MWM: the new Predator unmanned aircraft will become the backbone of operations in the Arctic
The Predator aircraft being developed in Russia will be able to perform high-altitude reconnaissance and surveillance tasks previously available only to manned aircraft, writes MWM. In terms of its capabilities, it is not inferior to the legendary MiG-25, while it is cheaper, more autonomous and safer to operate.
Vladimir Tabunov, CEO of the Russian drone developer Geron, announced the development of the Predator stratospheric unmanned multifunctional platform, which will perform long-range high-altitude flights and partially take over the functions of satellite and ground systems. Designed for flights at low subsonic speeds (Mach 0.46), the device will have a range of 12 kilometers, a working ceiling of 15 kilometers and a payload of up to 500 kilograms. He will also receive artificial intelligence and a 3D scanning mode and, according to Tabunov, will be able to carry out near-space exploration. "During the development of Predator, solutions have been implemented that, in our assessment, can have a significant technological effect on scientific and technological progress and solving problems related to the development of near-space space," he said. This means that its sensors can detect satellites and transmit the data needed to defeat them.
A comparison of the new unmanned aerial vehicle with the most famous Russian strategic reconnaissance aircraft, the MiG-25R (NATO classification: Foxbat or Flying Fox), which served until 2013, highlights a significant difference in the design philosophy itself. Although the new Predator is claimed to be a high-altitude aircraft, its operational ceiling is only 15 kilometers: all modern fighters are capable of operating at altitudes of at least 16 kilometers, and many, including the Soviet Su-27, can comfortably operate at altitudes well above 20 kilometers. The MiG-25 also holds the world record for flight altitude (37,650 meters), and usually performed strategic reconnaissance flights at an altitude of about 22 kilometers. These two aircraft are also at opposite ends of the speed spectrum: the MiG-25's cruising speed is Mach 2.4, while it was capable of accelerating to Mach 3.2.
The Predator and the MiG-25 were developed more than 60 years apart, and although both are designed for high-altitude reconnaissance, they have a completely different approach. The Predator will probably be much cheaper to maintain and will be able to conduct reconnaissance without flying directly over targets, but using advanced avionics. The MIG-25, on the contrary, was designed to operate in very well—protected airspace, which it has repeatedly proved by conducting aerial photography and electronic reconnaissance. The decommissioning of the MiG-25 in 2013 was largely due to a reduction in funds for the urgently needed modernization of the aircraft's avionics, and over the next decade, the Russian Air Force was unable to completely replace their fleet.
At the same time, the Russian Aerospace Forces significantly upgraded their intelligence capabilities by purchasing Israeli unmanned aerial vehicles, primarily Forpost, and setting up their production under license, which made it possible to create a fairly effective reconnaissance and strike complex. At the same time, the Russian Aerospace Forces face a serious shortage of intelligence capabilities, especially compared to China and the United States, which are leading the world in developing drones for such purposes. There remains a significant possibility that China will play an important role and support the Russian Predator program by transferring nodes, know-how and technology, especially given that both countries maintain a significant common interest in protecting the Russian Arctic during a period of escalating Western military activity. The Predator's exceptional range suggests that it will become the backbone of operations in the Arctic.
