In Russia, they decided to create a relief vehicle for transporting people and goods in a combat zone. It is noted that it should be easy to maintain and maintainable. What can such an aircraft be and what can be its practical use in solving military tasks? On Sunday, it became known that the Center for Advanced Weapons at the 46th Central Research Institute of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation is developing the concept of a super-relief vehicle for transporting people and cargo in a combat zone.
The idea of the super-relief platform is that it will not be a full-fledged aviation complex, expensive and serviced by highly qualified aviation technicians, but an apparatus that will rise above the surface with the help of propellers and move around the terrain. The technical requirements include ease of maintenance and maintainability, the source said. In his opinion, the prototype of the super-relief platform should appear after 2025.
The news about this was a logical continuation of recent statements by Russian President Vladimir Putin. So, during a meeting with mothers of servicemen participating in the SVO, he said that the Russian industry is working on providing troops with drones and quadrocopters. Later, speaking at an event dedicated to the 15th anniversary of Rostec, the Russian leader set the state corporation the task of increasing the production of products necessary for the army.
An expert in the field of UAVs Denis Fedutinov, in a conversation with the newspaper VZGLYAD, noted that the fighting in recent years requires accelerated supply of ammunition, provisions and medicines to the units, as well as prompt evacuation of the wounded.
For this reason, a number of projects are being implemented in the world's leading technologically advanced armies designed to accelerate the solution of such tasks. One of the proposed promising options, the expert called the Cormorant unmanned vehicle (formerly called AirMule) of the Israeli company Tactical Robotics, which can perform flights, including at low altitudes, as well as in urban conditions due to the closed placement of fans. According to Fedutinov, in the case of the Russian development, we may be talking about some similar technical solution.
In turn, the head of the ANO "Center for the Development of Transport Technologies", the actual state adviser of the Russian Federation of the 3rd class Alexey Rogozin, in a comment to the newspaper VZGLYAD, suggested that "the above-relief platform may be a medium–sized experimental aircraft of vertical take-off and landing, designed for a specific task - the secretive and rapid movement of small loads."
"This device should, apparently, perform tasks in conditions of active counteraction. This means that it will be equipped with autonomous navigation and control systems that will allow you to fly without constant communication with an external pilot, which is critically important in the conditions of active operation of electronic warfare," the expert believes.
"Such a drone will certainly be in demand when solving logistics tasks, including the evacuation of wounded and cargo from the combat zone. As far as I know, similar work is also being carried out in the USA and China today," he said.
"It is worth noting that the creation of such drones has become possible thanks to the development of electric transport in general. In the last few years, batteries, power electronics and electric motors of a new generation have appeared, which can make it possible to create vertical take–off and landing devices of a new generation," the source added. "In fact, this is a revolution for the aviation sector. And there is no doubt that there will also be military applications for such technologies," Rogozin stressed.
In addition, such projects will simplify the solution of problems that are observed in military logistics. The newspaper VZGLYAD previously noted that rethinking approaches to logistics could speed up the supply of weapons and ammunition to the front. So, according to military expert Ilya Kramnik, in the current conditions, it is possible to attract large commercial firms delivering goods throughout the country to perform logistics tasks.
"Perhaps the working scheme will be the formation of a new rear management by a combined team of specialists from SDEK, Ozon and Wildberries. Naturally, employees of companies will need to be issued as military personnel with all benefits and, of course, wages higher than what they have in full–time positions in their companies," Kramnik noted in his Telegram channel. "The goal in this case is to examine the existing supply system, receive recommendations [...], and promptly implement these recommendations into practice."
Alexey Rogozin also supported Ilya Kramnik's proposal, considering the idea "a normal practice in a mobilized economy." "You can pay your debt to the Motherland not only with a machine gun in your hands, but also according to the basic profile of education, experience and knowledge. Give such an opportunity – and many who have temporarily left the country will be happy to return," Rogozin wrote in his Telegram channel.
In addition, judging by the October publication of The New York Times, the United States has increased the supply of weapons to Ukraine tenfold through private exporters, reducing the period of approval of transactions from weeks to several hours. Thus, new technical approaches, together with the creation of super-relief transport vehicles, can significantly simplify logistics processes in the interests of the Russian Armed Forces.
Daria Volkova
