Now Russia is making up for lost time in unmanned aircraft. It was recently introduced, but Israel undoubtedly remains the leader in this industry.

Although the Israeli Air Force today has the largest number of manned combat aircraft in the West, after the United States, it is Israel that is today leading the "unmanned revolution" promising radical change in military affairs in the near future.

Already today, in the Israeli Air Force, drones make more sorties than manned aircraft - they are on alert 24 hours a day.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Israel has a monopoly in the global drone market - Israeli aircraft companies account for 41% of drone sales in the global market (to more than fifty countries).

Here How did the “unmanned revolution” begin?

The first experiences of the Israelis with the combat use of drones began in 1969. Then, during the "War of Attrition" on the Suez Canal, Israeli aircraft suffered losses from the actions of Soviet anti-aircraft missile systems. To solve this problem, radio-controlled jet aircraft firebee. These were bulky (weighing 1.5 tons) devices that were previously used only as training targets.

The Israelis used them as decoy aircraft to break through the Soviet air defense system - Soviet air defense systems unmasked themselves by opening fire on radio-controlled aircraft, after which Israeli aircraft launched missile and bomb attacks on identified targets. A division was formed in the Israeli Air Force to control these drones.

Subsequently, the Israelis equipped the Firebee aircraft with aerial photography equipment. The trap worked - during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, enemy air defense systems carried out 43 missile launches on radio-controlled aircraft.

However, the Israelis were dissatisfied with the use of radio-controlled Firebee aircraft - they were expensive, heavy and bulky, but the experience gained soon came in handy.

In 1974, two young officers, Lieutenants Yehuda Mazi and Alvin Ellis, who served in the Firebee division, were demobilized from the army and created the Eirmeko company. Based on the experience of the Yom Kippur War, they suggested that a small simple drone, stuffed with the most modern Israeli electronic equipment and equipped with a TV camera, would be much more suitable for real combat missions than the radio-controlled jet giant Firebee.

The prototype of the first drone, called "Mastiff", was assembled in 1974 in the garage of one of the enthusiasts. However, the Israeli aircraft corporation Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), which at that time was engaged in the development and production of jet fighter-bombers, did not arouse interest in the first drone.

Young aircraft engineers were unexpectedly supported by the Tadiran company, which was engaged in the production of military communications equipment - it concluded an agreement with them for the production of a prototype.

After flight tests, the project was transferred to the Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) corporation, which began developing the Scout drones. "Mastiff" and "Scout" became the first examples of world drone building.

The first drones looked extremely unsightly against the backdrop of achievements jet aviation: despite their electronic filling, they had a piston engine with a pusher propeller, their cruising speed slightly exceeded 100 km / h, the altitude ceiling was only 4.5 km, and the range was limited to a hundred kilometers. And the fuel reserves were enough for only a few hours of flight.

However, it soon became clear that such a slow-moving vehicle met the requirements of aerial reconnaissance and targeting - the small size and the fiberglass body, which is transparent to RF radiation, made the drone invisible to enemy radars.

The first case of a jet fighter being “downed” in the history of drones is associated with Scout. On May 14, 1981, when the Scout drone was performing a routine reconnaissance flight, it was attacked by a Syrian MiG-21. While chasing the drone, the MiG-21 pilot lost control and crashed into the ground. The Scout returned safely to its base, where grinning aircraft technicians drew a "kill mark" on the aircraft's side - a sign of victory in a dogfight.

Fight check. Operation "Artsav"

A true understanding of the role of drones in modern warfare came to many after the “baptism of fire” new technology: In June 1982, the largest air battle since the Second World War unfolded in the sky over Lebanon, in which the Israeli army for the first time and successfully used drones to destroy enemy air defenses.

The grouping of Syrian troops in Lebanon included four air defense brigades equipped with Soviet anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM) Kvadrat, S-75M Volga and S-125M Pechora. On the night of June 10, 1982, the 82nd mixed anti-aircraft missile brigade and three anti-aircraft artillery regiments were additionally introduced into Lebanese territory.

Now there were 24 Syrian anti-aircraft missile battalions in Lebanon, deployed in a dense battle formation 30 km long along the front and 28 km in depth. According to Soviet military experts, there was no such dense concentration of air defense missile and artillery forces anywhere in the world. The main purpose of these forces was to cover the Syrian troops in the Lebanese Bekaa Valley, where at least 600 tanks were concentrated.

Operation "Artsav" to destroy enemy air defense systems began at 4 am on June 9, 1982. 4 hours before the first strike, the Israeli Air Force increased the conduct of all types of reconnaissance (electronic, radar, television) with tactical aircraft, electronic reconnaissance aircraft and early warning radar (AWACS) and AQM-34, Mastiff and Scout drones.

Drones were assigned serious tasks:

— Battlefield reconnaissance and surveillance. To accomplish this task, some modifications of the drones were equipped with a TV camera and a communication system capable of transmitting a continuous stream of images. This allowed Israeli commanders at all levels to have a visual representation of the real situation on the battlefield and coordinate the joint actions of the ground forces and the Air Force.

— Identification of operating frequencies radar stations(radar) and guidance equipment for Syrian missile systems. The drones intercepted and analyzed the enemy radar radiation and relayed them to ground stations or aircraft in the air.

- Simulators of RF radiation that reflected radar radiation of such intensity as if they were attack aircraft.

- Target designation. The drones were equipped with laser and infrared range finders to illuminate targets intended for attack by laser and infrared guided missiles.

— False targets and jammers. Drones "Shimshon" were used as decoys. They called on themselves the fire of the Syrian air defense systems and thereby diverted it from attack aircraft. On June 9, dozens of such decoys were dropped. On the radar screen, they create a mark of a full-size aircraft.

As soon as the drone detected the air defense system battery and transmitted its image to the ground command, two more UAVs took off into the air: one as a decoy that imitated an attacking aircraft in order to force the enemy air defense system battery to turn on the radiation, the second one was equipped with equipment to intercept the radiation of the radar station ( radar) SAM.

The received information about the radiation parameters was processed by the on-board computers of the E-2C Hawkeye AWACS aircraft, which provided data for guiding anti-radar missiles at identified targets.

An hour before the strike, the Israelis began setting up passive electronic jamming on a front of 150-200 km; in 12 minutes - intense interference to communication systems and control of air defense systems; in 5-7 minutes - high-power active interference that suppressed the enemy's radar reconnaissance means.

Then began the total destruction of Syrian air defense systems. Attacks on Syrian positions were carried out by surface-to-surface missiles, long-range and rocket artillery, using ball and cluster munitions with the ability to aim at a target using an infrared and laser beam.

