The news about the "Russian Hulk", the SKYF drone of the Kazan Design Bureau "Aviasolutions", made a lot of noise in the world media. The British edition of the Daily Mail spoke about Russian drone that can carry up to 250 kg cargo and stay in the air until 8 ocloc'k.

But SKYF is far from the only Russian-made drone. So, only in service with the army of the Russian Federation there are more than 2,000 drones, which are controlled by specialists from 36 special units. In this article, we have collected the most interesting "birds" that probably have a great future.

The same "Russian Hulk" SKYF

SKYF is a universal air cargo platform. The developers emphasize that they did not try to make a “fashionable toy”, but started from the needs of the market.

The aircraft-grade aluminum alloy frame takes off and lands vertically. Its purpose is to deliver goods to hard-to-reach places, that is, to places where it is difficult to reach by car. He can participate in agricultural work and even evacuate people from the mountains or a blocked road. I wish I could fly to work like this!

Drone reaches speed up to 70 km/h and can overcome 350 km with a load of mass 50 kg. It is clear that if the load is larger, then the path will be reduced. The drone itself weighs 250 kg(without taking into account the mass of fuel).

The drone does not work on the energy in the battery, but on 95th gasoline- the tank is enough for approx. 8 ocloc'k flight. Engine power is transferred directly to the lift and control propellers without expensive electrical circuitry.

Of course, you can’t put such a “gift” under the Christmas tree. Drone dimensions - 5.2 x 2.2 m.

Outpost based on Searcher Mk II and Zastava based on Bird Eye 400

In April 2009, the Russian Ministry of Defense purchased two Israeli tactical drones Searcher Mk II from the Israeli company IAI. The cost of each $6 million.

The machines performed well, and soon the countries signed a contract for 300 million dollars (according to other sources - 400 million) for the assembly of such UAVs at Ural Plant civil aviation from Israeli details.

The Russian version was called "Forpost". The contract also included the assembly of Zastava mini-drones based on the Bird Eye 400.

Each Outpost costs about 900 million rubles, "Zastava" - 49.6 million. Characteristics of the Outpost:

Zastava is a drone that can be carried in two backpacks. His "trick": before landing, the device makes a somersault. He flips to 180 degrees in the air so as not to damage the electronics by hitting the ground.

The UAV is powered by an electric motor and can stay in the air for up to an hour. A spring-loaded rubber catapult is used to launch the Zastava, and there is a small parachute for landing.

Both drones are designed for reconnaissance and artillery fire correction. Armament is not installed on them.

Tactical drone "Orlan-10"

The model has been mass-produced since 2013 by Special Technology Center LLC. Its strength lies in the fact that you can control the drone from a distance of up to 120 km.

"Orlan-10" weighs 14 kg and capable of 16 hours be in the air. It works from the engine on the 95th gasoline and develops speed up to 150 km/h.

The drone can be controlled from the remote control. Another option is to program it and send it on a mission. In this case, it overcomes 600 km.

UAVs do not care about rains and dust storms. That's why Russian troops I actively use the Orlans together with the Outposts for reconnaissance and targeting artillery in Syria, and they were noticed in the Donbass.

"Granat-6": almost a day in the air

The new model of the company "Izhmash - Unmanned Systems" can continuously stay in the air until 20 hours. Quadcopter weight - approx. 40 kg, he can carry up to 10 kg cargo.

The basis of "Grenade-6" is a gasoline engine connected to an electric generator. It powers four electric motors connected to propellers. Drone reaches speed up to 60 km/h.

"NELK-V8": a drone powered by hydrogen cells

An experimental drone powered by low temperature fuel cells. There is no need to fill in gasoline - instead of a tank, a hydrogen cylinder and a starting battery are installed on the UAV.

The battery takes place chemical reaction, during which the electricity. The system issues 1 kW power and allows NELK-B8 to stay in the air up to 5 h on 6.8 liter hydrogen tank.

Mass of "NELK-8" - 12 kg. He can carry up to 3 kg cargo.

The solution is cool - there is less vibration and noise, so the optics are aimed more accurately. Accordingly, the drone shoots more clearly, and it is more difficult to detect it.

The UAV can even use dry gases. And this will allow him to work at very low temperatures.

Bonus: disposable drone "Eye" KB-1

JSC "Design Bureau - 1" has developed an "individual system of operational reconnaissance." Simply put, a drone that can be used just once.

The device does not look like a drone at all: the 30 cm long tube looks more like a school pencil case. Inside there is an accelerating unit, a stabilization system and a shooting module.

The drone fires at a height of up to 250 m, and then slowly decreases and shoots everything around. It transmits video about the area to the operator via Wi-Fi 700x700 m in FullHD resolution.

"Eye" is convenient if you need to remove the zone of radiation contamination or the place of active hostilities. It is much cheaper than conventional drones, which will not survive in such situations anyway.

American analysts gave a mixed assessment of the latest Russian military ground and airborne drones. Some products, experts say, are practically foreign analogues, while others are clones of foreign developments. Experts agree on one thing: the war of the future is impossible without robots, and Russia will have to comply with modern realities.

Friends nearby

The Orion UAV (flight range - 250 kilometers, duration - up to a day) is suspiciously similar to the Iranian Shahed. The original product was used by Iran in Syria, it was also seen in Lebanon.

