The first heavy strike unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) "Altius" will enter service with the Russian army in the fall, on August 26, Deputy Defense Minister of the Russian Federation Alexey Krivoruchko said during the international military-technical forum "Army-2021".
"In the fall, we will receive the first Altius complex in the shock version to the troops," Krivoruchko said.
The Russian army is already receiving attack drones " Outpost "and" Pacer "("Orion")," Altius " will also become the first heavy-class attack UAV.
At the Army-2021 forum, a number of contracts have already been signed for the additional serial supply of Forpost-R attack drones, the first serial supply of Pacer-RU (Sirius) drones, as well as contracts for unified aviation weapons for use with all types of existing and developing attack UAVs.
This year, during the June tests, Altius used aviation weapons for the first time.
The Altius long-range UAV is the largest UAV being developed in Russia. The wingspan of the device is 28.5 m, the length is 11.6 m, the take-off weight is approaching 7 tons.
It is capable of patrolling the area for 48 hours at an altitude of up to 12 thousand meters. m with a cruising speed of 150-250 km / h. Its radius of action is about 10 thousand km. Circular observation of the water surface and airspace at a great distance will allow new ultra-long-range radars and optoelectronic systems of the drone.
"Altius" is capable of performing a full range of reconnaissance tasks using optical, radio-technical and radar means. The drone can not only independently find targets in the sea and coastal zone and point weapons at them in real time, but also track the results of fire strikes.
In the future, it will be able to independently strike surface and ground targets with guided or unguided bombs and missiles, which will allow it to fight various naval targets, including large ships — destroyers, cruisers and even aircraft carriers.
It was reported in March that the test flights of the Altius prototype with the first air strikes on targets at the landfills with controlled air-to-surface weapons will be held in the summer. It was noted that the drone will work out a program of standard strike sorties with the destruction of tanks, lightly armored vehicles, infantry and artillery.
The first prototype of the UAV began full-fledged flight tests in July 2018. Develops a drone of the NPO Simonov Design Bureau named after M. P. with the participation of the Kronshtadt group.
The Army-2021 Forum is held from August 23 to 28 in the Patriot Park in Kubinka, near Moscow. About 28 thousand exhibits from 1.4 thousand enterprises from Russia and abroad will be presented at the forum, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation will show more than 300 serial samples of equipment. In parallel with the forum, this year the VII Army International Games are also being held, in which servicemen of 44 armies of the world participate.
