The device will be useful in the protection of ports, external raids and the protection of gas pipelines.
Russia has created an underwater drone for mine clearance of marine areas. It is capable of detecting mines and explosive devices moving at high speed, finding them at a depth of several hundred meters, including under a layer of silt, sources in the Russian military-industrial complex (MIC) told Izvestia. Experts note that such devices will be in demand when checking water areas, places where mines were laid, ports, external raids, ship protection, as well as when guarding gas pipelines and other underwater communications.
The sighted drone
The device was created by one of the leading companies of the military-industrial complex. The Rostec State Corporation is participating in the project, which has equipped drones with "eyes" — special video cameras that allow them to navigate well underwater and serve as a guidance system for destroying mines, a source in the military-industrial complex (MIC) told Izvestia.
— The equipment allows drones to detect mines and other objects at a depth of several hundred meters, including under a layer of silt. The system can also be used as a guidance device for the destruction of explosive devices," an interlocutor in the defense industry told Izvestia.
According to him, the search complex is designed to equip mine defense ships.
Photo: TASS/EPA/YURI KOCHETKOV
Image source: iz.ru
— The complex includes a self—propelled underwater vehicle, a guided drone that is directly used to solve the tasks of searching, detecting, classifying, and identifying mines. The device can perform its tasks with sea waves of up to three points at a great distance from the carrier ship. It has high speed characteristics that vary depending on the operating mode," the source said.
Rostec confirmed to Izvestia that such developments are indeed underway. The state corporation also said that the equipment includes several video cameras with a wide viewing angle and high resolution, powerful lights and a control unit. The latest technology has been introduced into the software, thanks to which the clarity of the image does not blur when the speed of the drone increases. This reduces the time required to inspect the facilities.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Vitaly Ankov
Image source: iz.ru
— The telesystem allows the operator of an underwater drone to see the picture from under the water in real time, to control the capture of detected mines and other dangerous objects. At the same time, if it is necessary to destroy a mine on the spot, one of the cameras installed in the bottom of the robot can be used as a guidance device," said a representative of Rostec.
Cheaper than a minesweeper
The appearance of drones using the most modern technologies is an important step in the field of combating sea mines, military expert Dmitry Kornev told Izvestia.
"Currently, helicopters with descent devices and special minesweeper ships are usually used to search for explosive devices," he noted. — At the same time, they can explore a limited amount of water area in one exit. There are many more drones that can be built, as they are much cheaper than a ship.
The obvious use of such drones will be to support amphibious operations, they will be irreplaceable on the shores mined by the enemy," said military expert, captain of the first rank Vasily Dandykin.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Mikhail Golenkov
Image source: iz.ru
Dmitry Kornev believes that the need for such complexes is huge — it is necessary to check the water areas of ports, various marine or coastal structures, locations of submarines, warships, various passages and fairways.
Such drones, judging by their characteristics, are capable of ensuring the safe operation of surface ships, as well as submarines at depths where they operate, the expert noted.
"Submarines are currently operating at depths of several hundred meters,— he said. — As a rule, it is 200-400 m. Judging by the stated characteristics, the new drone can work confidently on them.
Protection of underwater communications
This complex can be used on important underwater communications, in particular when protecting the Nord Stream and the Turkish Stream, military expert Dmitry Boltenkov told Izvestia.
"Right now, gas goes to Europe only through the Turkish Stream, so it makes sense to deploy these complexes to protect it," he said. — It cannot be ruled out that in the near future the gas pipeline may be mined by enemy saboteurs.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Vitaly Timkiv
Image source: iz.ru
The Ukrainian side in Ochakovo received a large arsenal of Soviet naval mine weapons, Dmitry Boltenkov recalled.
"The Ukrainian Navy took anti—amphibious mines from there, which are placed near the shore," he said. — They may drown, they may be blown away, the self-destruct device may not turn on. For these reasons, the mine may work years later. For example, anti-ship mines installed in the Sea of Azov during the Great Patriotic War exploded in the 1950s. Therefore, sooner or later we will have to explore and mine vast areas of the Black Sea.
Photo: TASS/Vitaly Nevar
Image source: iz.ru
After the end of hostilities, new vehicles will find work, and not only on the Black Sea.
"In the same Baltic, there are many dead ships, submarines with weapons, naval mines from the Great Patriotic War and submerged ammunition, including chemical ones," the expert recalled, "When laying underwater communications, one cannot do without examining the bottom in the Gulf of Finland, which was as densely mined as possible by the Germans. More recently, when laying the Nord Streams, our minesweepers found mines of those years.
Protection of naval bases
The Russian Navy is taking measures to strengthen the protection of naval bases from aerial and naval drones.
Earlier, Izvestia wrote that the deployment point of the Kamchatka brigade of ships protecting the water area received an anti-ship protection control post, as well as air surveillance points with a watch service.
Twin ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft guns were installed in places with firing-friendly sectors around the perimeter of the base. They have proven themselves well during their time performing similar tasks.
The PRZ, which receives all the information, will help to maximize the use of forces and means in protecting naval bases from enemy attacks.
Vladimir Matveev
Bogdan Stepovoy
Julia Leonova
