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Today, the United States and Israel are considered the absolute leaders in the production of unmanned aircraft (including strike types), although back in the 80s of the last century our country was one of the main leaders in this area.

Almost half a century ago, OKB im. A. N. Tupolev created such now famous devices as the Tu-143 “Flight” and Tu-141 “Strizh”.

Tupolev Design Bureau began creating complexes unmanned reconnaissance tactical and operational purposes in the mid-1960s. Led the work chief designer Alexey Tupolev and project manager for unmanned systems Valentin Bliznyuk, later his place was taken by Leonid Kulikov.

In the technical specifications for the new generation complexes, in addition to stealth, mobility, autonomy and other tactical and technical requirements, points were added, the implementation of which forced the developers to reconsider the issues of design, production and testing unmanned vehicles. For example, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) had to be reusable, perform flights on both small and high altitudes, and even over mountainous areas.

The question of achieving minimum ESR values ​​for a reconnaissance aircraft was especially raised. High demands were placed on the flight and navigation system, which had to ensure a fairly accurate entry of the reconnaissance aircraft into the reconnaissance area and onto the landing area measuring 500-500 m, where landing was carried out after completing the mission. The short time allotted for the preparation and launch of a reconnaissance aircraft required the development of a new set of on-board equipment based on modern components, as well as the creation of an engine with high degree reliability.

Was developed and tested in the shortest possible time new complex tactical reconnaissance"Flight". The first successful unmanned flight took place in December 1968. aircraft Tu-143, and serial production of the drone began during state tests.

Tu-143 “Flight” had very impressive dimensions. Its length was 8.06 m, wingspan - 2.24 m, weight - 1,230 kg. This UAV was intended for conducting tactical reconnaissance in the front-line zone, as well as monitoring the radiation situation. At the end of the flight, the Tu-143 turned around and returned back to the landing zone.

To ensure repeated use on unmanned complexes of the Tupolev Design Bureau, a parachute-jet rescue system for the vehicle with a landing gear was developed and implemented, and full autonomous landing was also provided without the use of special air and ground means provision.

The new complex was quickly adopted by the troops and was highly praised as a reliable, highly effective tactical reconnaissance tool. An important advantage of the Tu-143 as a carrier of reconnaissance equipment was the presence of the NPK - navigation and flight complex. It provided more accurate access to the reconnaissance site in comparison with manned tactical reconnaissance aircraft of that period (MiG-21R, Yak-28R).

The Tu-143 reconnaissance UAV was mass-produced in two variants with a replaceable nose part - photo reconnaissance and television reconnaissance. The photo reconnaissance version carried on board an aerial camera of the PA-1 type, which provided photography of 70% of the route territory. The shooting intervals were set automatically depending on the drone’s flight altitude. Another version of the drone performed television intelligence due to equipment of the I‑429B “Chibis” type. The transmission of television images to ground command posts took place via radio channel. During radiation reconnaissance, Sigma-R equipment was used, which was capable of transmitting data via radio and recording on board.

The Tu-143 was designed according to the “tailless” design. It was a monoplane with a low-lying triangular wing of low aspect ratio. A fixed destabilizer, triangular in plan, was installed in the front part of the aircraft fuselage, which provided the necessary margin of stability during cruising flight conditions. The delta wing had a leading edge sweep of 58° and a slight reverse sweep along the trailing edge.

Ailerons were located along the entire edge of the wing. With their help, roll and pitch control was performed. The vertical tail included a keel, a small fork and control rudders.

Diagram of the Tu-143 "Flight" UAV

“If only about 50 Tu-123 Yastreb supersonic long-range unmanned reconnaissance aircraft were created, the Tu-143 Reis complex became widespread - about 1,000 units were produced before the end of mass production in 1989,” says the chief designer of the Tu aircraft -334 and unmanned systems of OKB im. A. N. Tupolev Igor Kalygin. - Some are still in use. The Reis complex was also in service with Romania and Syria.”

The company continues to work today on creating unmanned aircraft. The Tu-300 “Korshun” complex, created at the Design Bureau named after. A. N. Tupolev in 1995, remains the most powerful Russian attack drone.

“One of the tasks on this device is to fly completely autonomously without any radio communication,” says Igor Kalygin. - If there is no connection and the machine is silent, then it is quite difficult to detect it, especially since the effective dispersion area of ​​the machine is quite low. The connection that is on board is an undisclosed connection. When it flies in autonomous mode, it is quite difficult to shoot it down.”

“Korshun” already in the mid-1990s could fly hundreds of kilometers at speeds cruise missile, gain hundreds and thousands of meters of altitude, and also descend to the very surface in order to perform main task- strike, however, at stationary targets. Only a few years after it, the American competitor of the Tu‑300, the reconnaissance and attack UAV MQ‑1 Predator, took to the skies.

Today, the Tu-300 can serve as a prototype for further developments. We are talking not just about a deep modernization of the Tu-300, but about the creation of an essentially new unmanned complex with approximately the same flight characteristics and in the same dimensions as the Tu‑300, but on the most modern base of on-board equipment and with a new target load.

Tu-143 "Flight"
Tactical fully recoverable subsonic high speed unmanned reconnaissance aircraft. Further development Tu-143 became Tu-273 "Flight-D" - reconnaissance drone aviation complex tactical purpose with increased flight range.

