Unmanned aerial vehicles of different classes and types have long been used in the military sphere, and for some time now they have been mastering civilian "specialties". The widespread use of such technology, which can pose a threat in certain situations, leads to the need to create specialized means to combat it. A few days ago, new Russian developments in this area were announced. Concern "Avtomatika", specializing in information security systems, presented three complexes at once to combat unmanned aircraft.
Through the RIA Novosti news agency, the press service of the Avtomatika concern, which is part of the Rostec state corporation, has published information about its latest developments, which may be of great interest to the army and other structures. It is proposed to fight UAVs of different classes using three multifunctional complexes with different characteristics and capabilities. The new family includes the Sapsan stationary complex, the Taran mobile system and the Pishchal portable device. They all have similar capabilities, but differ in the specifics of their deployment and use.
The largest representative of the family of multifunctional complexes is Sapsan. It is carried out in the form of a stationary system designed for long-term work in one place. How this complex should look - has not yet been specified. There are no publicly available images of the entire Sapsan as a whole or of its individual components. Perhaps they will be published in the near future.
At the same time, the Avtomatika concern demonstrated the appearance of the main element of the Taran mobile complex. Its antenna device is proposed to be installed in position using a light tripod. All necessary antennas are fixed on an X-shaped support. In this case, six antennas are used, covered with radio-transparent housings, and the same number of blocks equipped with a large number of rod antennas. Also, apparently, the "Taran" complex includes a control station, communication facilities, etc.
The third new development is the Pishchal portable complex, made in the rifle form factor. The device weighing about 3 kg is built on the basis of a light rifle-type stock and has appropriate controls. Instead of elements of small arms, the necessary electronics are fixed on the stock. Ahead, at the site of the trunk, there is a large block with several transmitting antennas covered by a common casing of a complex shape. From the point of view of ergonomics and method of application, the Pishchal is obviously similar to existing small arms.
Developers of promising multifunctional electronic warfare systems have clarified some of their features. It is indicated that the operation of the UAV depends on three radio channels. One is used to receive operator commands, the second is needed to transmit telemetry, video signals, etc., and the third is used to receive satellite navigation signals. All of these channels are in different frequency ranges. In the case of military vehicles, there is a certain difficulty. Their on-board equipment has a frequency tuning function: in the event of interference and suppression of one frequency, the receiver and transmitter switch to another.
According to open data, new complexes from the Avtomatika concern take into account this feature of unmanned vehicles and are able to counteract it. They include systems for analyzing radio channels, capable of finding new operating frequencies of enemy equipment. After that, the source of the so-called. creeping interference rebuilds and suppresses the detected channel. If the enemy's unmanned complex tries to change the frequencies again, the electronic warfare means again finds them and drowns out the useful signal with interference.
RIA Novosti quotes the words of the chief designer of the new complexes, Sergei Shiryaev, about the consequences of the operation of such electronic warfare systems. The specialist pointed out that the effect of the use of multifunctional complexes is approximately the same. Drones are going crazy. The helicopter-type apparatus goes into hovering mode, it is shaken by the wind, which can lead to a flat spin and fall to the ground. The UAV of the aircraft scheme continues its flight, but goes into an uncontrolled descent. As in the first case, such a flight ends with a collision with the surface.
The largest and most powerful multifunctional complex of the new family is Sapsan. According to published data, this system is capable of combating any type of unmanned aerial vehicle. It is equipped with a set of surveillance and detection tools. For the search and tracking of air targets, it is proposed to use an optical-electronic station with a thermal imaging channel, a radar station and an electronic reconnaissance station. The maximum target detection range is up to 100 km.
Depending on the type of goal and the risks associated with it, a decision can be made on further work. Under certain conditions "Peregrine Falcon" can independently attack the target with a directed electromagnetic beam. Interference at different frequencies interferes with the operation of the onboard electronics with understandable results. In addition, the complex can work in conjunction with "traditional" air defense. Data on especially dangerous air targets can be transmitted to anti-aircraft complexes, which, respectively, are responsible for their destruction.
Antenna device of the "Taran" complex
The mobile complex "Taran" has less high technical characteristics, but it is designed to solve other problems and uses different methods of work. This system is designed to protect stationary objects or equipment in positions, for which it is made as compact as possible and has the ability to quickly deploy.