The main Russian drone Forpost was borrowed from Israel, where it is produced by IAI (Israel Aerospace Industries) under the name Searcher. Bendett ironically notes that Israel manages to receive multi-billion dollar military aid from the United States and at the same time sell defense technology to Russia.

No connection

According to Bendett, development of Russia's first heavy drone, the Altair, is behind schedule and under budget, and has been delayed indefinitely as a result.

Russian developers claim that the device weighing three tons with a wingspan of 28.5 meters is capable of carrying a load of up to two tons, covering a distance of ten thousand kilometers, climbing to a height of up to 12 kilometers and being in autonomous flight for up to two days. The prototype of the device made its first flight in August 2016, its mass production is scheduled for 2018.

In his report, Bendett noted that the director of the Kazan Design Bureau named after Simonov, who is creating a combat drone, was recently removed from his position (in fact, documents were seized in the bureau, and investigators talked to its head).

Bendett concludes that drones developed directly in Russia tend to be smaller and limited in range compared to foreign ones, but the expert admits that in Lately Russian authorities pay great attention to the development of unmanned systems - in particular, innovation and funding.

The Russian military is getting a lot of practical experience with drones, and one of the main purposes of the Orlan-10 apparatus is to assist in radio suppression. Three aircraft capable of carrying six kilograms of load are controlled from one KamAZ-5350: one drone acts as a repeater, and the other two are involved in creating radio interference.

In the development of GSM jamming complexes (in the specific case, RB-341V "Leer-3"), Russia is a leader and ahead of the United States. It is in the creation of radio interference, and not for delivering a direct strike, that the United States sees main danger airborne drones created in Russia. In this context, the expert, of course, did not forget to mention a possible attack by the Russian military on Cell phones soldier .

Strong point

Out of context electronic warfare The United States does not yet take Russian military drones seriously, but ground-based drones being developed in Russia are of great concern to American experts.

"Russia is building a whole menagerie of armed ground robots - down to the size of armored personnel carriers," said Paul Sharr, director of technology and security for the Center for a New American Security. He noted the 11-ton "Uran-9", the 16-ton "Whirlwind" and the 50-ton T-14 ("Armata" with an uninhabited tower).

Photo: Valery Melnikov / RIA Novosti

“Many of these heavy vehicles are heavily armed, and the Russians often display these prototypes at exhibitions,” agrees Bendett, who attended the recently concluded annual US Army Association conference and exhibition.

On the other hand, according to analysts, many Russian robots look more like publicity stunts than real combat vehicles. To those, in particular, the experts attributed the anthropomorphic robot Fedor (FEDOR - Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research), capable of firing a pistol. The creators of Fedor boasted that the robot could sit on the twine and mastered the work of a storekeeper.

Most robots, as experts rightly point out, are not created from scratch, but in fact are ordinary armored vehicles converted for remote control. They cannot be considered truly autonomous products, since their operation requires the presence of a person, albeit outside the machine.

The automatic turret, created in Russia, according to Sharr, has "problems with distinguishing between an ally and an enemy in autonomous mode." However, he admits that with the development of artificial intelligence systems, the unit will cope with this task.

Bendett noted that most US military ground drones are remotely controlled (this makes it easier for the enemy to suppress radar), too light and practically not equipped with weapons, that is, in fact, they are not full-fledged combat robots. At present, American ground-based drones are as militarily useless as Russian drones.

Ultimately, experts found it difficult to name a leader in the development of drones. Scherr suggested that the United States is lagging behind Russia in the development of large ground combat robots due to ethical difficulties, involving the rationale for the possibility of destroying a person by a machine, as well as a "lack of ideas." Bendett, on the contrary, believes that Russia is now in the role of catching up, but is actively working to overcome the backlog in the development of aerial drones.

just business

It must be admitted that in the military conflicts of the future, unmanned systems will play one of the key roles. This component of weapons is spelled out in the American "third offset strategy", which provides for the use of the latest technologies and control methods to achieve an advantage over the enemy. Currently, almost all countries of the world that have any noticeable weapons are developing promising drones.

“Priorities are mainly given not so much to the modernization of old types of weapons, but to the creation of new ones. These are promising aviation complexes, including military transport and long-range aviation, these are unmanned systems, robotics, that is, everything related to the possibility and necessity of withdrawing a person from the affected area, ”the Deputy Prime Minister explained the concept of the upcoming draft of the Russian state arms program for 2018-2025 years.

On the other hand, any discussion of the problem of the backlog in armaments comes down to the issue of funding. In such a situation, the conversion component of new technologies is interesting. The feasibility of creating in Russia hypersonic missiles And electromagnetic weapons in conditions of economic stagnation is doubtful, while in the field of development of unmanned systems they are much less.

The latest version of the national budget for 2018 provides for an increase in the share of military spending by 179.6 billion rubles, while spending on social policy, education and healthcare are proposed to be reduced by 54 billion rubles. Thus, in 2018, the share of military spending could reach 3.3 percent of the country's GDP.

According to experts, unmanned aerial vehicles are of inestimable importance for modern military aviation. The advent of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, as they are also called, has changed the tactics of conducting hostilities. The "unmanned boom" occurred in the late 70s of the XX century. The generally recognized leaders in the global production of drones are the Americans.

