The Hunter UAV is a key development in the field of unmanned aviation for our aerospace forces. Military expert Viktor Murakhovsky told Izvestia about this on Tuesday, December 14.
"This machine will play the role of a light multifunctional fighter. It can conduct reconnaissance, give target designation, strike ground targets, fight enemy air attack means, patrol. It is designed so that it can solve tasks both independently and as part of mixed formations together with manned vehicles," he explained.
Murakhovsky noted that the drone is made with elements of artificial intelligence, for it it will be possible to set common tasks that the drone can perform independently. For example, according to a military expert, "Hunters" can become the advanced echelon of units and formations of operational and tactical aviation.
"They will be needed when opening and suppressing air defenses, when attacking enemy troops that are well covered by air defenses and enemy fighters. With such operations, low visibility and improvements that ensure it are important," he concluded.
Earlier in the day, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko announced that the Novosibirsk Aviation Plant (NAZ) named after Chkalov had rolled out the C-70 Hunter. According to him, it fixes the completion of the assembly. The sample is fully equipped with the necessary equipment and is preparing to work out its first flight.
This is the first instance of a drone equipped with a flat jet nozzle. The drone is distinguished by the fact that it is extremely difficult to notice by radar methods. It is expected that the unmanned bomber S-70 "Hunter" will enter service with the Russian army only from 2024.
In February, test pilot Evgeny Frolov spoke about the characteristics of the S-70 Hunter drone. He noted that the heavy strike drone is capable of hitting targets on command from the Su-57 fighter. According to him, in the near future this device will be controlled by an automated system without manual control.
On August 3, 2019, the experimental C-70 made its first flight, which lasted more than 20 minutes. In the same year, the first joint 30-minute flight with the Su-57 fighter was performed.
The Su-57 (formerly known as PAK FA) is a fifth-generation multifunctional Russian fighter, its purpose is to destroy all types of air, ground and surface targets. Designed to replace the Su-27 heavy fighter in the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS). The Su-57 made its first flight on January 29, 2010.