"Ram", like the stationary "Sapsan", monitors the air and looks for signs of the presence of the UAV. When a potentially dangerous object is detected, a kind of interference dome is created over the protected area. Unmanned aerial vehicles cannot penetrate into the protected space without compromising, at least, for combat effectiveness. Full operation of the aircraft within the range of the "Ram" is excluded. The power of the transmitters of this complex ensures the creation of a "dome" with a radius of over 900 m. They operate at different frequencies, but at the same time do not interfere with mobile communications and are harmless to people.
The portable complex "Pishchal" has similar goals and objectives, but differs in application methods. In his case, the search for targets is carried out visually, and for aiming at the found object, it is carried out "in a gun". This ensures the suppression of communication channels and a satellite navigation receiver at a line-of-sight distance. The built-in battery allows "Squeaky" to work for 1 hour. Like other systems, the portable product does not pose a danger to the operator. With sufficient transmitter power, the so-called. The backward RF lobe directed towards the operator meets safety requirements.
When developing a new family of electronic warfare means, the Avtomatika concern paid attention to observation and detection systems. Unmanned aerial vehicles, especially the civilian sector, are small in size and built with extensive use of plastic. As a consequence, they are extremely difficult to detect with existing types of radar stations.
In this case, the Sapsan, Taran and Pishchal complexes either have their own specialized surveillance equipment, or are capable of working with separate systems of this purpose. Passive and active means of observation have been developed. A passive radar only receives radio signals from a target and determines its location from them. There are several models of such devices; their maximum detection range reaches 50-75 km. The active locator, in turn, is able to search for drones in an area with a diameter of 90 km.
According to open data, new projects of multifunctional complexes have already been brought to testing. Three types of systems, as well as possibly some related equipment, are tested at landfills and must confirm the design performance. It will take some time to complete the checks, but it is already stated that all work will be completed in the coming months.
According to current plans, by the end of the year the Avtomatika concern will launch mass production of new samples. The Ministry of Defense, the Federal Security Service, Rosgvardia, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and other power structures are considered as potential customers. In addition, industrial enterprises and organizations of the civil sector that need means of protection against modern and future threats may be interested in electronic warfare systems. Finally, interest from foreign organizations is reported.
There is every reason to believe that new domestic developments in the field of combating unmanned aerial vehicles will find their buyer and enter the service, possibly even in different structures. This is facilitated by both their high characteristics and wide capabilities, as well as the development of the unmanned direction and the associated threats. Under existing conditions, specialized electronic warfare systems can become an effective means of protecting various objects, and even surpass traditional air defense in their characteristics.
Product "Pischal"
Progress in the field of UAVs has led to the emergence of a great variety of types of equipment for different purposes with different characteristics. At the same time, all of them are capable of solving military tasks - to conduct reconnaissance or deliver a certain combat load to the target. The Syrian experience of recent years shows that even the simplest and cheapest drones can be used for reconnaissance or strike. They have limited capabilities, but this disadvantage is compensated by the correct organization of the attack.
Air defense systems using radar systems, missiles and weapons designed for full-fledged aviation are far from always able to detect and hit a small-sized unmanned vehicle. Moreover, in many such cases, such an attack turns out to be disadvantageous from an economic point of view. In certain situations, the cost of an anti-aircraft missile exceeds the price of the UAV and the possible damage from its small combat load.
In such situations, electronic warfare becomes a profitable and convenient alternative to the "traditional" air defense. For all its advantages, drones have a number of weaknesses. First of all, they depend on radio communications. Data exchange with the operator panel and commands are received via radio channels. In addition, radio communication is used for navigation. The suppression of these channels, at least, complicates the further operation of the UAV, and in some situations can lead to its death.
Distinguished by a certain complexity and high cost, specialized electronic warfare systems, designed to defeat unmanned aircraft, are quite cheap to operate. Missiles or projectiles are not used to hit the target, and the cost of electricity is incomparably less than the cost of ammunition. Moreover, such complexes use the innate vulnerabilities of targets. The calculated and real results of using such a technique are obvious.
The armed forces and special services of a number of countries have already realized that to combat unmanned aerial vehicles of a number of classes, it is necessary to use not anti-aircraft weapons, but electronic warfare systems. In this regard, several states are currently developing specialized complexes of this kind. Several similar samples have already been created in our country. Some of these products have been tested and are now being offered to potential customers. In the near future, the list of Russian products available for order will be replenished with multifunctional complexes "Sapsan", "Taran" and "Pischal" from the concern "Avtomatika". Probably, in the future they will make a significant contribution to the protection of certain objects from unmanned threats.