The use of UAVs in Russia was seriously considered only in 2008. The basis for this was the Georgian conflict. After the events in Georgia, all the advantages that the use of drones can give have become obvious. Information about Russian military UAVs is presented in the article.

Introduction to the machine

The abbreviation UAV stands for "unmanned aerial vehicle". It indicates that a pilot is not needed to operate this aircraft. The movement of the UAV can be controlled remotely: from an aircraft, from the ground or from space.

About classification

Today, a huge number of different drones have been produced for the needs of aviation. Each model has its own configuration features and component characteristics. According to experts, in Russia, the UAV manufacturer has not yet developed standards for the manufacture of drones. This, in turn, led to the lack of requirements for a drone. UAVs can be classified using the following parameters:

• Design.
• Start type.
• Special purpose.
• Specifications.
• Type of power supply of the power plant.
• Navigation characteristics and radio frequency spectrum.

Drone types

Unmanned aerial vehicles presented on the global aviation market are:

• Unmanaged.
• Remote controlled.
• Automatic.

Depending on the dimensions, drones are divided into several groups:

• Microdrones. Their weight does not exceed 10 kg. Such aircraft are designed for a one-hour flight.
• Mini drones. UAVs weigh within 50 kg. They can stay in the air for 3 to 5 hours.
• Midi. The mass of such a drone is about a ton. He is able to overcome 15-hour flights.
• Heavy. The mass of such devices exceeds a ton. Of all the above types, these drones are considered the most advanced. Heavy UAVs are suitable for intercontinental flights.

In Russia, there is no production base focused on the commercial or consumer market.

About the advantages of drones

Unlike manned aircraft and helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles have the following strengths:

• In the UAV, overall characteristics are reduced, which cannot be said about traditional aircraft (LA).
• Production of drones is less expensive.
• The military command has the ability to use the UAV in combat conditions without putting the pilot's life at risk. Due to the relative cheapness of the device, if necessary, they are not sorry to "sacrifice".
• Since UAVs are capable of transmitting received information in real time, they can be used for reconnaissance purposes.
• Drones have high combat readiness and mobility. To launch them, there is no need to raise the entire flight crew.
• From several UAVs, small mobile complexes can be formed.

About the disadvantages

Despite the presence of undeniable advantages, unmanned aerial vehicles are not without some disadvantages. Weaknesses UAVs are:

• Unlike traditional aviation, drones are not well thought out in such nuances as landing and rescue. aircraft.
• Drones are significantly inferior to controlled aircraft and helicopters in such a parameter as reliability.
• In peacetime, the operation of drones is limited.

Tasks of drones on the "citizen"

UAVs appeared immediately after the creation of the first aircraft. However, the production of drones was put on stream only in the 1970s. As it soon turned out, with the help of these devices it is possible to make aerial photography, monitor various objects, geodetic research, and also deliver purchases to your home.

Areas of application of the UAV

In Russia, unmanned aerial vehicles are designed to perform the following tasks:

• Monitoring and protection of state borders.
• Intelligence and identification of the terrorist threat.

Drones are widely used by the military during a special operation in Syria. Drones are also used in agriculture. With the help of UAVs, aerial photography and inspection of oil pipelines are carried out. According to aviation experts, the civil sphere in the use of UAVs in Russia (drones) occupies only 30%.

About use in the army

The direction for the production of UAVs in Russia is set by the military. The army command uses drones primarily for reconnaissance missions. It is in this direction that the main UAV manufacturers in Russia are working. IN last years, in addition to reconnaissance drones, they began to produce shock drones. Kamikaze drones belong to a separate group. In addition, some UAV models are adapted for electronic warfare against the enemy, for relaying radio signals. Drones can also provide target designations for artillery pieces. During military exercises in Russia, UAVs are used as relatively inexpensive aerial targets. The cheap production of drones allows, when performed by the military important tasks donate those drones.

About the first models of Russian drones

Compared to Israel and the United States, Russia is significantly losing in the production of UAVs today. Many Russians are interested in the question of what kind of unmanned aerial vehicles the military aviation of their country has. One of the first, still Soviet, models is the Bee-1T drone.

The UAV made its first flight in 1990. Its task is to carry out the adjustment of firing from the artillery pieces "Smerch" and "Hurricane". Today, this model is in service with Russia. UAV "Pchela-1T" is designed for a range of up to 60 thousand meters. The weight of the device is 138 kg. To start the drone provided special installation and rocket boosters. The drone lands using a parachute. "Pchela-1T" was used Russian army during the Chechen conflict. During the hostilities, this Russian UAV made ten sorties. Two models were shot down by militants. According to aviation experts, today this sample is outdated.

Another old-style Russian reconnaissance drone is the Dozor-85 model. After the tests successfully passed in 2007, the first batch of 12 drones was ordered by the military. "Dozor-85" is intended for border guards. The mass of the apparatus is 85 kg. The UAV of this model can stay in the air for no more than 8 hours.

