Kubinka (Moscow region). August 24. INTERFAX-Serial attack drones "Orion" ("Pacer") will be equipped with new ammunition for supplies to the Russian military, the CEO of the Kronstadt company Sergey Bogatikov said in an interview with Interfax.
"The contract for serial deliveries of Orions was signed with the Ministry of Defense a year ago. (...) But we are not standing still, and we are constantly working on the modernization of the complex. For example, according to the contract currently being executed, the Orion is being re-equipped with new ammunition for it, " Bogatikov said.
"Specialized enterprises are currently working on 50 kg ammunition, which can be used not only on the Orion ,but also on our other drones. Experimental samples are being tested. A product of 100 kg caliber is being created. In addition, to reduce the cost of hitting targets, work is underway to create cheaper adjustable aircraft bombs, they are also being tested now, " the head of the company said.
He noted that Orion will also receive new strike capabilities by equipping it with Kalashnikov-made Vikhr-1M guided missiles capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 10 km.
"To date, of the large drones, only our Orion has passed the first stage of state joint tests and received a conclusion about the possibility of serial production. We will supply our army with as many unmanned aircraft systems as they need, in all the variants that they will order, " Bogatikov said.
According to the developer, the Orion is equipped with three suspension points for aircraft weapons - two under the wing consoles and one under the fuselage. The maximum mass of the combat load is 200 kg. The UAV is capable of using adjustable aerial bombs (KAB) with a caliber of 20 and 50 kg, aerial bombs with a caliber of up to 100 kg and guided missiles with a caliber of up to 50 kg. Accordingly, at the same time it can carry up to 4 guided missiles or up to 5 KAB.
As Interfax reported, in 2021, the Russian Defense Ministry will receive about 20 Orion drones. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, visiting the Kronstadt enterprise in February, demanded to increase the production of drones of this class.
In 2020, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation received for trial operation one complex with three Orion drones, which during the modernization were able not only to conduct reconnaissance, but also to perform strike tasks. According to Shoigu, this drone in the strike version was tested in Syria in 2019.
The Orion UAV, developed by Kronstadt as part of the Pacer program, is the first MALE class UAV (Medium Altitude Long Endurance - a class of medium - altitude UAVs with a long flight duration), fully developed in Russia and built from domestic components. The maximum take - off weight of the device is 1,150 kg. "Orion" can stay in the air for up to 24 hours, its cruising speed is 200 km/h, the maximum flight altitude is 7,500 meters.
