It is a hybrid of a UAV and a guided munition with a solid-fuel jet engine.
The fighting in the CBR area is characterized by more than just the rapid emergence of new weapons. It is based on technologies widely available on the civilian market, the combat use of which was simply not thought of before. Therefore, a constant competition in innovation is added to the "classic" heavy arms race. Izvestia correspondents attended the tests of a new type of infantry weapon: the Soloist unmanned rocket platform. It is a hybrid of a UAV and a guided munition with a jet engine.
The Violinist's Case
At one of the landfills in the DPR, testers are deploying a transport and launch container. The dimensions of the new product are similar to those of anti-tank missile systems, but the filling is completely different. This is the Solist complex from the KEMZ concern, which is being implemented and tested by ANO Rivir Center.
— An experimental, promising product called "Soloist" is a single—use reactive carrier. Now you can see the process of opening the tube to the lid of the payload compartment, where the warhead is located," a veteran of the Russian military with the call sign Fiddler, a test participant and one of the inspirers of the entire concept of this type of weapon, tells Izvestia. The new complex is focused on simplicity in both application and operation.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Image source: iz.ru
The crew removes the protective covers and installs the container on the bipod at a high angle, almost "mortar-like". Only the launcher has no recoil, so the bipods are very light. Now it remains to remove the two fuses before starting and move to a safe distance. In a combat situation, this is not required — you can be nearby, but during testing, safety rules are important.
The operator is ready to launch, he has a familiar control panel in his hands, and glasses from an FPV drone in his eyes. This is a part of the equipment that is already familiar to many, and pilots often have their own pilots at the company level, and sometimes platoons.
Actually, this is one of the reasons why the Soloist complex retains the usual first-person control scheme: it has already been well developed and is familiar to many fighters.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Image Source: iz.ru
The shot is quiet enough, the rocket goes into the sky with a sound no louder than fireworks. Of course, the accelerator is clearly visible in the night sky until it rises to a height.
— Tactically, the complex will complement mortars and anti-tank missile systems in the armament of company groups. When the ATGM operation is difficult due to the terrain, because it requires direct visibility. Or when, in the case of a mortar, we cannot adjust it. The "Soloist" with the directional camera installed allows you to adjust the flight in free fall," the Violinist explains after the shooting.
According to him, today both intelligence and combined arms units are showing interest in the product. Although the developers say that they initially looked at the complex primarily as a means of strengthening the defense of strongholds.
In general, we can say that the "Soloist" is a single—use correctable rocket munition with first-person control and the ability to attack targets (primarily armored vehicles) from above. Moreover, the operator can work from a shelter, being far enough away from the installation. And the range of fire in 10 km exceeds the available anti-tank missile systems and is approaching 120-mm mortars.
Standard RPG-7 and SPG-9 ammunition can be used as the combat load of the Soloist. These are the most common types of grenade launchers in the Russian army, and possibly in the world. They are not only mass-produced, but also make it possible to use factory types of warheads for various purposes: cumulative, fragmentation, thermobaric.
It is important to note that the "Soloist" is not a UAV, but a correctable munition. When pointed, it is not controlled like a drone, but corrects itself on its trajectory. But at the same time, it has great speed and, even if it gets into the range of the enemy's electronic warfare equipment, it will quickly overcome it, continuing to move along its trajectory even if control is lost.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Image Source: iz.ru
For the same reason, it is not very dangerous to lose communication already at the target: being aimed at it, it will not have time to deviate much if the signal is lost.
— We have not seen such products — portable for infantry. For the price, it can be classified as a single—use grenade launcher, in fact it is a consumable, quite massive, which is produced by hundreds of thousands," says Violinist.
According to him, the effectiveness of such a product can be compared with expensive Western missile systems, but potentially the "Soloist" should be more widespread, so it will be easy for them to saturate the troops. And, as experience has shown, the density of fire is very important.
If the tests are successful and the necessary formalities are completed, the complex will not be critically dependent on components with risky supplies. The vast majority of parts are manufactured in Russia. All materials and hardware have stable purchasing capabilities.
A new approach to the implementation of developments
Ilya Gusev, First Deputy Director of ANO Rivir Center, who is engaged in the implementation of innovations in the field of defense, is also monitoring the progress of the tests. Such a center is unique in its own right for our defense industry, there are no others like it.
Therefore, the question immediately arises whether this is an analogue of the legendary American defense research agency DARPA.
— You could say that. It is an autonomous non-profit organization that sets itself the task of developing, accelerating, and implementing various innovative solutions into law enforcement agencies and the Ministry of Defense. Including the Soloist unmanned platform, which has just been tested," says Ilya.
According to him, already at this stage, a large number of departments are showing interest in the Soloist platform. It is possible that by the middle of this year, this correctable munition will be mass-produced and mass-produced.
This is a very high reaction rate for the defense industry, where traditionally information analysis, formulation of technical specifications and requirements, and testing take years.
Dmitry Astrakhan