About aircraft manufactured in 2007

Skat is a reconnaissance and strike UAV of Russia. The aircraft was designed in the experimental design bureau of Mikoyan and Gurevich and OJSC Klimov. The UAV was shown at the MAKS-2007 air show. The device was presented in the form of a full-size layout. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, as the main developer of the strike UAV of Russia, was the AKH Sukhoi. Soon, as stated CEO RAC "MIG" Sergey Korotkov, design work on the drone was stopped. The reason for this was insufficient funding for the project. However, as the CEO stated, as of 2015, the production of the drone was resumed again. The project is funded by the Russian Ministry of Industrial Trade. An unmanned aerial vehicle is intended for reconnaissance. In addition, with the help of aerial bombs and guided missiles from this device, it is possible to carry out shelling of ground targets.

The size of the UAV is 10.25 m. The height of the UAV is 2.7 m. The drone is equipped with a tricycle landing gear and one RD-5000B turbofan engine with a flat nozzle. UAV weight - no more than 20 thousand kg. The aircraft is capable of transporting a combat load of up to 6,000 kg. The drone is equipped with four suspension points. Their location was the internal bomb bays. The drone is capable of reaching a maximum speed of 850 km/h. Designed to overcome 4 km distances. The combat radius is 1200 km.

About the Russian-Israeli project

2010 was the year of signing a contract between the Russian military department and the Israeli company IAI for the manufacture of drones. According to the agreement, the machines are assembled at aircraft manufacturing enterprises of the Russian Federation. The Israeli-made Searcher drone of 1992 was taken as the basis. In Russia, the UAV was improved and renamed "Forpost". The takeoff weight of the drone is 400 kg. The flight range does not exceed 250 km. The device is provided with a satellite navigation system and thermal imaging cameras.

Other models

Since 2007, reconnaissance activities have been carried out by aircraft models of the Tipchak UAV. The starting weight of the aircraft is 50 kg. The duration of the drone flight does not exceed two hours. For the UAV, conventional and infrared cameras are provided.

In 2009, the Russian company Transas launched the Dozor-600 UAV. The aircraft is a multipurpose drone. It was first presented at the MAKS-2009 exhibition. Experts believe that this drone is an analogue of the MQ-1B Predator. However, there is no reliable information about the exact characteristics of the American UAV. In the future, Russian aircraft designers are planning to equip the radar system with a video camera and a thermal imager. A target designation system is also being developed for the drone. Using "Dozor-600", the military carries out reconnaissance and surveillance in the front-line zones. Information indicating the strike capabilities of this drone is not yet available.

The Russian military aviation uses the Orlan-3M and Orlan-10 UAV models. With the help of these devices, the following are carried out: reconnaissance, search work and target designation for volley fire from artillery pieces. Outwardly, both models of "eagles" are very similar. The slight differences are in their takeoff weight and range. A special catapult is used to launch both drones. UAV landing is carried out using a parachute.

About the new Russian UAV

For the needs of the military, the aircraft manufacturing company Zala Aero Group created new model unmanned aerial vehicle, which is known as Zala 421-08. Chief project manager: Zakharov A.V. The main task of the UAV: ​​to monitor, correct volley fire from artillery pieces. In addition, with the help of a drone, you can assess the damage. According to experts, distinctive feature of this aircraft is the ability to perform video and photo surveillance from a short distance. For the drone, the “flying wing” scheme was applied. For the drone, there are:

• Glider with autopilot.
• Governing bodies.
• Power point.
• Feeding onboard system.
• Removable blocks containing the target load.
• The system that is responsible for landing using a parachute.

The body of the drone is equipped with special miniature LED lamps. Thanks to them, the drone is not lost at night. The machine also provides automatic parachute landing. The video channel operates within a radius of 15 km, audio - 25 km. The drone has a short flight time - only 80 minutes. Wingspan - 81 cm. maximum height flight is 3600 m. The drone is launched from a catapult. Landing is carried out using a parachute or a special net. The aircraft is equipped with a pull-type electric motor. The drone has a speed of 65 to 130 km/h. The maximum takeoff weight is 2.5 kg. The operation of the drone is possible in temperature regime from -30 to +40 degrees, as well as at the maximum allowable wind speed of 20 m/s. The aircraft is equipped with a special module, with the help of which target tracking is carried out automatically.

About "Hunter-B"

Aviation designers of Sukhoi and MiG companies are carrying out design work on the manufacture of a modern model of Russian UAVs. 2017-2020 - such terms are given to designers to create an unmanned aerial vehicle. In the documentation, the drone is listed as "Hunter-B". In Russian media former leader It was stated to the United Aircraft Corporation that the Sukhoi company is considered the main developer of the drone, and the MiG corporation acts in this project as an accomplice. According to the leading Russian expert in the field of unmanned systems Denis Fedutinov, the UAV will look no different from reconnaissance and strike vehicles produced by the United States and technologically advanced European countries. In the manufacture of the drone, Russian designers used the "flying wing" scheme. On this moment more detailed information about the future aircraft is not available. It is known that Okhotnik-B will belong to the type of heavy drones, and its flight and combat characteristics will be as close as possible to the parameters of the X-47B, manufactured by the American company Northrop Grumman. For the Russian unmanned vessel, subsonic speeds will be possible, its range will be 4 thousand meters. It is planned to arm the Okhotnik-B with a variety of target loads, including shock. According to the expert, the mass of the load will be at least two tons. Flight tests are scheduled for 2018. The UAV will enter service with Russia no earlier than 2020.

