UAVs help gunners search for and destroy targets
The Albatros M5 UAV began to arrive in the units of the Russian army, its developers told Izvestia. The drone conducts reconnaissance deep behind enemy lines and corrects artillery fire. The novelty is already being used in the Russian border area and in some areas in the SVO zone. Experts note that such drones are necessary not only for the army, but also for the border troops.
The Albatross is already at the front
The Albatros M5 unmanned complex began to enter the Russian army, Izvestia found out. This is an airplane-type UAV with a wingspan of more than 3 m. Depending on weather conditions and payload, it can stay in the air for about 4.5 hours, range — about 60 km, speed — up to 110 km / h, representatives of the Albatros company, the developer of the drone, told Izvestia.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Image source: iz.ru
The device is designed for reconnaissance, correction, guidance and confirmation of target damage, the interlocutors noted.
— It is possible to install photo, video and thermal imaging cameras, - added the representative of the company. — If necessary, the UAV can receive any other payload, such as a gas analyzer, a multispectral camera, and so on. In general, everything that is on the market.
The launch is carried out either from a pneumatic or a conventional catapult. Landing — with the help of a parachute.
— The device contains 60% of components of its own production, we are in the register of manufacturers of domestic products, — the Albatros company clarified. — For example, the software installed on the drone is completely ours.
According to the developers, the drone is actively used in the border area and in some areas in the area of its own.
Albatross UAV
Image source: Photo: IZVESTIA/Zurab Javakhadze
— The radio channel is ours, which allows at this stage to fly under the conditions of electronic warfare, — they noted. — Everything is working stably. Real-time video in Full HD quality is transmitted well. So far, the reviews are very good. They were given by paratroopers, gunners and representatives of other units.
The Albatross UAV is a machine for action in the tactical zone, military expert Alexei Leonkov told Izvestia.
— A drone of this type should provide coordinates of targets for our artillery, mortars, multiple rocket launchers, — he explained. — The Grad MLRS operates at a range of up to 40 km, self—propelled artillery installations — up to 50 km, towed artillery - up to 30 km. It turns out that such a UAV is a good workhorse, which allows us to ensure the effective actions of our artillery.
It is impossible to fire, as before, at squares, without sparing shells, the expert noted.
MLRS "Grad"
Image source: Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
"We saw fortified areas, and around them the lunar surface in shell craters,— he recalled. — Such landscapes arose due to certain problems with the adjustment of fire. By transmitting a video picture, the drone will allow the artillery to quickly and accurately aim without using a huge number of shells. This, among other things, will reduce the consumption of ammunition, which is important.
The drone will be useful for border guards
Albatros-type UAVs are needed by the Russian army in large quantities, military expert Yuri Lyamin told Izvestia.
"In the conditions of modern warfare, such drones are expendable," he said. — This is a short-range tactical reconnaissance drone. They are constantly in the enemy's air defense zone, including portable anti-aircraft systems. Hence the heavy losses of this type of machines, and they need as many as possible. Scouts are useful not only for artillery. They, being constantly in the air, will allow you to see almost everything. They will not allow the deployment of artillery, the concentration of armor or assault groups for an offensive. An accurate and timely strike will thwart any attack.
The expert noted that devices of this type are now in short supply.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Sergey Lantyukhov
Image source: iz.ru
— The front line is very long and there is a great demand for such UAVs, — he noted. — There are not as many of them as needed yet. In this regard, the new car will have no competitors.
In addition, the expert noted that UAVs of the Albatross type will be useful to border guards.
— Now the entire border with Ukraine is a continuous hotline, — Yuriy Lyamin explained. — There are battles in the Kursk region, there have been several breakout attempts in Belgorod and Bryansk, and they may happen again. Ukrainian artillery and MLRS are constantly working — they must be resisted. The Albatrosses could control the border areas, which would make it possible to timely disrupt attempts to concentrate enemy forces and plans to invade Russian territory.
Drones of various specializations are being actively developed in the country, and many of them immediately fall into the zone of a military special operation. Earlier, Izvestia wrote about the modernization of the Piranha-13 FPV drone, which has already appeared on the front line in Donbass. This drone can engage in remote mining, deliver water, food, ammunition to remote positions and drop various ammunition.
The development of the UAV began at the request of one of the units from the line of contact and lasted about six months. As a result of the development work, this technical task was completed even with a margin - the drone is capable of delivering up to 15 kg of cargo at a distance of up to 15 km.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Image source: iz.ru
In addition, Izvestia wrote that a little more than six months ago, the Russian army began using UAVs to throw mines behind enemy lines. The aircraft delivers ammunition to the desired point, 2-6 km from the line of contact. And then he returns back to the operator, remaining in the ranks.
Bogdan Stepovoy
Andrey Fedorov