When the Syrians, trying to get the air defense system out of the strike of anti-radar missiles, turned off their radars, the Israelis lifted drones with a laser target designator into the air and then attack aircraft armed with AGM-65 Maverick missiles with laser head homing, blinded air defense systems attacked. 10-12 minutes after the missile attack, Syrian positions were hit by forces of about 100 aircraft. Israeli aviation operated in groups of 2-6 fighter-bombers. Skyhawks, Kfirs (Israeli-made aircraft), Phantoms and F-16s attacked with conventional, cluster, ball and cumulative bombs, as well as guided and homing missiles, specially modified to match the operating frequencies of the Syrian radar.

Thus, during the day of Operation Artsav, the Israelis destroyed 19 Syrian anti-aircraft missile battalions.

Israeli Air Force aircraft involved in the air battle:

Fighter-bomber Phantom

At the same time, the largest air battle was unfolding in the skies of Lebanon. On both sides, about 350 aircraft participated in it, and at the same time 120-200 aircraft fought in air battles. The battle turned into a real massacre: the Israelis shot down about 90 MiG-21, MiG-23 and Su-22 aircraft in air battles on June 7-11, without losing a single aircraft.

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles during the operation "Artsav" made it possible to solve a whole range of tasks of all types of reconnaissance, electronic warfare, targeting. Israeli commanders at all levels received real-time information from the battlefield. For the first time, questions of the tactics of using drones and coordinating the joint actions of drones, ground forces and the Air Force were worked out.

From "Ghost" to "Eitan"

The successful experience of using UAVs in combat, gained during Operation Artsav, had a decisive influence on the rapid development of unmanned aircraft in subsequent years. After the Lebanese war, the IDF command did not spare money for drones. In the 1980s and 1990s, the Israeli drone industry began to rise. One after another, new firms were created, aircraft building corporations opened special divisions for the development and production of drones for various purposes.

The development of unmanned aircraft was also significantly influenced by such a factor as the closure of the Lavi fighter project, which was the pride of the Israeli aviation industry. The goal of Israeli aircraft designers was to create a fighter aircraft that was superior in its tactical technical specifications the American counterpart is the F-16A/B fighter. The goal was achieved, which was proved by the test flights of the Israeli aircraft.

In the US, they realized that they were dealing with a dangerous competitor. Under the pretext of protecting their own aviation industry, the Americans began to seek a complete cessation of the Lavi program. Under American pressure, Israel was forced to curtail this project in 1987.

Multipurpose single-seat fighter J-10A.

However, the developments of Israeli aircraft designers were not in vain - the Israeli project of the Lavi fighter was embodied in the Chinese fighter Chengdu J-10 "Swift Dragon".

These dramatic events brought a galaxy of talented aeronautical engineers previously employed on the Lavi project into unmanned aviation, which only contributed to the rapid development of the Israeli drone industry.

Israeli unmanned aircraft (including advanced developments) is a long list of aircraft for various purposes - from tiny, weighing 300 grams Ghost drones, capable of being launched by hand and armed with reconnaissance and infantry companies (the latest developments have already surpassed these parameters), to the largest in the world of the Eitan drone, whose wingspan reaches 35 meters and weighs 4 tons.

The main purpose of "Eitan" is called long-range reconnaissance, search and destruction of ballistic missile installations. The machine can “hang” for about 50 hours at an altitude of up to 10 km above controlled areas, it is planned to equip it with an air refueling system.

"Eitan" is equipped with satellite navigation systems, tracking and target detection equipment in the optical, infrared and radio ranges, fire control and strike systems. With a cruising speed of 296 km / h (maximum - 460 km / h), it can theoretically fly 14.8 thousand km. The Eitan payload weight, depending on the flight range, can reach 1.8 tons.

Despite the expanding production of multifunctional UAVs, Israeli designers do not disregard small tactical drones, the so-called short-range reconnaissance ones. The Israeli army has adopted small drones "Skylark" and "Seagull".

Skylark
Seagull

Designed to perform tasks at the platoon-company level, both drones have a range of 5-10 km and can be launched from the hand. They can be equipped with a video camera and infrared vision sensors. "Skylark" can stay in the air for more than two hours, "Seagull" - more than six hours.

During the operation in Gaza, for the first time in the world, close scouts solved combat missions on a par with tanks and infantry.

After the Israeli troops crossed the Gaza border, the UAVs were in front of the infantry and tank units at a distance of about 500 meters. Drone operators were in constant contact with combat units, coordinating their actions and suggesting the safest routes, as well as warning of danger.

In addition, according to the Israeli military, the drones helped them to carry out humanitarian tasks - to detect the wounded in time, provide them with the necessary assistance and deliver them to safe regions. In general, the combat units were completely satisfied with the interaction with the UAV units.

An increasing number of drones are being developed for dual purposes - military and civilian. Israel has become the first country in the world to use drones to save lives. A helicopter with a body length of 8 meters, a width of 3 meters, and a height of 1.5 meters was created here. The car will be able to pick up speed up to 150 km / h and soar at an altitude of up to 3 kilometers.

After landing on the battlefield or in hard-to-reach terrain, four victims can be loaded into the aircraft, after which it will head back - towards the hospital or field hospital. The rescue drone helicopter is equipped with medical equipment, as well as systems that protect it from enemy missiles.

The unmanned passenger aircraft was first introduced by Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI). At this stage, we are talking about a four-seat aircraft. Although from a technological point of view there are no barriers to the creation of an unmanned passenger aircraft, there is a significant psychological problem that needs to be overcome. “Passengers are still afraid to fly on an aircraft that does not have a pilot,” explains Zvi Arazi, director of the IAI engineering center.

Another IAI development is an unmanned aircraft powered by solar energy. According to project director Idan Regev, the new aircraft can stay in the air for as long as necessary, since the solar energy accumulated during the day is enough to fly during the night. To store energy, solar panels are located on the wings of the aircraft.

killer drones

IN Lately there have been many reports about the so-called flying killers - strike UAVs, not only collecting information, but also capable of carrying missile weapons and delivering fire strikes.

We are talking about the use of such devices by the Israeli army during anti-terrorist operations and during the war in Lebanon. Israeli drones have already carried out countless strikes, according to Palestinian sources.

The drone has become a symbol of targeted liquidations. As an example, on October 2, 2004, during Operation Days of Repentance, according to Palestinian media, a missile was fired from an Israeli drone at a group of Islamic Jihad militants. Six militants were killed. Israeli security sources declined to comment on this information.

On March 26, 2009, international media reported that Israeli drones attacked an Iranian convoy with weapons intended for Hamas, thousands of kilometers from Israeli borders - in Sudan. During the attack, 37 trucks with Iranian Fajar-3 missiles were destroyed and 39 people were killed.

