Forbes: Russia is working on the Hunter-B UAV ahead of schedule
The Russian unmanned aerial vehicle "Hunter-B" dropped a bomb at the Ashuluk test site in the first such test in history. Such bombings emphasize the rapid development of the Hunter-B UAV, according to Western media.
According to Forbes, during tests at the Ashuluk test site in southern Russia, the Sukhoi Design Bureau's Okhotnik-B unmanned aerial vehicle, which is a 46-foot flying wing with a turbojet engine, dropped a 1,100-pound (500 kg) free-fall aircraft bomb from its internal weapons compartment.
"The latest sighting and navigation system installed on the Hunter allows the use of free-falling ammunition with an accuracy approaching that of high-precision guided weapons," according to sources in the Russian military-industrial complex.
It is unclear, writes Forbes, how the testers controlled the UAV during the bomb drop from the vehicle. Perhaps the Hunter-B was controlled remotely by radio.
According to Samuel Bendett, a researcher at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS),
"Hunter-B", in his opinion, " should be able to autonomously hit stationary and mobile ground targets with pre-known coordinates, including when receiving external target designation in the air."
Although the bomb in the recent test was unguided, "Hunter-B" will eventually be compatible with controlled aircraft weapons, writes Forbes. According to the publication, in previously conducted test flights, the UAV was equipped with air-to-air missiles, but it did not launch them.
The Kremlin, according to the authors of the material, plans to use the " Hunter-B "as a" faithful wingman " of manned fighters of the 5th generation with low radar visibility of the Su-57. The US Air Force is developing a similar unmanned aerial vehicle as part of the Skyborg priority program.
As part of the US military budget for fiscal year 2021, an additional $50 million is allocated to support the Skyborg advanced UAV program to replenish the US Air Force with autonomous unmanned aircraft that will interact with the F-35 and other tactical aircraft to ensure superiority in combat.
Moreover, it will become more qualified, fully adapted to all possible competencies of the pilot and will be ready to counteract threats that could cause difficulties for a person when classifying and parrying them.
"Hunter-B", the first flight of which took place in August 2019 (the aircraft under the control of the operator performed several overflights of the airfield at an altitude of about 600 meters and made a successful landing, the flight lasted about 20 minutes), is rapidly developing and improving.
The short but bloody war between Armenia and Azerbaijan last fall, during which Azerbaijani unmanned aerial vehicles quickly dealt with Armenian tanks, prompted the Kremlin to accelerate the adoption of the Hunter-B and intensify the implementation of other UAV programs, according to Forbes.
According to Bendett,
The flight characteristics of the S-70 Hunter heavy attack and reconnaissance UAV are as follows: wingspan-19 m; combat load-2.8 t (according to other sources-up to 8 t); take-off weight-25 t; maximum speed-1400 km / h (at low altitude), according to other data-about 1000 km / h; practical ceiling-18,000 m; flight range-6000 km.
According to bmpd, in September of 2020, JSC "Company "Sukhoi" (part of JSC "United aircraft Corporation" state Corporation "rostec") has placed the procurement information about the procurement from a single supplier works on research and development project "Creation of ground control NPU-70" for the testing of shock unmanned aerial vehicle With a 70 "Hunter".
The work is carried out by Sukhoi under a state contract dated December 27, 2019, which provides for the implementation of development work for the needs of the Ministry of Defense. According to known data, this contract covers the construction of three prototypes (S-70-2, S-70-3 and S-70-4) of the S-70 UAV.
According to the draft contract for the ROC "Creation of a ground control point NPU-70", two prototypes of the NPU-70 for testing the " Hunter "should be transferred to the customer (the company" Sukhoi") in mid - 2021, the third-in January 2022.
Preliminary state tests are planned to be completed by the end of 2023, and the full volume of state joint tests is to be completed by October 2025, after which the organization of mass production will begin.
The documents indicate that the developer of the control center should take part in the production of the third and fourth prototypes of the S-70 "Hunter" UAV - S-70-3 (completed by March 30, 2022) and S-70-4 (completed by November 30, 2022).
As follows from the documentation, from January 1, 2023, state tests of the SK-70 unmanned complex are planned with their completion by September 30, 2025. By October 30, 2025, it is planned to approve the working design documentation with the letter " O1 " for the organization of serial production of the NPU-70.
In August last year, the head of the UAC, Yuri Slyusar, said that the Russian Defense Ministry will start receiving serial UAVs "Hunter" from 2024.
Mikhail Khodarenok