About manufacturers

Geoscan Aero, Tranzas, Armair and Zala Aero (a subsidiary of the Kalashnikov concern) are carrying out design work to create unmanned aerial vehicles for the economic and military sectors of the country.

Development of a new Russian drone engaged in aviation specialists at the Tupolev plant. The products of these companies are in demand both in the military and industrial, as well as in commercial sectors. With the help of the UAV released by Zala Aero, today they monitor pipelines, reservoirs, state borders, nature reserves. Drones are used to carry out operational-search activities. The machines produced by Geoscan Aero are mainly used in the commercial sector. With their help, photo and video shooting and delivery of various goods to the customer are carried out.

Even 20 years ago, Russia was one of the world leaders in the development of unmanned aerial vehicles. In the 80s of the last century, only 950 Tu-143 air reconnaissance aircraft were produced. The famous reusable spaceship"Buran", which made its first and only flight in a completely unmanned mode. I don’t see the point and now somehow give in to the development and use of drones.

Background of Russian drones (Tu-141, Tu-143, Tu-243). In the mid-sixties, the Tupolev Design Bureau began to create new tactical and operational unmanned reconnaissance systems. On August 30, 1968, the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR N 670-241 was issued to develop a new unmanned complex tactical intelligence"Flight" (VR-3) and the unmanned reconnaissance aircraft "143" (Tu-143) included in it. The deadline for presenting the complex for testing in the Resolution stipulated: for the variant with photo reconnaissance equipment - 1970, for the variant with equipment for television intelligence and for the variant with equipment for radiation reconnaissance - in 1972.

The reconnaissance UAV Tu-143 was mass-produced in two configurations of the nasal interchangeable part: in the photo reconnaissance version with information registration on board, in the television reconnaissance version with information transmitted via radio to ground command posts. In addition, the reconnaissance aircraft could be equipped with radiation reconnaissance equipment with the transmission of materials on the radiation situation along the flight route to the ground via a radio channel. UAV Tu-143 presented at the exhibition of samples aviation technology at the Central Aerodrome in Moscow and at the Museum in Monino (you can also see the Tu-141 UAV there).

As part of the aerospace show in Zhukovsky MAKS-2007 near Moscow, in the closed part of the exposition, the MiG aircraft corporation showed its attack unmanned complex Skat - an aircraft made according to the "flying wing" scheme and outwardly very reminiscent of the American B-2 Spirit bomber or its a smaller version is the Kh-47V marine unmanned aerial vehicle.

"Skat" is designed to strike both at previously reconnoitered stationary targets, primarily air defense systems, in the face of strong opposition from enemy anti-aircraft weapons, and at mobile ground and sea targets when conducting autonomous and group actions, joint with manned aircraft.

Its maximum takeoff weight should be 10 tons. Flight range - 4 thousand kilometers. The flight speed near the ground is not less than 800 km / h. It will be able to carry two air-to-surface / air-to-radar missiles or two adjustable bombs with a total mass of not more than 1 ton.

The aircraft is made according to the scheme of the flying wing. In addition, the well-known methods of reducing radar visibility were clearly visible in the appearance of the structure. So, the wingtips are parallel to its leading edge and the contours of the rear of the apparatus are made in the same way. Above the middle part of the wing "Scat" had a fuselage characteristic form smoothly coupled with bearing surfaces. Vertical plumage was not provided. As can be seen from the photographs of the Skat layout, control was to be carried out using four elevons located on the consoles and on the center section. At the same time, yaw control immediately raised certain questions: due to the lack of a rudder and a single-engine scheme, the UAV required to somehow solve this problem. There is a version about a single deviation of the internal elevons for yaw control.

The layout presented at the MAKS-2007 exhibition had the following dimensions: a wingspan of 11.5 meters, a length of 10.25 and a parking height of 2.7 m. Regarding the mass of the Skat, it is only known that its maximum takeoff weight should have been approximately equal to ten tons. With these parameters, the Skat had good calculated flight data. At top speed up to 800 km / h, it could rise to a height of up to 12 thousand meters and overcome in flight up to 4000 kilometers. It was planned to provide such flight data with the help of a bypass turbojet engine RD-5000B with a thrust of 5040 kgf. This turbojet engine was created on the basis of the RD-93 engine, however, it is initially equipped with a special flat nozzle, which reduces the visibility of the aircraft in the infrared range. The engine air intake was located in the forward fuselage and was an unregulated intake device.

Inside the fuselage of the characteristic shape, the Skat had two cargo compartments measuring 4.4x0.75x0.65 meters. With such dimensions, it was possible to hang guided missiles in the cargo compartments various types, as well as adjustable bombs. The total mass of the Skat combat load was supposed to be approximately equal to two tons. During the presentation at the MAKS-2007 Salon, Kh-31 missiles and KAB-500 guided bombs were located next to Skat. The composition of the onboard equipment, implied by the project, was not disclosed. Based on information about other projects of this class, we can conclude that there is a complex of navigation and sighting equipment, as well as some possibilities for autonomous actions.