However, these are just assumptions: the IDF never comments on reports of the use of unmanned vehicles in combat operations. Even when it comes to targeted killings in the Gaza Strip, and local residents claim to have seen UAVs in the air, the IDF press office refuses to confirm that drones were used to carry out the combat mission.

The US military is more talkative. As Airforce Times magazine reported, the Americans successfully used Israeli Hunter drones in Iraq to eliminate militants. On September 1, 2007, the US military spotted two gunmen planting an explosive device. The Hunter headed towards them, dropping a laser-guided bomb on the terrorists. As a result of the explosion, both terrorists were destroyed. Colonel Don Heiselwood, head of the UAV project in the US Army, told the publication that this was the first time that terrorists were eliminated using an unmanned aircraft.

The “drone revolution” is just beginning

Reserve General Ophir Shaham, in charge research department Israeli Ministry of Defense, believes that the world is now facing a real “unmanned revolution”, which will completely overturn traditional ideas about the role and place of man in war and in everyday life.

There is a real "drone race", in which 76 countries are participating today. According to Israeli experts, the volume of the global UAV market, which was only $5.1 billion in 2009, will grow to $50 billion in 2020. as well as manned aircraft. In the short term, the use of drones in civilian industries will grow - the arrival of unmanned aircraft is next in line not only in military sphere but also in cargo and passenger air transportation.

the story of "invisible aircraft" is repeated.

First, enthusiastic advertising, the promise of an early "breakthrough in all military affairs," and then the quiet dying of the topic. More recently, a Russian general, speaking about the possible reaction of the Russian Aerospace Forces in Syria to "unidentified flying objects", put an end to the issue of "stealth aircraft", who are interested, listen and see the source.

Same with drones. They were created and had an advantage only under strictly defined conditions, outside of which they, like "stealth aircraft", are ordinary air targets.

The conditions under which "drones", "stealth aircraft" and other similar equipment have UNDISPUTABLE advantages and allow solving REAL tasks is only one thing: the enemy should not have at least ELEMENTARY means of dealing with them, the enemy should not have ABSOLUTELY any means of counteraction .

If we are talking about "stealth aircraft", then the enemy should have only single-frequency narrow-band radars of old generations, because only when using such radars there is such a thing as "reducing the EPR", which is the essence of obtaining this very "invisibility", but in fact - reducing visibility at certain frequencies. As soon as broadband and multi-band radars appeared, the "invisibility effect" disappeared, and forever .. It should be noted that similar airborne radars appeared, ground-based ones have existed for a long time ...

So it is with drones. They have a "weak link" - radio communication and navigation channels. The suppression of these channels turns them into an ordinary slow-moving projectile with a relatively short range.
Moreover, no one is going to "open the code sequences" of the control system, "replace the navigation data from satellites" and engage in other cinematic nonsense.
Dumb barrage directional interference in the widest possible frequency range and our "drone" loses external control, it is impossible to get information from it ..
All sorts of talk about "flying according to the program", " artificial intelligence", "noise-correcting coding", etc. are premature, they turn the topic into a conversation about "cruise missiles", but not about combat unmanned vehicles.

Interference transmitters are a relatively simple and not expensive thing, but it works on the principle of "no reception against scrap".

That is why all the "successes" of the Israeli army refer only to the time of the past and well-known enemy, who is armed with home-made missiles ...

If anyone disagrees, answer the question: where and when was the "indisputable advantage of stealth aircraft" realized? The answer is simple: nowhere and never. Same with drones.

But: I must say a big thank you to the American and Israeli engineers: with their work, they in practice reveal dead-end directions in the development of military and not only technology.
We recall again "space shuttles", "invisible aircraft", now "drones" - it is the presence of a dimensionless dough that allows them to come all the way from enthusiastic advertising and expectations of a "revolution in military affairs" to bitter disappointments and the concept of REAL possibilities. Gondoloplane, and here there is still an opinion that

Conducting work on the development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is considered one of the most promising courses in the development of current combat aviation. The use of UAVs or drones has already led to important changes in the tactics and strategy of military conflicts. Moreover, it is believed that in the very near future their significance will increase significantly. Some military experts believe that the positive shift in the development of drones is the most important achievement in the aviation industry of the last decade.

However, drones are used not only for military purposes. Today they are actively involved in national economy". With their help, aerial photography, patrols, geodetic surveys, monitoring of a wide variety of objects are carried out, and some even deliver purchases home. However, the most promising developments of new drones today are carried out for military purposes.

With the help of UAVs, many tasks are solved. Mainly, it is reconnaissance. Most of the modern drones were created for this purpose. IN last years there are more and more unmanned aerial vehicles. Drones-kamikaze can be distinguished as a separate category. Drones can conduct electronic warfare, they can be radio repeaters, spotters for artillery, air targets.

The first attempt to create aircrafts, uncontrolled by man, were undertaken immediately with the advent of the first airplanes. However, their practical implementation took place only in the 70s of the last century. After that, a genuine “drone boom” began. Remotely controlled aircraft technology has not been realized for quite a long time, but today it is produced in abundance.

As often happens, American companies are in the lead in the creation of drones. And this is not surprising, because the funding from the American budget for the creation of drones was simply astronomical by our standards. So during the 90s, three billion dollars were spent on similar projects, while in 2003 alone, more than one billion was spent on them.

Nowadays, work is underway to create the latest drones with a longer flight duration. The devices themselves should be heavier and solve problems in a difficult environment. Drones are being developed to combat ballistic missiles, unmanned fighters, microdrones capable of operating in large groups (swarms).

Work on the development of drones is underway in many countries around the world. More than one thousand companies are involved in this industry, but the most promising developments go straight to the military.

Drones: advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of unmanned aerial vehicles are:

• A significant reduction in size in comparison with conventional aircraft (LA), leading to a reduction in cost, increasing their survivability;
• The potential to create small UAVs that could perform a wide variety of tasks in combat areas;
• Ability to conduct reconnaissance and transmit information in real time;
• The absence of restrictions on use in an extremely difficult combat situation associated with the risk of their loss. When conducting critical operations, it is easy to sacrifice several drones;
• Reduction (by more than one order of magnitude) of peacetime flight operations that traditional aircraft would require, preparing flight crews;
• The presence of high combat readiness and mobility;
• The potential to create small, uncomplicated mobile complexes drones for non-aviation formations.

The disadvantages of UAVs include:

• Insufficient flexibility of use in comparison with traditional aircraft;
• Difficulties in resolving issues with communications, landing, rescue vehicles;
• In terms of reliability, drones are still inferior to conventional aircraft;
• Restriction of drone flights during peacetime.

