published the results of winter tests of a number of new products, including two combat robots: Companion and Freehold, at one of the proving grounds near Moscow.
The tests, of course, ended successfully (it’s hard, by the way, to remember that the unsuccessful tests were ever reported), and it was reported that the new combat robots could operate in winter conditions, and interact with the infantry when storming buildings.
BAS-01G BM "Companion" on tests in winter conditions
The development of combat robotics in Russia is of great interest to me. It is obvious that a large horde of robots will sweep away any enemy on the battlefield. Autonomous combat strike vehicles, in my opinion, will open a new page both in the history of weapons and in the history of war, since such vehicles will completely change the nature of combat and war as a whole. However, so far in Russia not a single sample or prototype has been created that could be called an autonomous combat strike vehicle without the slightest exaggeration.
However, okay. Concern "Kalashnikov", as well as other developers and manufacturers of combat robots in Russia, make their products based on a clearly defined concept of combat use of robots. Apparently, they are not fond of the ideas of a "march to the last sea" of lava of automatic combat vehicles. Therefore, to evaluate their products from the point of view of other concepts of the use of combat robots, by and large, is meaningless.
You can consider the same BAS-01G BM "Companion" from the point of view of the concept within which it was developed. This is a vehicle for direct fire support of infantry during assault, clearing, various special operations - a kind of mobile and shooting armor shield for infantry or special forces, as can be seen in the photo from the tests.
Since some personal experience suggests that domestic concerns are not at all susceptible to criticism of their products, either friendly or constructive, then, I think, one can resort to setting up such an intellectual experiment: look at the Companion through the eyes of an enemy. What to do, how to fight off this miracle of modern military technology? Moreover, this experiment is close to the real situation, since the enemy will have to develop methods of counteraction, having the very minimum of information about the new technology, well, roughly, like us - the shortest description and a few photos.
Concern "Kalashnikov" can think anything, but the enemy, no doubt, will carry out such work and will try to determine before the first battle, where the "Companion" has vulnerabilities, than from the available arsenal it can be taken and how. If you can still brush aside or keep silent about criticism in words, then the enemy will undoubtedly confirm the correctness of his conclusions by destroying this combat robot on the battlefield.
General impressions
The first thing that catches your eye is that the Companion is a large and highly visible machine on the battlefield. Its modification, which was tested in winter conditions (with a turret for the AG-17A and PKTM, as well as for the optics unit), has a height of more than two meters, which is clearly visible by how much the tower rises above the infantrymen. If we take the average height of the infantrymen at 170 cm, then the total height of the vehicle will be about 2.3 meters. Approximately like the T-90.
It follows from this that a car with such dimensions in height will be very difficult to disguise and on the battlefield it will most likely be clearly distinguishable. Even in the case when the combat robot will be used as a passive firing point (such a possibility is provided), then digging in the vehicle will require effort and time, and still the tower will rise above the position, unmasking it.
Why not make the combat robot as flat as possible and mount the weapons on a lifting bracket? A flat, low height (about a meter or a little more), the vehicle will yield to camouflage incomparably better than this armored monster. Good camouflage and surprise fire are already half the battle.
The second conclusion from the general survey of the car is that it is most likely armored. Where does this follow? Firstly, the overall dimensions of the vehicle are not so great: the length is about 2.5 meters, the width is 2 meters, the height of the hull (without the tower) is about 1 meter. Secondly, the main part of the reserve volume is occupied by the engine. Most likely, this is something widespread, for example, the UTD-20S diesel engine from the BMP-2. Its dimensions just make it possible to squeeze a diesel engine into such a case (length - 79 cm, width - 115 cm, height 74 cm). Part of the hull is also occupied by the transmission, and there must be fuel tanks in the fenders. The weight of the machine is about 7 tons. The engine with the transmission is about a ton, the tracks are about 500 kg each, together with the wheels and tracks with suspension in the amount of about one and a half tons. Well, the tower will also pull 500-600 kg. In total, the hull accounts for approximately four tons of weight. Let's roughly calculate the booking area (it turned out to be about 15, 5 square meters), and determine how much weight falls on this square meter. The calculation gives 258 kg of steel per sq. meter. If you look at the table of standards for rolled steel, then such a weight per sq. a meter of steel sheet corresponds to a thickness of 33 mm.
Taking into account all the blots and errors of such an approximate calculation, it can be assumed that the Companion has a booking thickness of at least 30 mm, and its frontal projections of the hull must definitely have such a booking.