UAV "Dozor-600" (development of the designers of the company "Transas"), also known as "Dozor-3", is much lighter than "Skat" or "Breakthrough". Its maximum takeoff weight does not exceed 710-720 kilograms. At the same time, due to the classic aerodynamic layout with a full-fledged fuselage and a straight wing, it has approximately the same dimensions as the Skat: a wingspan of twelve meters and a total length of seven. In the bow of the Dozor-600, a place is provided for target equipment, and a stabilized platform for observation equipment is installed in the middle. A propeller group is located in the tail section of the drone. Its basis is the Rotax 914 piston engine, similar to those installed on the Israeli IAI Heron UAV and the American MQ-1B Predator.

115 horsepower of the engine allows the Dozor-600 drone to accelerate to a speed of about 210-215 km / h or make long flights with cruising speed at 120-150 km/h. When using additional fuel tanks, this UAV is able to stay in the air for up to 24 hours. Thus, the practical flight range is approaching the mark of 3700 kilometers.

Based on the characteristics of the Dozor-600 UAV, we can draw conclusions about its purpose. The relatively low takeoff weight does not allow it to carry any serious weapons, which limits the range of tasks to be solved exclusively by reconnaissance. However, a number of sources mention the possibility of installing various weapons on the Dozor-600, total weight which does not exceed 120-150 kilograms. Because of this, the range of weapons allowed for use is limited to only certain types of guided missiles, in particular anti-tank ones. It is noteworthy that when using anti-tank guided missiles, the Dozor-600 becomes largely similar to the American MQ-1B Predator, as technical specifications, as well as the composition of weapons.

The project of a heavy strike unmanned aerial vehicle. The development of the research topic "Hunter" to study the possibility of creating a strike UAV weighing up to 20 tons in the interests of the Russian Air Force was or is being conducted by the Sukhoi company (JSC Sukhoi Design Bureau). For the first time, the plans of the Ministry of Defense to adopt an attack UAV were announced at the MAKS-2009 air show in August 2009. According to Mikhail Pogosyan, in August 2009, the design of a new attack unmanned system was joint work relevant units of the Sukhoi Design Bureau and MiG (project "Skat"). The media reported on the conclusion of a contract for the implementation of research "Okhotnik" with the company "Sukhoi" July 12, 2011. "and" Sukhoi "was signed only on October 25, 2012.

The terms of reference for the strike UAV was approved by the Russian Ministry of Defense in the first days of April 2012. On July 6, 2012, information appeared in the media that the Sukhoi company had been selected by the Russian Air Force as the lead developer. An unnamed source in the industry also reports that the strike UAV developed by Sukhoi will simultaneously be a sixth-generation fighter. As of mid-2012, it is assumed that the first sample of the strike UAV will begin testing no earlier than 2016. It is expected to enter service by 2020. In the future, it was planned to create navigation systems for landing approach and taxiing of heavy UAVs on the instructions of JSC Sukhoi Company (source).

Media reports that the first sample of the heavy attack UAV of the Sukhoi Design Bureau will be ready in 2018.

Combat use (otherwise they will say exhibition copies, Soviet junk)

“For the first time in the world, the Russian Armed Forces carried out an attack on a fortified militant area with combat drones. In the province of Latakia, army units Syrian army, with the support of Russian paratroopers and Russian combat drones, took the strategic height 754.5, the Syriatel tower.

Most recently, the Chief of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces, General Gerasimov, said that Russia is striving to completely robotize the battle, and perhaps in the near future we will witness how robotic groups independently conduct military operations, and this is what happened.

In Russia in 2013 adopted armament of the Airborne Forces the latest automated control system "Andromeda-D", with the help of which it is possible to carry out operational control of a mixed group of troops.
The use of the latest high-tech equipment allows the command to ensure continuous control of troops performing combat training tasks at unfamiliar training grounds, and the command of the Airborne Forces to monitor their actions, being at a distance of more than 5 thousand kilometers from their deployment sites, receiving from the exercise area not only a graphic picture of moving units, but also a video image of their actions in real time.

The complex, depending on the tasks, can be mounted on the chassis of a two-axle KamAZ, BTR-D, BMD-2 or BMD-4. In addition, considering the specifics of the Airborne Forces, "Andromeda-D" is adapted for loading into an aircraft, flight and landing.
This system, as well as combat drones, were deployed to Syria and tested in combat conditions.
Six Platform-M robotic complexes and four Argo complexes participated in the attack on the heights, the drone attack was supported by self-propelled vehicles recently transferred to Syria artillery mounts(ACS) "Acacia", which can destroy enemy positions with mounted fire.

From the air, behind the battlefield, drones conducted reconnaissance, transmitting information to the deployed Andromeda-D field center, as well as to Moscow, to the National Defense Control Center command post General Staff Russia.

Combat robots, self-propelled guns, drones were tied to the Andromeda-D automated control system. The commander of the attack on the heights, in real time, led the battle, the operators of combat drones, being in Moscow, conducted the attack, everyone saw both their own area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe battle and the whole picture.

Drones were the first to attack, approaching 100-120 meters to the fortifications of the militants, they called fire on themselves, and self-propelled guns immediately attacked the detected firing points.

Behind the drones, at a distance of 150-200 meters, the Syrian infantry advanced, clearing the height.

