New remote-controlled devices will help with the protection, restoration and repair of bridges
The railway troops received underwater remote-controlled devices, Izvestia found out. They are needed for the repair and inspection of pontoon and railway bridges, as well as for engineering exploration of the water area. The new equipment will also play a major role in protecting important transport communications — it will become indispensable in protecting bridges from saboteurs, military experts say.
Underwater drones for bridges
New underwater remote-controlled devices have already been tested at the September exercises of the Moscow Military District. With their help, units of the railway troops practiced the restoration of the damaged pontoon bridge, sources familiar with the situation told Izvestia.
According to the exercise scenario, the enemy's attack UAV damaged the structure, and the military had to return it to service.
To do this, we decided to use an underwater drone. Before diving, the repair divers used it to conduct underwater reconnaissance. It allowed us to determine the scope of the upcoming work and draw up a plan to restore the damaged crossing, the interlocutors of the publication noted.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Evgeny Biyatov
Image source: iz.ru
The RB-150 vehicles are used by the railway troops to carry out underwater work. The servicemen have already managed to nickname them "fish", the interlocutors of the publication said.
The device is designed for automated inspection of underwater structures at a depth of up to 100 m. It is equipped with outrigger tentacles that allow it to carry loads weighing up to 500 g.
The tasks that railway warriors solve are often related to working on and under water, such as repairing and maintaining bridges. Underwater vehicles will allow our soldiers to conduct a visual inspection of structures faster, which will help save time for units or repair crews, military expert Yuri Lyamin told Izvestia.
— Underwater drone calculations are as mobile as possible — they can arrive at the site quickly. And by the time a group of divers with special equipment is brought there, the operator will already have a comprehensive idea of the situation, and the commander will have a ready plan for the upcoming work," he explained.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Evgeny Biyatov
Image source: iz.ru
In addition, underwater vehicles can explore the bottom and analyze the soil. This is necessary when erecting bridge supports or choosing a suitable place for a pontoon crossing, explained military expert, associate professor of the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Colonel Alexander Perendzhiev.
A thorough exploration of the adjacent water area will allow you to determine the features of the reservoir and possible threats. This will help to operate the crossing correctly, the expert added.
In addition to surveying transport communications, drones will help monitor the underwater environment around important facilities. In particular, they will be able to patrol a given area, preventing the penetration of enemy saboteurs who can mine the bridge, Alexander Perendzhiev believes.
— In the realities of CBR, it is very important to reliably protect transport facilities. We have already seen attacks on them, it is enough to recall the Crimean Bridge. And attempts to influence important infrastructure will not stop. The enemy knows that the front receives a large amount of cargo by rail and seeks to reduce volumes at any cost," the expert noted.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Alexander Polegenko
Image source: iz.ru
The use of underwater vehicles will also reduce the burden on divers and reduce risks to personnel.
— The car with the device should always go first, doing everything possible not to transfer personnel once again. This will prevent the divers from overexerting themselves and putting them in danger," concluded Alexander Perendzhiev.
How the underwater "Fish" works
One of the features of the RB-150 underwater vehicle is powered via a cable. The drone is connected to the generator using a 150-meter cord.
— Of course, the generator will not always be able to be used in a combat situation. However, now there are many powerful portable batteries that can easily fit into a tactical backpack," said the interlocutors familiar with the situation.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Alexey Danichev
Image source: iz.ru
According to them, power supply via cable does not create problems for the "Fish". The drone can withstand a load of up to 220 kg, so it is not afraid of driftwood and algae.
Robots in the railway troops
New equipment is actively being supplied to the railway troops. Izvestia wrote about the appearance of remote-controlled platforms.
Such robotic trolleys are capable of carrying more than a ton of cargo with a large power reserve in all weather conditions. This allows you to quickly transfer the necessary supplies without the risk of casualties among the personnel.
Armored trains, which are in service with the Russian army, have begun to receive technical vision . This is a video optical complex, a system of cameras with artificial intelligence that can independently detect and recognize enemy objects.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Stanislav Krasilnikov
Image source: iz.ru
First of all, the new system is used to detect enemy drones on the route of armored trains.
The introduction of new technology makes the exploration of railway tracks and adjacent territories more efficient, provides additional safety to trains, and most importantly, to railway soldiers.
The main threat to military logistics in the frontline zone is drones, sabotage and reconnaissance groups, and remote mining of tracks and important bridges. Units of the railway troops conduct daily technical and engineering reconnaissance of routes, ensuring the safe restoration and operation of tracks. The new technology greatly facilitates the performance of these combat missions.
Andrey Buevich
Maxim Vysochin
