Senior researcher of the Chemical Faculty of the Ukrainian Kyiv National Aviation University and head of the student rocket design bureau NAURocket created at the University, Sergey Pipko, published a video of a test launch developed with the participation of the Ukrainian barrage ammunition bureau.
Pilot launch of the Ukrainian barrage ammunition developed by the design bureau NAURocket (c) Sergey PipkoExternally, the device looks like an imitation of the well-known Iranian Arash-2 barrage ammunition, and it seems to be made on the basis of the RZ-60 unmanned target developed several years ago by the Ukrainian PJSC Ramzai (Kiev).
This target successfully passed flight tests and was tested by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine in 2019, but there is no information about its serial production. [...]
The target RZ-60 has a length of 1.5 m and is equipped with a piston engine with a tail pusher propeller, its cruising speed is stated at 300 km/h. The RZ-60 is launched from a pneumatic ejection unit, however, judging by the video, the now tested barrage ammunition is equipped with a solid-fuel launch accelerator, which allows it to be launched from a short guide ramp. In the video, the launcher (it looks like with two guides) of the barrage ammunition is placed in the awning body of the Gazelle light truck (recall that similar improvised launchers disguised as Gazelle awning trucks are used by the APU to use MBDA Brimstone guided missiles received from the UK for ground launch). It is also seen that the barrage ammunition has an increased length of the nose compared to the RZ-60, where the warhead is apparently located, and, most likely, an additional fuel tank, which gives the total length of the device more than 2 m.
The range of the ammunition, apparently, can be several hundred kilometers. The control system is unclear, but if a communication system based on the Starlink terminal is used on the device, it will allow any control range to be implemented. In a cheaper version, apparently, pure GPS / GLONASS guidance can be carried out, similar to the Russian devices of the Geran series (Shahed), which, however, will make it possible to hit only stationary targets with previously known coordinates.
Video :
Unmanned target RZ-60 developed by the Ukrainian PJSC "Ramzai" on a pneumatic catapult on tests (c) defence-ua.com