A bit from the history of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)

The first remote-controlled aircraft was the Fairy Queen, built in 1933 in the UK. He was a target aircraft for fighter aircraft and anti-aircraft guns.

And the first serial drone that participated in a real war was the V-1 rocket. This German "wonder weapon" bombarded Great Britain. In total, up to 25,000 units of such equipment were manufactured. The V-1 had a pulse jet engine and an autopilot with route data.

After the war, unmanned intelligence systems were developed in the USSR and the USA. Soviet drones were reconnaissance aircraft. With their help, aerial photography, electronic intelligence, as well as relaying were carried out.

Israel has done a lot for the development of drones. Since 1978, they have had the first IAI Scout drone. In the 1982 Lebanese war, the Israeli army completely defeated the Syrian air defense system with the help of drones. As a result, Syria lost almost 20 air defense batteries and almost 90 aircraft. This was reflected in the attitude of military science to UAVs.

The Americans used UAVs in Desert Storm and in the Yugoslav campaign. In the 90s, they also became leaders in the development of drones. So since 2012, they have had almost 8 thousand UAVs of various modifications. Basically, these were small army reconnaissance drones, but there were also strike UAVs.

The first of them, in 2002, with a rocket attack on a car, eliminated one of the heads of Al-Qaeda. Since then, the use of UAVs to eliminate the enemy's PMD or its units has become commonplace.

Varieties of drones

Currently, there are a lot of drones that differ in their size, appearance, flight range, as well as functionality. UAVs differ in their control methods and their autonomy.

They can be:

• Unmanaged;
• remote controlled;
• Automatic.

According to their size, drones are:

• Microdrones (up to 10 kg);
• Minidrones (up to 50 kg);
• Mididrons (up to 1 ton);
• Heavy drones (weighing more than a ton).

Microdrones can stay in the airspace for up to one hour, minidrones for three to five hours, and mididrons for up to fifteen hours. Heavy drones can stay in the air for more than twenty-four hours with intercontinental flights.

Overview of foreign unmanned aerial vehicles

The main trend in the development of modern drones is to reduce their size. One of the Norwegian drones from Prox Dynamics can be such an example. The helicopter drone has a length of 100 mm and a weight of 120 grams, a range of up to one km, and a flight duration of up to 25 minutes. It has three video cameras.

These drones have been mass-produced since 2012. Thus, the British military purchased 160 sets of PD-100 Black Hornet in the amount of 31 million dollars for special operations in Afghanistan.

Microdrones are also being developed in the United States. They are working on a special Soldier Borne Sensors program aimed at developing and implementing reconnaissance drones with the potential to extract information for platoons or companies. There is information about the planning by the American army leadership to provide all fighters with individual drones.

To date, the RQ-11 Raven is considered the heaviest drone in the US Army. It has a mass of 1.7 kg, a wingspan of 1.5 m and a flight of up to 5 km. With an electric motor, the drone can reach speeds of up to 95 km/h and stay in flight for up to one hour.

He has a digital video camera with night vision. The launch is made from the hands, and a special platform is not needed for landing. The devices can fly along predetermined routes in automatic mode, GPS signals can serve as reference points for them, or they can be controlled by operators. These drones are in service with more than a dozen states.

The heavy American army UAV is the RQ-7 Shadow, which conducts reconnaissance at the brigade level. It has been mass-produced since 2004 and has a two-keel plumage with a pusher propeller and several modifications. These drones are equipped with conventional or infrared video cameras, radar, target illumination, laser rangefinders, and multispectral cameras. Guided five-kilogram bombs are suspended from the vehicles.

The RQ-5 Hunter is a mid-size, half-ton drone, a joint US-Israeli development. In its arsenal there is a television camera, a third-generation thermal imager, a laser rangefinder and other equipment. It is launched from a special platform with a rocket booster. Its flight zone is within a range of up to 270 km, for 12 hours. Some Hunter modifications have pendants for small bombs.

MQ-1 Predator is the most famous American UAV. This is the "transformation" of a reconnaissance drone into a strike drone, which has several modifications. The Predator conducts reconnaissance and delivers precision ground strikes. It has a maximum takeoff weight of more than a ton, a radar station, several video cameras (including an IR system), other equipment and several modifications.

In 2001, a high-precision laser-guided Hellfire-C missile was created for him, which was used in Afghanistan the following year. The complex has four drones, a control station and a satellite communications terminal, and costs more than four million dollars. The most advanced modification is the MQ-1C Gray Eagle with a larger wingspan and a more advanced engine.

The MQ-9 Reaper is the next American strike UAV with several modifications, known since 2007. It has a longer flight time, guided bombs, and more advanced radio electronics. The MQ-9 Reaper performed admirably in the Iraqi and Afghan campaigns. Its advantage over the F-16 is a lower purchase and operating price, a longer flight duration without risk to the pilot's life.

1998 - the first flight of the American strategic unmanned reconnaissance aircraft RQ-4 Global Hawk. At present, it is the largest UAV with a takeoff weight of more than 14 tons, with payload in 1.3 tons. It can stay in the airspace for 36 hours, while overcoming 22 thousand km. It is assumed that these drones will replace the U-2S reconnaissance aircraft.

Overview of Russian UAVs

What is currently at the disposal of the Russian army, and what are the prospects for Russian UAVs in the near future?

"Pchela-1T"- Soviet drone, first took off in 1990. He was a fire spotter for multiple launch rocket systems. It had a mass of 138 kg, a range of up to 60 km. He started from a special installation with a rocket booster, sat down by parachute. Used in Chechnya, but outdated.

"Dozor-85"- reconnaissance drone for the border service with a mass of 85 kg, flight time up to 8 hours. The Skat reconnaissance and strike UAV was a promising machine, but so far work has been suspended.

UAV "Forpost" is a licensed copy of the Israeli Searcher 2. It was developed back in the 90s. Forpost has a takeoff weight of up to 400 kg, a flight range of up to 250 km, satellite navigation and television cameras.

In 2007, a reconnaissance drone was adopted "Tipchak", with a launch weight of 50 kg and a flight duration of up to two hours. It has a regular and infrared camera. "Dozor-600" is a multi-purpose device developed by "Transas", was presented at the MAKS-2009 exhibition. He is considered an analogue of the American "Predator".

UAV "Orlan-3M" and "Orlan-10". They were developed for reconnaissance, search and rescue operations, target designation. Drones are extremely similar in their own way. appearance. However, they differ slightly in their take-off weight and flight range. They take off with a catapult and land by parachute.

However, given that the program for creating robotic combat systems in Russia is classified, it is quite possible that publicity in the media was not needed, because, perhaps, combat tests of promising models of robotics were carried out.

