At the training ground near Voronezh, the military tested the first sapper robot "Uran-6"on the western border of Russia. The armored tracked vehicle, whose task is to destroy mines and other explosive objects without risking the lives and health of people, came to the engineer regiment as recently as December 2020. At its first practical application, a correspondent of "RG" was present - he mastered the basics of controlling a six-ton robot, understood why only strong men can do this, and found out why there is a big red button on the armor of "Uranus".
The operator of the Uranus looks like a cyborg himself. His face is hidden by a transparent visor that protects against shrapnel, on his chest armor that can withstand a burst from a machine gun, on his elbows, knees and hands - Kevlar shields. Behind him is a massive backpack on a steel frame with communication equipment and batteries, a palisade of antennas protrudes from the backpack and a cable stretches to the console on his chest. It looks like a game console: two joysticks, touch screens, and a scattering of buttons-only it's a protective color, more massive and much heavier.
To activate the robot, you must enter a six-digit password on the remote control. If the code is correct, a red light begins to flicker on the stern of the Uranus-it shows that the machine has recognized the owner and is ready to obey him. By touching the touch screen, a 240-horsepower Yaroslavl-made diesel engine is launched. Against the background of the roar of the engines of tanks and other military equipment, it works surprisingly quietly and peacefully, only in tense moments whistling the turbine. Another sensor adjusts the speed: you can push the gas and the robot moves faster, or vice versa, reduce the speed.
There are two screens on the remote. The smaller one, with sensors, displays information about the status of on-board systems: fuel supply, oil temperature, and so on. The big one shows the image from the video cameras - there are four of them on the Uranus. One, in the forehead of the car, shows what is in front (the operator may be around the corner or even in the shelter for a kilometer from the place of work). If the armored shield with the minesweeper is raised, the view of the front camera is closed. Then you can switch to the two side ones - they show what is directly in front of the tracks. Finally, the fourth" eye " of the robot looks back - with its help, the operator, being nearby, can take a selfie or shave, lifting the visor. But seriously, the rear-view camera is needed so as not to run over something-parking sensors on the "Uranus" is not provided.
Then the fun begins.
- With the finger of the left hand, you need to press the operator presence button, it is at the bottom. Without it, the robot will not move, if you release the button - "Uranus" will immediately stop, - explains the operator of "Uranus" Senior Lieutenant Andrey Dudkin, who completed a two-week course of robot navigation in the Moscow region. - It is best to use the middle finger - the index finger and thumb are needed for manipulating the joystick.
The left handle controls the movement of the machine: forward-backward, right-left in various variations. Right - the work of attachments. Complete with "Uranus" are five trawls for different types of mines. The remaining fingers also have their own keys, and if there are not enough hands, a large red engine stop button sticks out of the remote control at the level of the stomach. I managed to press it several times in a row. A red button of even larger size is placed on the armor of the robot itself in the area of the stern - with its help, you can urgently stop the car. Under the button is a small round hatch, covered with a steel flap. If the batteries in the operator's backpack run out, you can insert a cable into the hatch, connect it to the remote control and continue working. The radio control channel is protected from interference and interception - that's why there are so many antennas.
The 10-kilogram backpack is fitted so deftly that you don't feel its weight. But the weighty remote control soon begins to pull your hands away. In this case, the gadget is hung around the neck, but even so, the need to manipulate several knobs and buttons at once requires the skill of a pianist. When I get a little more comfortable, I send the six-ton Uranus into a one-and-a-half-meter snowdrift. The robot passed through a pile of packed snow like a sapper's shovel through tissue paper. By the way, the engineers also have new blades - now they look like machetes, they have learned to saw, but they are still suitable for throwing.
- Engineering troops are constantly receiving new equipment. The UR-15 mine clearance unit (it is currently undergoing tests) is capable of making a passage in a minefield a kilometer long, " said Colonel Semyon Pypin, head of the engineering troops of the combined Arms army of the ZVO. - In addition, it is based on the BMP-3 chassis, which has an electric vehicle mode and is able to appear in position almost silently.
Also, according to him, the CRY complex is interesting - a set of emitters placed in three suitcases creates a complete illusion of a column of military equipment on the enemy's radars. The enemy strikes at an empty place, and we retaliate by destroying its means of destruction. New protective kit protects sappers from the shock wave and shrapnel, and his version of the assault and can withstand machine-gun bullets. The same task for the Uran-6 robot is to complete the task, saving the life and health of the military personnel.
Anton Valagin (Voronezh)