The militants did not have the slightest chance, all their movements were controlled by drones, artillery strikes were carried out on the detected militants, literally 20 minutes after the start of the attack by combat drones, the militants fled in horror, leaving the dead and wounded. On the slopes of a height of 754.5, almost 70 militants were killed, the Syrian soldiers had no dead, only 4 wounded.

Even 20 years ago, Russia was one of the world leaders in the development of unmanned aerial vehicles. In the 80s of the last century, only 950 Tu-143 air reconnaissance aircraft were produced.

The famous reusable spacecraft "Buran" was created, which made its first and only flight in a completely unmanned mode. I don’t see the point and now somehow give in to the development and use of drones.

Background of Russian drones (Tu-141, Tu-143, Tu-243). In the mid-sixties, the Tupolev Design Bureau began to create new tactical and operational unmanned reconnaissance systems. On August 30, 1968, the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR N 670-241 was issued to develop a new unmanned tactical reconnaissance complex "Flight" (VR-3) and the unmanned reconnaissance aircraft "143" (Tu-143) included in it. The deadline for presenting the complex for testing in the Decree was stipulated: for the variant with photo reconnaissance equipment - 1970, for the variant with television intelligence equipment and for the variant with radiation reconnaissance equipment - 1972.

The reconnaissance UAV Tu-143 was mass-produced in two configurations of the nasal interchangeable part: in the photo reconnaissance version with information registration on board, in the television reconnaissance version with information transmitted via radio to ground command posts. In addition, the reconnaissance aircraft could be equipped with radiation reconnaissance equipment with the transmission of materials on the radiation situation along the flight route to the ground via a radio channel. The Tu-143 UAV is presented at the exhibition of aviation equipment samples at the Central Aerodrome in Moscow and at the Museum in Monino (you can also see the Tu-141 UAV there).

As part of the aerospace show in Zhukovsky MAKS-2007 near Moscow, in the closed part of the exposition, the MiG aircraft corporation showed its attack unmanned complex Skat - an aircraft made according to the "flying wing" scheme and outwardly very reminiscent of the American B-2 Spirit bomber or its a smaller version is the Kh-47V marine unmanned aerial vehicle.

"Skat" is designed to strike both at previously reconnoitered stationary targets, primarily air defense systems, in the face of strong opposition from enemy anti-aircraft weapons, and at mobile ground and sea targets when conducting autonomous and group actions, joint with manned aircraft.

Its maximum takeoff weight should be 10 tons. Flight range - 4 thousand kilometers. The flight speed near the ground is not less than 800 km / h. It will be able to carry two air-to-surface / air-to-radar missiles or two adjustable bombs with a total mass of not more than 1 ton.

The aircraft is made according to the scheme of the flying wing. In addition, the well-known methods of reducing radar visibility were clearly visible in the appearance of the structure. So, the wingtips are parallel to its leading edge and the contours of the rear of the apparatus are made in the same way. Above the middle part of the wing, the Skat had a fuselage of a characteristic shape, smoothly mated with the bearing surfaces. Vertical plumage was not provided. As can be seen from the photographs of the Skat layout, control was to be carried out using four elevons located on the consoles and on the center section. At the same time, yaw control immediately raised certain questions: due to the lack of a rudder and a single-engine scheme, the UAV required to somehow solve this problem. There is a version about a single deviation of the internal elevons for yaw control.

The layout presented at the MAKS-2007 exhibition had the following dimensions: a wingspan of 11.5 meters, a length of 10.25 and a parking height of 2.7 m. Regarding the mass of the Skat, it is only known that its maximum takeoff weight should have been approximately equal to ten tons. With these parameters, the Skat had good calculated flight data. With a maximum speed of up to 800 km / h, it could rise to a height of up to 12,000 meters and overcome up to 4,000 kilometers in flight. It was planned to provide such flight data with the help of a bypass turbojet engine RD-5000B with a thrust of 5040 kgf. This turbojet engine was created on the basis of the RD-93 engine, however, it is initially equipped with a special flat nozzle, which reduces the visibility of the aircraft in the infrared range. The engine air intake was located in the forward fuselage and was an unregulated intake device.

Inside the fuselage of the characteristic shape, the Skat had two cargo compartments measuring 4.4x0.75x0.65 meters. With such dimensions, various types of guided missiles, as well as adjustable bombs, could be suspended in the cargo compartments. The total mass of the Skat combat load was supposed to be approximately equal to two tons. During the presentation at the MAKS-2007 Salon, Kh-31 missiles and KAB-500 guided bombs were located next to Skat. The composition of the onboard equipment, implied by the project, was not disclosed. Based on information about other projects of this class, we can conclude that there is a complex of navigation and sighting equipment, as well as some possibilities for autonomous actions.

UAV "Dozor-600" (development of the designers of the company "Transas"), also known as "Dozor-3", is much lighter than "Skat" or "Breakthrough". Its maximum takeoff weight does not exceed 710-720 kilograms. At the same time, due to the classic aerodynamic layout with a full-fledged fuselage and a straight wing, it has approximately the same dimensions as the Skat: a wingspan of twelve meters and a total length of seven. In the bow of the Dozor-600, a place is provided for target equipment, and a stabilized platform for observation equipment is installed in the middle. A propeller group is located in the tail section of the drone. Its basis is the Rotax 914 piston engine, similar to those installed on the Israeli IAI Heron UAV and the American MQ-1B Predator.