Let's try to analyze open information about what combat robots Russia currently has. Let's start the first part of the article with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Ka-37 is a Russian unmanned aerial vehicle (unmanned helicopter) designed for aerial photography, broadcasting and relaying television and radio signals, conducting environmental experiments, delivering medicines, food and mail when providing emergency assistance in the process of eliminating accidents and disasters in hard-to-reach and dangerous for humans places.

Purpose

• Multipurpose unmanned helicopter
• First flight: 1993

Specifications

• Main rotor diameter: 4.8 m
• Fuselage length: 3.14m
• Height with rotation screws: 1.8 m
• Weight Max. takeoff 250 kg
• Engine: P-037 (2x24.6 kW)
• Cruise speed: 110 km/h
• Max. speed: 145 km/h
• Range: 20 km
• Flight range: ~100 km
• Practical ceiling: 3800 m

Ka-137- reconnaissance UAV (helicopter). The first flight was made in 1999. Developed by: OKB Kamov. The unmanned helicopter Ka-137 is made according to a coaxial scheme. The chassis is four-bearing. The body has a spherical shape with a diameter of 1.3 m.

Equipped with a satellite navigation system and a digital autopilot, the Ka-137 moves automatically along a pre-planned route and goes to a predetermined place with an accuracy of 60 m. On the Internet, it received the unofficial nickname "Pepelats" by analogy with the aircraft from the movie "Kin-dza-dza!" .

Specifications

• Main propeller diameter: 5.30 m
• Length: 1.88 m
• Width: 1.88 m
• Height: 2.30 m
• Weight:
  • empty: 200 kg
  • maximum takeoff: 280 kg
• Engine type 1 PD Hirht 2706 R05
• Power: 65 HP With.
• Speed:
  • maximum: 175 km/h
  • cruising: 145 km/h
• Practical range: 530 km
• Flight duration: 4 hours
• Ceiling:
  • practical: 5000 m
  • static: 2900 m
• maximum: 80 kg

PS-01 Komar - operational unmanned aircraft, remotely piloted vehicle.

The first flight was made in 1980, it was developed at OSKBES MAI (Special Design Bureau of the MAI). Three samples of the apparatus were built. On the device, a scheme of an annular plumage with a pusher propeller and rudders placed inside the ring was developed, which was subsequently applied to create a serial complex of the Bumblebee-1 type.

The design features of the RPV are the use of folding wings and the modular design of the fuselage. The wings of the apparatus were folded in such a way that in the assembled (transport) form the aircraft was placed in a container 2.2x1x0.8 m. .

The RPV fuselage had a detachable head module with three quick-release locks, which ensured a simple change of modules. This reduced the time to replace the module with the target load, the time to load the aircraft with pesticides or biological protection of agricultural areas.

Specifications

• Normal takeoff weight, kg 90
• Maximum ground speed, km/h 180
• Practical flight range with load, km 100
• Aircraft length, m 2.15
• Wingspan, m 2.12

Reconnaissance UAV. The first flight was made in 1983. Work on the creation of a mini-UAV has begun at the OKB. A. S. Yakovleva in 1982 based on the experience of studying combat use Israeli UAVs in the 1982 war. In 1985, the development of the Bumblebee-1 UAV with a four-bearing chassis began. Flight tests of the Shmel-1 UAV in the version equipped with television and IR equipment began in 1989. The device is designed for 10 launches, is stored and transported folded in a fiberglass container. Equipped with interchangeable sets of reconnaissance equipment, which include a television camera, a thermal imaging camera, mounted on a gyro-stabilized ventral platform. Parachute landing method.

Specifications

• Wingspan, m 3.25
• Length, m 2.78
• Height, m ​​1.10
• Weight, kg 130
• Engine type 1 PD
• Power, hp 1 x 32
• Cruise speed, km/h 140
• Flight duration, h 2
• Practical ceiling, m 3000
• Minimum flight altitude, m 100

"Bumblebee-1" served as a prototype for a more advanced machine "Pchela-1T" with which it is practically indistinguishable from the outside.

Pchela-1T

Pchela-1T- Soviet and Russian reconnaissance UAV. With the help of the complex, operational interaction is carried out with the means of fire destruction of the MLRS "Smerch", "Grad", cannon artillery, attack helicopters in the conditions of fire and electronic countermeasures.

The launch is carried out using two solid-propellant boosters with a short guide placed on the tracked chassis of the airborne combat vehicle. Landing is carried out on a parachute with a shock-absorbing inflatable bag, which reduces shock overloads. The Pchela-1 RPV uses a P-032 two-stroke two-cylinder internal combustion engine as a power plant. The Stroy-P complex with the Pchela-1T RPV, created in 1990 by A.S. Yakovlev, is designed for round-the-clock observation of objects and transmission of their television or thermal imaging images in real time to a ground control point. In 1997, the complex was adopted by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Resource: 5 sorties.

Specifications

• Wingspan, m: 3.30
• Length, m: 2.80
• Height, m: 1.12
• Weight, kg: 138
• Engine type: piston
• Power, hp: 1 x 32
• The range of the complex, km: 60
• Flight altitude range above sea level, m: 100-2500
• Flight speed, km/h: 120-180
• RPV takeoff weight, kg: up to 138
• Control way:
  • automatic flight according to the program
  • remote manual control
• RPV coordinate measurement error:
  • in range, m: no more than 150
  • in azimuth, degrees: no more than 1
• Start altitude above sea level, m: up to 2,000
• Height range of optimal reconnaissance above the underlying surface, m: 100-1000
• RPV turn rate, deg/s: not less than 3
• Complex deployment time, min: 20
• TV camera field of view in pitch, deg: 5 - −65
• Flight duration, h: 2
• Number of takeoffs and landings (applications for each RPV): 5
• Operating temperature range of the complex, °С: -30 - +50
• Service personnel training time, h: 200
• Wind at RPV launch, m/s: no more than 10
• Wind during RPV landing, m/s: no more than 8

Tu-143 "Reis" - reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)

Designed for conducting tactical reconnaissance in the front line by means of photo and telereconnaissance of area targets and individual routes, as well as monitoring the radiation situation along the flight route. It is part of the VR-3 complex. At the end of the flight, the Tu-143 turned around according to the program and returned back to the landing zone, where, after stopping the engine and the “hill” maneuver, landing was carried out using a parachute-reactive system and landing gear.

