What is the Prometheus complex capable of, which will make tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers unmanned
The Prometheus complex, which turns combat vehicles into unmanned ones, has been developed and is being tested, Izvestia found out. According to the manufacturer, it can be installed on any serial armored vehicles: IFVs, armored personnel carriers and even tanks. They will be effective in evacuating the wounded, overcoming minefields and delivering payloads, experts believe, but they will not be able to function as a full—fledged combat unit in modern combat conditions yet - this is a task for the near future. How soon Prometheus will enter the army and which robotic systems are already used in our armed forces — in the material of Izvestia.
A no-brainer solution
The development of a complex for robotization of armored vehicles has been completed in Russia, and it is currently being tested, the press service of the High-Precision Complexes holding (part of Rostec) told Izvestia. Prometheus can be installed on IFVs, armored personnel carriers, tanks and any other serial models of military equipment.
It allows you to robotize the functions of a driver and a gunner. At the same time, the complex does not occupy the regular seats of the crew members, that is, depending on the circumstances, people can either take their seats or control the car remotely.
The BTR-82A of the Russian Armed Forces is firing at the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the southern sector of the special operation
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Alexey Maishev
— Such a robot car can transport units of motorized rifle troops, conduct combat and fire support for the landing, including while afloat, - the holding noted.
The development of the complex was first announced in July last year by Bekhan Ozdoev, industrial director of the Rostec cluster of weapons, ammunition and special chemicals. According to him, with the help of Prometheus, any car can be turned into a robot — both wheeled and tracked. Thanks to the technical vision, the complex helps the car to determine the best route and process data offline.
"If you combine Prometheus with advanced fire control systems, you will get a real terminator," Ozdoev told TASS.
Unmanned vehicles can be used in different situations, military expert Viktor Murakhovsky explained to Izvestia. For example, to evacuate the wounded or to overcome minefields. In addition, they can be adapted to deliver ammunition and fuel to the combat zone.
BMP-3 units of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division of the combined arms association of the Southern Military District during exercises at the Kadamovsky training ground, 2022
Image source: Photo: TASS/Eric Romanenko
— These are the basic needs that such systems can provide. In addition, in the future, air defense systems can be made unmanned," the expert explained. — In this case, one person for several complexes will be quite enough, the effectiveness of air defense will increase dramatically. But I think this is not a matter of the near future. The tests are a long stage. After all, it is necessary to check not only the complex itself, but also its environment, interaction with other systems.
A promising direction
Robotic complexes should be used in situations where the enemy has a lot of anti-tank weapons, he is firing intensively, military expert Vasily Dandykin told Izvestia.
—Systems similar to Prometheus were created in Russia before the special military operation," he said. — In particular, complexes with weapons on the platform of our armored personnel carriers, which can fire at remote guidance of operators, "Uran" sapper complexes. Life has proven that they are worth using in a war zone, because they help save military lives. But, of course, no one can replace a person.
The creation of combat robotic vehicles is one of the promising areas," military expert Alexei Leonkov told Izvestia.
A soldier of a separate engineer regiment during the control of the Uran-6 sapper robot
Image source: Photo: TASS/Alexander Shcherbak
— But there are nuances here. Yes, they help to save personnel, but they cannot fully function offline in the conditions of modern combat. Although work is underway in this direction," Leonkov explained. — We have examples of unmanned armored vehicles, in particular the Uran-6, which is engaged in clearing solid minefields. It has proven its effectiveness in Syria, in the North Caucasus, and is now being used in the zone of its own.
The Uran-6 sapper robot looks like a scaled-down copy of a tracked tractor or bulldozer and can carry out mine clearance in urban areas, mountainous and wooded areas. It is equipped with different types of trawls, a bulldozer blade or a mechanical grab. Roller trawl is used on a hard surface, and on soft ground a striker is used — strikers are unwound on the shaft to loosen the soil by several tens of centimeters.
Fire robot "Uran-14"
Image source: Photo: Global Look Press/Kalashnikov Media
If the trawl finds an explosive device, it will either work or become unusable. In case of detonation, the wave and fragments go along the front and side directions of the car. The device is controlled by an operator who is located at the back at a distance of at least 50 m. Under heavy fire, it can operate from cover from a distance of up to a kilometer. Four cameras mounted on the Uranus provide an all-round view.
The Uran-14 firefighter fights fire in areas of high temperatures and other conditions dangerous to humans. It can extinguish a fire at a distance of 35 m with a foam jet and 50 m with water. A water fire pump with a capacity of 2 thousand liters per minute is installed on the device. The robot is equipped with a rotary gripper, which is capable of carrying a load weighing up to 2 tons. The operator can control the equipment from a distance of hundreds of meters, while remaining in a safe zone. The complex has tanks with water and foaming agent with a capacity of 2 thousand and 600 liters, respectively.
Roman Kretsul
Julia Leonova
Andrey Fedorov