The anti-drone system is useful both in the zone of its own, and for the protection of industrial enterprises
A new complex of electronic intelligence "Gran" is being launched into mass production in Russia, Izvestia found out. It allows you to fight drones as effectively as possible — due to the fact that it monitors all frequencies used by UAVs and transmits information at ranges in demand on the battlefield. This was told by the developers of the complex from the volunteer project "Loktar", which includes specialists from the field of IT and communications. The nature of the confrontation in the SVO zone — the large—scale use of UAVs and means of countering them - requires the creation of similar weapons, experts confirm. About what opportunities the use of the new device in the SVO zone will provide — in the Izvestia material.
Identify the enemy
There is a whole set of detectors, walkie-talkies, electronic warfare (EW) and surveillance equipment that solve the same tasks as the Gran complex, but it is the first of its kind operating in a tactical reconnaissance and strike complex, its developers explained to Izvestia.
The electronic intelligence system from the Loktar project significantly accelerates the work of the electronic warfare link, UAV operators, and can also protect civilian objects from drone attacks, the interlocutors of Izvestia noted. According to them, now one person can analyze the radio situation within a few minutes, identify the enemy and send information about the target to the command post.
Photo: press service of the Loktar project
Image source: iz.ru
Serial production of the "Facets" has already been launched in a series at one of the Russian factories, a representative of Loktar told Izvestia.
Izvestia's help
Loktar is a volunteer project that brought together developers and engineers from the field of IT, communications and the creation of applied digital solutions. They develop products in the field of distributed digital communications, tactical intelligence and threat management.
Without the "Edge", the fighter needs to take an analyzer, find a direction, for example, to the enemy operator, transmit it by radio to the control room, where it will be mapped. Then move 500 m, find the second direction, and only then will the command post receive their intersection points and give the coordinates to the mortar crews. All this takes at least half an hour, and with the "Edge" system, it will take no more than 10 minutes for one fighter to receive the same information. In the case of two complexes working in pairs, the target will be detected and sent to defeat instantly, the developers explained.
In addition, the "Edge" allows you to observe and locate all frequencies used for UAV/FPV operation, provides information transmission at ranges in demand for the battlefield, supports additional communication channels and rapid information exchange between fighters. The weight of the device is only 400 grams.
Photo: press service of the Loktar project
Image source: iz.ru
What is required on the front line now
The creation of such systems as the "Edge" will make it easier for our fighters to complete tasks on the battlefield, military expert Dmitry Kornev told Izvestia.
— The other day, Vladimir Zelensky, together with military and officials, held a three-hour meeting on drones. We have no data on what exactly they agreed on, but it is believed that the enemy wants to ensure that they have one FPV drone for one fighter of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation," he explained. — Theoretically it is possible. And only such RER systems will be able to help in this fight. Modern air defense cannot completely eliminate the threat from FPV drones, these are too small objects. But such complexes capable of monitoring the air situation, detecting them, and even more so notifying consumers, are what is now required not only in the zone of their own, but also in dual-use industrial enterprises that may be attacked by drones.
The expert noted that there is quite a serious scientific and technical potential outside the military-industrial complex, which could work, among other things, in the interests of the Armed Forces. It is only necessary to build a certain algorithm for the interaction of these organizations with the Ministry of Defense.
Photo: press service of the Loktar project
Image source: iz.ru
Former Deputy Commander-in-chief of the Air Force, Aytech Bizhev, in a conversation with Izvestia, recalled the importance of passing military tests by volunteer developments.
— We have it all centralized, — he clarified. — There are research organizations of the Ministry of Defense, where you can submit your developments for examination of the military-industrial complex. If they confirm the effectiveness and operability of the device, and we do not have this, then, of course, this can go into effect. But only after that, in no case, it's not like they did it themselves in the garage and sent it to the line of contact.
Synthesis of technologies
Gran is a dual—use product that allows the transfer of technologies and methods of military confrontation to protect civilian facilities, its developers explained. This is especially true now, when the enemy is trying to strike further and further away from its zone.
Photo: press service of the Loktar project
Image source: iz.ru
The first "Faces" entered the radio horizons as part of the refinery security complexes in the Ulyanovsk region on March 17, Loktar reported. They worked in cold and humid conditions in a 24-by-7 mode. The complex was implemented online, along with the formation of counteraction techniques, personnel training and integration of the "Edge" with electronic warfare systems.
As an information interface, the Edge system uses a tactical smartphone or tablet, which is integrated with a power supply system, an additional communication channel, a spectrum analyzer and a directional antenna. The complex allows you to instantly display warnings on the dispatcher's card and other devices. Phones are used both Chinese with hardware improvements in terms of security, and Russian ones that have already been adopted.
Photo: press service of the Loktar project
Image source: iz.ru
— The hardware kit is supported by proprietary software and several products common on the LBS and well-known to fighters. Much attention is paid to the simplicity of the solution interface. According to user estimates, it can be mastered about twice as fast as other solutions that allow you to transmit target designation, " a representative of the Loktar project told Izvestia.
He noted that the rapid analysis of the radio exchange, which allows for the "Edge", makes it possible to use rifles and other electronic warfare systems consciously, knowing the directions and frequencies to counteract, repeatedly increasing their effectiveness and increasing the safety of calculation.
Tested in practice
IT volunteers began developing their devices at the end of 2022. At that time, several people with extensive experience in information and radio technologies wondered how they could help the country and their friends in their area.
— There were dead-end products, there were breakups with ineffective employees, there were areas torn out of the soul for which there were not enough resources. It seems like an ordinary successful startup, but involved in a unique Russian idea and the unique knowledge of the people who support it," explained the representative of the project.
Photo: press service of the Loktar project
Image source: iz.ru
The Gran system includes developments in the field of microelectronics, antenna design, radio communications, hull development, and cartography.
— An important element of the system is hundreds of hours of direct work with units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Rosgvardiya, PMCs, from which irreplaceable experience in using equipment and a collection of tactical developments has been gained. This work continues at the front and in the rear, and leads to constant improvements in solutions," said Loktar.
One step ahead of the opponent
The Ukrainian side is carefully monitoring the developments of our civilian volunteers. Successful Russian solutions face both information discrediting campaigns and attempts to create analogues.
After the Russian manufacturer announced the launch of mass production of a new tactical software and hardware complex RER, one of the relevant Ukrainian Telegram channels immediately stated that they would soon have the same mini-radio intelligence complex based on the Tiny SA Ultra spectrum analyzer.
Photo: press service of the Loktar project
Image source: iz.ru
The representative of the Loktar project noted that this is an excellent example of when the Russian idea and applied implementation is one step ahead of the Ukrainian one. And it's a great motivation to move even faster both for the team itself and for those who work shoulder to shoulder with them on similar projects.
Julia Leonova