The use of the complex was practiced in the 4th Center for Combat Use of the Air Force. In the 1970s and 1980s, 950 pieces were produced. In April 2014, the Armed Forces of Ukraine reactivated the drones left over from the USSR and tested them, after which their combat use began on the territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

• Tu-143 modification
• Wingspan, m 2.24
• Length, m 8.06
• Height, m ​​1.545
• Wing area, m2 2.90
• Weight, kg 1230
• Engine type TRD TRZ-117
• Thrust, kgf 1 x 640
• Accelerator SPRD-251
• Maximum speed, km/h
• Cruise speed, km/h 950
• Practical range, km 180
• Flight time, min 13
• Practical ceiling, m 1000
• Minimum flight altitude, m 10

Skat is a reconnaissance and attack unmanned aerial vehicle developed by the Mikoyan and Gurevich Design Bureau and Klimov OJSC. It was first presented at the MAKS-2007 air show as a full-size mock-up intended for testing design and layout solutions.

According to the Director General of RAC "MIG" Sergey Korotkov, the development of the unmanned attack aerial vehicle "Skat" has been stopped. According to the decision of the Ministry of Defense of Russia, according to the results of the corresponding tender, the Sukhoi AHC was chosen as the lead developer of a promising strike UAV. However, the groundwork for "Skat" will be used in the development of the "family" of the Sukhoi UAV, and RAC "MIG" will take part in these works. The project was suspended due to lack of funding. December 22, 2015 in an interview (Vedomosti newspaper) with CEO RSK "MiG" Serey Korotkov said that work on the "Skat" continues. The work is carried out jointly with TsAGI. The development is financed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.

Purpose

• Conducting reconnaissance
• Attacking ground targets with aerial bombs and guided missiles (X-59)
• Destruction of radar systems by missiles (X-31).

Specifications

• Length: 10.25 m
• Wingspan: 11.50 m
• Height: 2.7 m
• Chassis: tricycle
• Maximum takeoff weight: 20000 kg
• Engine: 1 × turbofan RD-5000B with a flat nozzle
• Thrust: without afterburner: 1 × 5040 kgf
• Thrust-to-weight ratio: at maximum takeoff weight: 0.25 kgf / kg

Flight characteristics

• Maximum speed at high altitude: 850 km/h (0.8 M)
• Flight range: 4000 km
• Combat radius: 1200 km
• Practical ceiling: 15000 m

Armament

Designed for observation, target designation, fire adjustment, damage assessment. Effective in conducting aerial photography and video shooting at a short distance. Produced by the Izhevsk company "ZALA AERO GROUP" under the leadership of Zakharov A.V.

The unmanned aerial vehicle is designed according to the "flying wing" aerodynamic scheme and consists of a glider with a system automatic control autopilot, controls and power plant, onboard power system, parachute landing system and removable payload units. To ensure that the aircraft does not get lost at the late time of the day, miniature LED lamps are installed on the body, requiring low power consumption. Runs ZALA 421-08 from the hands. Landing method - automatically with a parachute.

Characteristics:

• Range of video/radio channel 15 km / 25 km
• Flight duration 80 min
• UAV wingspan 810 mm
• UAV length 425 mm
• Maximum flight altitude 3600 m
• Launch for the body of the UAV or catapult
• Landing - parachute / net
• Engine type - electric pulling
• Speed ​​65-130 km/h
• Maximum takeoff weight 2.5 kg
• Target load mass 300 g
• Navigation INS with GPS/GLONASS correction, radio range finder
• Target loads Type "08"
• Glider - one-piece wing
• Battery – 10000 mAh 4S
• Maximum allowable wind speed 20 m/s
• Operating temperature range -30°C…+40°C
(5 votes, average: 5,00 out of 5)

Unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV, less commonly UAV; colloquially also “drone” or “drone”, from English drone - drone) - an aircraft without a crew on board. UAVs can have varying degrees of autonomy - from remotely controlled to fully automatic, and also differ in design, purpose and many other parameters. UAV control can be carried out by episodic commands or continuously - in the latter case, the UAV is called a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA). The main advantage of UAVs/RPVs is the significantly lower cost of their creation and operation (assuming equal efficiency in performing the assigned tasks) - according to expert estimates, combat UAVs of the upper range of complexity cost approximately $6 million, while the cost of a comparable manned fighter is about $100 million dollars. The disadvantage of UAVs is the vulnerability of systems remote control, which is especially important for military UAVs.

Encyclopedic YouTube

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✪ Unmanned aerial vehicles (narrated by Vladimir Mikheev and others)

Subtitles

Definition

According to the Rules for the use of airspace Russian Federation, UAV is defined as "an aircraft that performs flight without a pilot (crew) on board and is controlled in flight automatically, by an operator from a control center, or by a combination of these methods" . The US Department of Defense uses a similar definition, where the only sign of a UAV is the absence of a pilot.

Unmanned aerial system

Instead of the term "UAV", the broader definition of "Unmanned Aircraft System" may be used. BPAS includes:

• the UAV itself
• control point (operator console, transceiver equipment)
• communication system with the UAV (this can be a direct radio link or satellite link)
• additional equipment necessary for the transportation or maintenance of the UAV

Classification

• controlled automatically
• controlled by the operator from the control center (RPV)
• hybrid

For maximum takeoff weight:

The US Department of Defense divides UAVs into five groups according to operational parameters:

World War I

During the First World War, all participating countries actively experimented with unmanned aircraft. In November 1914, the German War Office instructed the Commission for Transport Technology (in German. Verkehrstechnische Prüfungs-Kommission) to develop a remote control system that could be installed both on ships and on aircraft. The project was led by Max Wien, a professor at the University of Jena, and the main technology supplier was Siemens & Halske. In less than a year of testing, Wien managed to develop a technology suitable for practical application in the Navy, but "not reliable enough in terms of electronic countermeasures", as well as "not accurate enough for aviation bombing". Siemens & Halske continued their aviation experiments and in 1915-1918 produced more than 100 remote-controlled gliders by wire, which were launched both from the ground and from airships, and could carry a torpedo or bomb load of up to 1000 kg. Later, the developments of "Siemens & Halske" were applied by the company "Mannesmann-MULAG" in the radio-controlled bomber of the project " Bat"(German Fledermaus) . This reusable UAV had a range of up to 200 km and could carry a load of up to 150 kg. Flight control and bomb release were carried out from the ground and the device could be returned to the starting point, after which it had to land using a parachute.

As a result, neither the United States, nor Germany, nor other countries used UAVs in the hostilities of the First World War, but the ideas laid down in those years were later used in cruise missiles.

Interwar period

The end of the First World War did not stop the development of unmanned aircraft. The rapid development of radio and aviation had a positive effect on the success of experiments with the first UAVs. In September 1924, a Curtiss F-5L floatplane made the first fully radio-controlled flight, including takeoff, maneuvering, and landing on water.