115 horsepower of the engine allows the Dozor-600 drone to accelerate to a speed of about 210-215 km / h or make long flights at a cruising speed of 120-150 km / h. When using additional fuel tanks, this UAV is able to stay in the air for up to 24 hours. Thus, the practical flight range is approaching the mark of 3700 kilometers.

Based on the characteristics of the Dozor-600 UAV, we can draw conclusions about its purpose. The relatively low takeoff weight does not allow it to carry any serious weapons, which limits the range of tasks to be solved exclusively by reconnaissance. Nevertheless, a number of sources mention the possibility of installing various weapons on the Dozor-600, the total mass of which does not exceed 120-150 kilograms. Because of this, the range of weapons allowed for use is limited to only certain types of guided missiles, in particular anti-tank ones. It is noteworthy that when using anti-tank guided missiles, the Dozor-600 becomes largely similar to the American MQ-1B Predator, both in terms of technical characteristics and armament composition.

Hunter

The project of a heavy strike unmanned aerial vehicle. The development of the research project "Hunter" to study the possibility of creating a strike UAV weighing up to 20 tons in the interests of the Russian Air Force was or is being carried out by the Sukhoi company (JSC Sukhoi Design Bureau). For the first time, the plans of the Ministry of Defense to adopt an attack UAV were announced at the MAKS-2009 air show in August 2009. According to Mikhail Pogosyan, in August 2009, the design of a new attack unmanned complex was to be the first joint work of the relevant units of the Sukhoi Design Bureau and MiG (project " Skat"). The media reported on the conclusion of a contract for the implementation of research "Hunter" with the company "Sukhoi" on July 12, 2011. In August 2011, the merger of the relevant divisions of the RAC MiG and Sukhoi to develop a promising strike UAV was confirmed in the media, but the official agreement between MiG " and "Dry" was signed only on October 25, 2012.

The terms of reference for the strike UAV was approved by the Russian Ministry of Defense in the first days of April 2012. On July 6, 2012, information appeared in the media that the Sukhoi company had been selected by the Russian Air Force as the lead developer. Also, an unnamed source in the industry reports that the attack UAV developed by the Sukhoi company will simultaneously be a sixth-generation fighter. As of mid-2012, it is assumed that the first sample of the strike UAV will begin testing no earlier than 2016. It is expected to enter service by 2020. In the future, it was planned to create navigation systems for landing approach and taxiing of heavy UAVs on the instructions of JSC Sukhoi Company (source).

Media reports that the first sample of the heavy attack UAV of the Sukhoi Design Bureau will be ready in 2018.

Combat use (otherwise they will say exhibition copies, Soviet junk)

“For the first time in the world, the Russian Armed Forces carried out an attack on a fortified militant area with combat drones. In the province of Latakia, the army units of the Syrian army, with the support of Russian paratroopers and Russian combat drones, took the strategic height 754.5, the Siriatel tower.

Most recently, the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, General Gerasimov, said that Russia is striving to completely robotize the battle, and perhaps soon we will witness how robotic groups independently conduct military operations, and this is what happened.

In Russia, in 2013, the newest automated control system "Andromeda-D" was adopted by the Airborne Forces, with the help of which it is possible to carry out operational control of a mixed group of troops.

The use of the latest high-tech equipment allows the command to ensure continuous control of troops performing combat training tasks at unfamiliar training grounds, and the command of the Airborne Forces to monitor their actions, being at a distance of more than 5 thousand kilometers from their deployment sites, receiving from the exercise area not only a graphic picture of moving units, but also a video image of their actions in real time.

The complex, depending on the tasks, can be mounted on the chassis of a two-axle KamAZ, BTR-D, BMD-2 or BMD-4. In addition, taking into account the specifics of the Airborne Forces, Andromeda-D is adapted for loading into an aircraft, flight and landing.

This system, as well as combat drones, were deployed to Syria and tested in combat conditions.

Six Platforma-M robotic systems and four Argo complexes took part in the attack on the heights, the attack of drones was supported by Akatsiya self-propelled artillery mounts (SAU) recently deployed to Syria, which can destroy enemy positions with mounted fire.

From the air, behind the battlefield, drones conducted reconnaissance, transmitting information to the deployed Andromeda-D field center, as well as to Moscow, to the National Defense Control Center of the command post of the Russian General Staff.

Combat robots, self-propelled guns, drones were tied to the Andromeda-D automated control system. The commander of the attack on the heights, in real time, led the battle, the operators of combat drones, being in Moscow, conducted the attack, everyone saw both their own area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe battle and the whole picture.

Drones were the first to attack, approaching 100-120 meters to the fortifications of the militants, they called fire on themselves, and self-propelled guns immediately attacked the detected firing points.

Behind the drones, at a distance of 150-200 meters, the Syrian infantry advanced, clearing the height.

The militants did not have the slightest chance, all their movements were controlled by drones, artillery strikes were carried out on the detected militants, literally 20 minutes after the start of the attack by combat drones, the militants fled in horror, leaving the dead and wounded. On the slopes of a height of 754.5, almost 70 militants were killed, the Syrian soldiers had no dead, only 4 wounded.