Western journalists noted a leap in the use of stealth technologies in Russia after the presentation of the upgraded S-70 Hunter attack drone.
So, in the material of the December 14 edition of The Drive, it is noted, in particular, that the drone represents "a leap forward in Russia's ability to use inconspicuous technologies and production capabilities." At the same time, the authors of the article suggested that they should wait and observe how the specialists coped with the design of the exhaust system, which could "undermine the stealth potential" of the Hunter.
According to journalists, the drone should fit into the concept of air combat in cooperation with the fifth-generation Su-57 fighter. It is also noted that he will be able to act independently if maximum invisibility is required.
The roll-out of the first flight model of the S-70 "Hunter" took place at the Novosibirsk Aviation Plant (NAZ) named after Chkalov earlier on December 14. 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.
As military expert Viktor Murakhovsky told Izvestia, the Hunter UAV is a key development in the field of unmanned aviation for the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation. According to him, the drone can conduct reconnaissance, give target designation, strike ground targets, fight enemy air attack means and patrol. The expert noted that the "Hunter" is made with elements of artificial intelligence, it will be possible to set common tasks for it, which the drone can perform independently.
In turn, the military observer of Izvestia, Alexey Ramm, expressed the opinion that the rollout of the first flight model of the S-70 indicates that the aircraft manufacturers of the Russian Federation have achieved serious success in the Hunter program. According to him, it can be argued that in the near future the Russian Aerospace Forces will receive a full-fledged strike-reconnaissance drone
It is expected that the unmanned bomber S-70 "Hunter" will enter service with the Russian army in 2024.
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.