At the same time, by the mid-1920s, it became clear that combat aviation could pose a serious threat to the navy. To practice skills in repelling an attack from the air, the fleet needed remotely controlled targets, which gave an additional impetus to drone development programs. In 1933, the first reusable UAV target "Queen Bee" was developed in Great Britain. The first samples were created on the basis of three restored Fairy Queen biplanes, remotely controlled from the ship by radio. Two of them crashed and the third flew successfully, making the UK the first country to benefit from UAVs.

In 1936, the captain of the third rank Delmar Farney, who led the US Navy's radio-controlled aviation project, first used the word "drone" in his report, which later became fixed as an alternative to the term "UAV". Under the direction of Farney, the US Navy first used an unmanned flying target in exercises in 1938 and returned to the "aircraft torpedo" projects forgotten after the First World War. In early 1938, the Navy negotiated with the American Radio Corporation for the use of television equipment for remote control of aircraft. In 1939, the exercises conducted by the US Navy off the coast of Cuba showed the high efficiency of aviation, so the fleet signed a contract with Radioplane to develop a large number UAV for use as targets in exercises. From 1941 to 1945, the company produced more than 3,800 Radioplane OQ-2 UAVs, and in 1952 was absorbed by the Northrop Corporation.

The Second World War

In addition to the mass production of Radioplane OQ-2 target UAVs for training pilots and anti-aircraft gunners, the US Navy has been actively developing disposable combat UAVs (“aircraft torpedoes”). In 1942, the Fletcher BG-1 and BG-2 models successfully attacked training water targets moving at a speed of 7-8 knots, and successful training drops of torpedoes and depth charges were made using television guidance. As a result, the fleet ordered the production of 500 UAVs and 170 carrier aircraft. In order not to create an additional burden on the aviation industry, it was decided to convert the decommissioned Douglas TBD Devastator into UAVs.

At the same time, by order of the fleet, the Interstate TDR-1 was developed, capable of carrying a torpedo or a 2000-pound bomb. First successful mission TDR-1 began an attack on the Japanese merchant ship Yamazuki Maru on July 30, 1944 - at that time the ship had been aground on the Solomon Islands for two years, but was armed with anti-aircraft artillery. A total of 195 such drones were produced between 1942 and 1945.

In the spirit of the usual lack of coordination between the army and navy, at the same time the US Army was engaged in Operation Aphrodite, in which 17 retired B-17 bombers were to be converted into radio-controlled UAVs, filled with explosives and used to destroy factories that produced missiles. "V-1" and "V-2". All unnecessary equipment (machine guns, bomb racks, seats) was removed from the aircraft, which made it possible to load 18,000 pounds of explosives into each - twice the normal bomb load. Since the radio control did not allow the aircraft to take off safely, the takeoff was carried out by a team of volunteers - a pilot and a flight engineer. After takeoff and climb, the crew alerted the fuses, turned on the radio control system and ejected with parachutes. Further flight control was carried out from the accompanying aircraft via radio and telecommunications. Of the seventeen UAVs, only one managed to reach the target, explode and cause significant damage, the program was curtailed.

In addition, during the war years, the United States created a number of guided bombs, including the ASM-N-2 Bat homing glide bomb, the world's first fire-and-forget weapon. After the war, efforts in the development of unmanned aerial vehicles in the United States temporarily shifted towards the creation of guided missiles and aerial bombs, only in the 1960s returning to the idea of ​​non-strike UAVs.

cold war

In 1960, an American U-2 reconnaissance aircraft was shot down over the territory of the USSR, and its pilot was captured. The political consequences of this incident, as well as the interception of the RB-47 long-range reconnaissance aircraft near the borders of the Soviet Union and the loss of the U-2 during the Caribbean crisis, forced the US leadership to pay additional attention to the development of reconnaissance UAVs and the Firebee target conversion program was resumed. Its result was the appearance of unmanned reconnaissance aircraft Ryan Model 147A Fire Fly and Ryan Model 147B LIghtning Bug, produced in various modifications until the beginning of the 21st century.

Similarly, in the USSR, on the basis of the La-17 KB Lavochkin flying target, the unmanned reconnaissance aircraft La-17R was created, which made its first flight in 1963, but did not gain popularity. On September 23, 1957, the Tupolev Design Bureau received a state order for the development of a mobile nuclear supersonic medium-range cruise missile. The first launch of the Tu-121 model was carried out on August 25, 1960, but the program was closed in favor of ballistic missiles of Design Bureau Korolev. The created design was used as a target, as well as in the creation of jet unmanned reconnaissance aircraft Tu-123 "Hawk", Tu-141 "Strizh" and Tu-143 "Flight". Unlike the Ryan Model 147, which launched from an air launch, Tupolev's UAVs could take off from mobile ground complexes. In the 1970s - 1980s, about 950 Tu-143 units were produced alone. Further development"Reisa" became the Tu-243 in the 1980s and the Tu-300 in the 2000s.

Another significant Cold War threat to the United States was Soviet strategic submarines. To combat them, the first Gyrodyne QH-50 DASH UAV helicopter was developed, armed with Mark 44 torpedoes or Mark 17 325-pound depth charges. The small size of the device made it possible to equip them with small ships that would otherwise be left without air anti-submarine defense. In the period from 1959 to the withdrawal of the QH-50 from service in 1969, more than 800 units of this UAV were built.

Unmanned aerial vehicles in the Middle East were used by Israel during the War of Attrition (1967-1970), then the Yom Kippur War in 1973 and later during the fighting in the Bekaa Valley (1982). They were used for surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as decoys. The Israeli IAI Scout UAV and Mastiff small UAVs conducted reconnaissance and surveillance of Syrian airfields, air defense systems positions and troop movements. According to information received from the UAV, a distraction group of Israeli aviation, before the strike of the main forces, caused the inclusion of the radar stations of the Syrian air defense systems, which were hit with the help of homing anti-radar missiles, and those that were not destroyed were suppressed by interference. The success of Israeli aviation was impressive - Syria lost 18 SAM batteries and 86 aircraft. The success of the UAV application interested the Pentagon and led to the joint US-Israeli development of the RQ-2 Pioneer system.

1990-2010

The development of communication and navigation systems, primarily the global positioning system (GPS) at the turn of the 1990s (the war in the Persian Gulf was the first conflict in which GPS was widely used) brought UAVs to new level popularity. UAVs have been used successfully by both sides, primarily as surveillance, reconnaissance and target designation platforms.

In 1992, an Israeli UAV was used for the first time as a combat weapon for target designation during an operation to eliminate the leader of the terrorist organization Hezbollah Abbas al-Musavi in ​​southern Lebanon. The UAV tracked down the convoy in which Mousavi was traveling and marked his car with a laser marker, at which a missile was fired from an attack helicopter.

