Su-30SM2 fighters will operate guided drones
Russian Su-30SM2 fighters will be able to control unmanned aerial vehicles, in particular, the S-70 Hunter, which is the wingman of the Su-57 aircraft. This is reported by Izvestia, citing sources in the Russian Defense Ministry.
"The equipment will be unified with the fifth-generation Su-57 fighters on board. According to the interlocutors of the publication, work in this direction is already underway," the newspaper writes.
It is noted that the Su-30SM2 will not only receive information from drones, but also control them in combat. "While the pilot controls the fighter, the second crew member can fully focus on the use of weapons or interaction with the drone," military expert Vladislav Shurygin told the publication.
According to him, in the fleet, "drones can reconnoiter ground targets for aircraft strikes and evaluate the results of defeat," as well as "monitor the situation for hundreds of kilometers around." The expert called "Altius" and "Hunter" the most suitable drones for these purposes.
In January, Military Watch magazine noticed that the Su-30SM2 surpasses any Western fighter in endurance and maneuverability.