What to take?
From the general assessment of the combat robot, it is obvious that small arms are not suitable. Large caliber machine guns have more chances. From the DShK, you can try cartridge 12, 7 BS from a distance of about 400-500 meters to pierce the forehead of the hull, maybe it will work out, although without a special guarantee. But if a penetration is achieved, then, most likely, the diesel will be hit and the combat robot will be immobilized.
Despite the fact that the DShK and other large-caliber machine guns, most likely, will not be able to take the Companion in the forehead of the hull, this does not mean that they are useless. On the contrary, even a large-caliber machine gun will most likely hit the robot in the sides, and especially the tower, which is unlikely to have thick armor. Since the hull is most likely occupied by a diesel engine, the mechanism and electric motors for turning the tower are clearly located in its lower part.
In total, fire from a large-caliber machine gun can be hit: the side of the car above the tracks (engine damage), fenders (damage to fuel tanks), the lower part of the tower (defeat of the turret rotation mechanism), as well as the upper part of the tower (damage to the optical unit and weapon guidance mechanisms) … In practice, it turns out that a long line from the DShK or something similar in the middle of the lateral projection will most likely lead to the failure of the combat robot.
The most vulnerable spots of the BM "Companion": A - the most advantageous area of fire from a large-caliber machine gun, B - unprotected suspension of the guide wheel, C - a tower vulnerable to being hit by hand grenades (pictured is another modification of a combat robot, without protective shields on the tower)
Grenade launchers of different types, starting with the RPG-7, of course, will hit a combat robot, either in the forehead or in the side. Their armor penetration is quite enough for a confident defeat. The hit of a cumulative grenade approximately in the center of a frontal or lateral projection will undoubtedly lead to the destruction of a combat vehicle.
Since the combat robot, judging by the tests, is supposed to be used as a mobile shield for the infantry (which, in general, corresponds to the usual practice of using armored vehicles in urban combat), it is more expedient, upon detection, to fire the combat robot with several shots or a salvo from grenade launchers. This will destroy or damage the robot and disperse the infantry hiding behind it.
The defeat of a combat robot with mines and grenades is most likely to be expected in a city battle. Hand grenades, such as the F-1, may well be used against a combat robot, if there is a possibility of approaching at a throw distance. The most vulnerable part of the Companion, which can be hit with hand grenades, is the tower and the equipment located in it. Throwing multiple grenades, aiming so that the grenade hits the top of the tower or explodes above it, can damage the optics and damage the weapon's aiming mechanisms. The shrapnel will also disperse the infantry hiding behind it.
For close combat, one more vulnerability of the combat robot should be noted - the unprotected suspension assembly of the steering wheel, which is perfectly visible in any photograph of the combat robot. This is a design defect, clearly a consequence of the economy and weight reduction of the machine. A relatively mild explosion in front of a combat robot, including a hand grenade or an anti-personnel mine, is quite enough to knock down this steering wheel or at least damage it, which will immobilize the vehicle. The sheet of the bottom of the frontal part of the hull will protrude as a screen during the explosion, which will direct the shock wave to these unprotected guide wheels.
This photo clearly shows how vulnerable the combat robot's track wheel is.
A very good tool against such a combat robot, especially in the conditions of the tactics demonstrated at the test site, will be a mortar. The mortar shelling should cut off the infantry from the combat robot, so that later it can be shot from grenade launchers or a large-caliber machine gun. If the mortar crew and gunner are good, then you can try to achieve a direct hit in the tower. It seems that hitting an 82-mm mine in the Companion's turret will be enough for the robot to lose its combat value.
The conclusion from this consideration of the "Companion" combat robot from the point of view of the enemy turns out to be quite interesting. Everything that is said above is a consequence of a visual acquaintance with the machine, literally from a few photographs and openly published reference data. Any infantry unit armed with anti-tank grenade launchers, large-caliber machine guns or mortars, not to mention something more serious, will rather easily fight off this combat robot. A rather expensive and complex machine poses a serious danger only for those who are armed only with small arms (but even then, in battle, there may be a chance to successfully throw a grenade).
So, it is permissible to believe that such a combat robot will not frighten any organized and armed enemy, and means and methods of counteraction will be quickly found against it. You can develop and test anything you want, but it is unlikely that the "Companion" and similar combat robots will become so effective that they will bring a revolution in the conduct of hostilities.