In the future, UAVs were also successfully used in peacekeeping operations by the UN forces in the former Yugoslavia, in the conflict in Kosovo (1999), in Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003), performing missions that were designated in military jargon as 3D (English dull , dirty, dangerous) - "boring, dirty, dangerous." The development of technology, the accumulation of combat experience and changes in the attitude of the high command of NATO countries to the use of drones in combat operations have gradually pushed UAVs to the forefront of the war: from reconnaissance and gunners, they have turned into an independent strike force.

Until 2008, little attention was paid to the development and implementation of UAVs in Russia. In 2007, OKB MiG and Klimov presented the Skat strike stealth drone, but the project was later closed. The Tupolev Design Bureau also carried out work on the Tu-300, the modernization of the Tu-243 complex, but this drone was not put into service.

Current state

USA

The main vector for the development of UAVs at the beginning of the 21st century was an increase in autonomy. Joint Air Force and Navy USA project "Common unmanned strike aircraft system" (Eng. Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems) was supposed to develop not only an inconspicuous UAV, but also methods for independently coordinating UAVs on the battlefield, making tactical decisions based on the assigned combat missions.

In 2011, the first flight was made by the X-47B UAV, which has a high degree of autonomy and is able to land in a fully automatic mode, including on the deck of an aircraft carrier. In April 2015, the X-47B performed the first fully automatic aerial refueling in history.

Russia

In 2010, the Orlan-10 short-range UAV (weight 18 kg) was launched in St. Petersburg. Having worked on a number of large-scale exercises, including Kavkaz-2012, Orlan-10 was highly appreciated by the leadership of the Ground Forces and the Airborne Forces. The complex was adopted by the Russian army at the end of 2012, in total more than 200 devices were produced and delivered to the troops.

Israel

Israel is a leader in UAV technology development and one of the largest manufacturers along with the US, China and Canada. Between 1985 and 2014, 60.7% of all exported drones in the world were produced in Israel. In second place is the United States, which supplied 23.9% of all drones exported during this period. In third place is Canada (6.4%).

The UAV squadrons of the Israel Defense Forces Air Force are armed with a full range of UAVs - from light tactical reconnaissance and observers to the world's heaviest UAV Eitan and a full range of assignments - surveillance, reconnaissance, target designation, coordination of actions of ground units, assault strike UAVs, etc. d.

Major UAV manufacturers in Israel are Israel Aerospace Industries, Elbit Systems and Rafael.

China

Civic market

Civilian UAVs began to explode in popularity in the early 2010s. In 2010, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) erroneously estimated that there would be about 15,000 drones in civilian use by 2020. In a similar FAA forecast in 2016, this estimate was raised to 550,000. In a 2014 Business Insider forecast, the civilian UAV market was estimated at $1 billion in 2020, but two years later this estimate was raised to 12 billion dollars.

In Dubai, at the international summit "World Government Summit" was presented the first model of an unmanned flying taxi. A small drone, which can accommodate one passenger, is able to stay in the air for about half an hour in one flight. It is equipped with four "legs", each of which has two small propellers. When boarding, the passenger enters the destination on the touch screen. The flight of such a taxi will be under the supervision of a ground control center. Most likely in July, such a service will work on permanent basis.

Drones are used even in the zoo. So, in the Chinese province of Heilongjiang, Amur tigers have gained excess weight and become completely lazy. This can be a real problem for animals, because their metabolism is disturbed and immunity is reduced. That is why it was necessary to make them move. As a trainer (and an incentive for training), a drone was launched over the enclosure with striped predators, which tigers hunt with pleasure, which helps them to come to a good physical form.

In addition, at the moment, such a direction is developing for the use of UAVs, as the so-called. “Drone racing”, that is, racing on self-assembled civilian multi-rotor drones, most often quadrocopters, mostly small ones, with a diagonal length of up to 25 cm between opposite motors, the power of which allows them to accelerate up to 150 km / h. These races consist in passing a certain three-dimensional track formed by the landscape and artificial obstacles (for example, gates), for time or for speed, competing with other participants. World championships are held between the best pilots. Actively developing in Russia.

Design

Manned and unmanned aerial vehicles have a similar (generally) design, with the exception of the cockpit and life support and air conditioning systems.

Fuselage

Software

Various real-time payment systems are used to control the UAV.

Technical shortcomings

To be resistant to countermeasures, a drone must somehow have a resistance comparable to full-fledged complexes, which somehow increases the cost of the drone and dramatically increases the risk of mass destruction of drones with minimal means. The drone is often even slower, less maneuverable and dependent on interference than cruise missile. One example of the combat use of drones is the aimed fire with improvised devices based on civilian mini-drones on Abrams tanks during the assault on Mosul, which is successful as such, on the contrary, countermeasures, for example, radio jamming of the control channel, could completely disable drones of any technical level. Disputes about the technical shortcomings of drones are always devoid of substance - in practice, unequal rivals oppose each other.

see also

Notes

1. What is a drone? (indefinite) . dronomania.ru.
2. Aviation: Encyclopedia / Ch. ed. G. P. Svishchev. - M. : Great Russian Encyclopedia, 1994. - S. 108. - 736 p. - ISBN 5-85270-086-X.
3. Samuel Greengard. Internet of Things: The Future is Here = The Internet of Things. - M. : Alpina Publisher, 2016. - 188 p. - ISBN 978-5-9614-5853-4.
4. Rajesh Kumar. Tactical Reconnaissance: Uavs Versus Manned Aircraft // The Pennsylvania State University. - 1997. - No. AU/ACSC/0349/97-03.- copy on the PennState website
5. Aviation: Encyclopedia / Ch. ed. G. P. Svishchev. - M.: Great Russian Encyclopedia, 1994. - S. 220. - 736 p. - ISBN 5-85270-086-X.
6. Crash test drone (indefinite) . drone2.com.
7. Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of March 11, 2010 N 138 (as amended on July 12, 2016) "On the Approval of the Federal Rules for the Use of Air Space of the Russian Federation"
8. Joint Publication 3-30 - Command and Control of Joint Air Operations - 10.02.2014.
9. Cir 328 AN/190 - ICAO Circular "Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)"
10. Reg Austin. UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS UAVS DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND DEPLOYMENT. - John Wiley and Sons, 2010. - 365 p. - ISBN 9780470058190.
11. FAA - Unmanned Aircraft Systems - Beyond the Basics
12. Department of Defense. “Unmanned Aircraft System Airspace Integration Plan” (PDF) . Retrieved 2015-08-06.

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 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-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.

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 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 "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, 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 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, 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 Platform-M robotic complexes and four Argo complexes took part in the attack on the heights, the attack of drones was supported by the Akatsiya self-propelled artillery mounts (ACS) recently transferred 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 automated system control "Andromeda-D". 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.