Performance characteristics UAV "Flight"

• Flight speed from 500 to 920 km/h
• Flight range 250 km
• Starting weight 1,215 kg
• Combat load weight 100 kg
• EPR 0.3 m²

Tu-300 "Kite"
Multi-purpose unmanned aerial vehicle. Designed to guide aerial reconnaissance and destruction of detected ground targets.

Tactical and technical characteristics of the Korshun UAV

• Flight altitude range from 5 to 8,000 m
• Flight speed from 500 to 900 km/h
• Flight range 800 km
• Starting weight from 3,100 to 3,500 kg
• Combat load weight from 400 to 900 kg
• EPR 0.5 m²

Based on materials from the UAC Horizons magazine No. 4, 2015.

Operational-tactical reconnaissance UAV Tu-300 “Korshun” (“300”, “Stroy-F”).

Developer: Tupolev Design Bureau
Country: USSR
First flight: 1991

The Tu-300 UAV, or according to the codification "Korshun-U", is a Soviet and Russian tactical attack unmanned aerial vehicle developed by engineers from the Tupolev Design Bureau. The main purpose is related to the conduct of aerial reconnaissance activities and the detection and destruction of ground targets and objects. The first flight of the prototype took place in 1991. Two modernized versions were also developed:
— “Filin-1” is intended for conducting electronic reconnaissance;
— “Filin-2” — for relaying radio signals.

In 1982, the Soviet Air Force proposed to begin development of an attack tactical UAV (code designation "Kite"). Initially, the OKB named after them was entrusted with the implementation of the project. P.O. Sukhoi, but after the first work, a year later, the project was redirected to the MMZ “Experience” under the leadership of the Design Bureau named after. A.N. Tupolev. The decision was made due to the vast experience in creating successful unmanned vehicles, in particular the Tu-141 and Tu-143 reconnaissance aircraft. The designers indexed the project as “300” with the designation “Korshun-U”. It should be noted that they immediately thought about using the previous models as base ones, but then they reconsidered the decision and moved on to developing a unique Tu-300 drone.

The ground support equipment of the developed UAV was unified with that of the Tu-141 and Tu-243. In the early 90s, the first prototype flying prototype was designed. Flight tests began in 1991. This aircraft was quite actively promoted at MAKS (International Aviation and Space Salon), which was held in Zhukovsky. But due to subsequent events and the lack of sufficient financial support, the Tu-300 tactical strike UAV project had to be frozen.

The Tu-300 is an unmanned single-engine aircraft with a canard aerodynamic design. A triangular wing with a slight aspect ratio is responsible for the lift. Mechanized communications and an electronic computer complex, as well as auxiliary and reconnaissance equipment, are installed in the forward part of the fuselage.

The main load, missiles and bombs or electronic equipment, is installed on the external suspension points of the fuselage and in the fuselage compartment. In addition to its own weight of four tons, the aerial unmanned vehicle can carry on board up to approximately one ton of specialized payload.

At various exhibitions and air shows, the UAV was demonstrated with the presence of a suspended small-sized cargo container (KMGU). Thanks to this, the unmanned Tu-300 can be armed with strike weapons such as cumulative fragmentation and high-explosive fragmentation bombs. A wide range of unguided and guided aircraft ammunition can be placed on an aircraft thanks to the BDZ-U holder used.

Since use unmanned vehicle a chassis is not provided; the launch is carried out from a launch transport container installed on a vehicle chassis. Two solid fuel boosters are responsible for launching into the air. And the parachute system inherent in almost all UAVs, located in the tail compartment, is responsible for the safe landing of the Tu-300.

At the international air shows MAKS-95 and MAKS-97 ANTK im. A.N. Tupolev presented an experimental sample and model of the new reusable UAV Tu-300 “Korshun”, the development of which is being carried out under the leadership of chief designer L. Kulikov. The bow contains special radio and optoelectronic equipment. Additionally, the fuselage cargo compartment and external suspension unit can be used to accommodate the target load. Judging by the fact that at the MAKS-95 exhibition the model was “equipped” with a KMGU-type hanging container for the Tu-300, the role of a strike weapon for hitting ground targets is also envisaged.

Modification: Tu-300
Height, m:
Weight, kg: 3000
Engine type: 1 x TRD
Thrust, kgf: 1 x
Cruising speed, km/h: 950
Practical range, km: 200-300
Practical ceiling, m: 6000
Minimum flight altitude, m: 50

UAV-reconnaissance Tu-300 "Korshun".

UAV-reconnaissance Tu-300 "Korshun".

UAV-reconnaissance Tu-300 "Korshun".

UAV-reconnaissance Tu-300 "Korshun".

UAV-reconnaissance Tu-300 "Korshun".

UAV-reconnaissance Tu-300 "Korshun".

UAV Tu-300. Scheme.

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List of sources:
S. Ganin, A. Karpenko, V. Kolnogorov, G. Petrov. Unmanned aerial vehicles.
Aviation and astronautics. Rigmant V.G. Under the signs "ANT" and "Tu".
Aviation and Time. Alfred Matusevich. Jet unmanned reconnaissance aircraft.
Wings of the Motherland. Anatoly Lipatov. First of all, the planes, and the pilots...
AVIA.PRO website - Tupolev Tu-300.