TSAMTO, January 28. The first flight of the Helios-RLD radar patrol UAV, produced at the facilities of Kronstadt JSC in Dubna, is scheduled for 2024.
This was reported to the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Army General Sergei Shoigu, CEO of the company Sergey Bogatikov.
"Last year, three new state contracts were signed for preliminary design on three topics: Helios-RLD, Thunder and Lightning," S. Bogatikov reported to the Minister.
He clarified that a preliminary design is currently underway for the Helios-RLD drone. "Our task this year is to hand over the preliminary design. We are ready to fully release the RKD (working design documentation) next year, start pre-production and ensure the first flight of this UAV in 2024.
S. Bogatikov noted that a similar situation has developed with the high-speed unmanned aerial vehicle "Thunder". "This is the concept of a faithful wingman, he provides a breakthrough, first of all, air echeloned defense. We are ready to carry out work on it in 2024," the Department of Information and Mass Communications of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation quotes S. Bogatikov.