«Калашников»
What UAVs are used by Russian army in the special military operation zone
The Russians harness slowly, but drive fast. This is once again confirmed by a special military operation. For example, in the spring and summer of 2022, the Russian army was noticeably behind the enemy in the number and quality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) was "terrorizing" Russian soldiers on the front lines with constant raids using aerial mechanical killers. Now a nightmare has begun for the Ukrainians.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces are lacking Western weapons to fight Russian Lancet drones. Yuriy Sak, an advisor to Ukraine's defense minister, told The Telegraph (UK): "Our intelligence says that the Russians have started to invest more in the production of these drones," he said. - "Let's not praise the Russians, but these are not bad weapons."
The advisor to the head of the Ukrainian military could have been less modest: the drones designed and produced by Zala Aero (part of the Kalashnikov Concern, a state-owned Rostec corporation) are perfectly capable of hitting his army's armored vehicles. Not a week goes by that the Russian Defense Ministry's Information and Mass Communications Department does not post another video of the use of these loitering munitions on its website. The Lancet 1 and Lancet 3 drones show high efficiency in destroying enemy anti-aircraft missile systems, radar stations, tanks, and artillery systems.
The Lancet is a sophisticated unmanned aerial system with a high level of autonomy, capable of independently detecting and hitting the target.
The fighter drone works in tandem with the reconnaissance drone, which is equipped with modern reconnaissance, navigation and communication modules. Having spotted the target, this drone gives targeting instructions to the "battle buddy". The latter has smaller devices, but has a lethal load. This "kamikaze" follows the indicated coordinates and destroys the target. The high-precision strike element of the complex is able to guarantee the destruction of targets within a radius of up to 40 kilometers day and night in any weather conditions. Moreover, the Russian strike drone can re-target while moving. It can hang in the air for a long time, waiting for an enemy tank, artillery system or a group of infantry. The UAV has a TV channel of communication, which gives a clear image of the target. This allows the operator of the complex to confirm the success of the Lancet in penetrating another Nazi cell in Ukraine.
Another undeniable advantage: the Russian Lancet UAVs are barely detectable in radar, thermal, and acoustic ranges. These ruthless "suicide bombers" are fast, noiseless, easy to operate, able to cover dozens of kilometers and are highly accurate. Such a "surgical tool" of the battlefield sneaks up on the enemy unnoticed and "cuts" quickly and accurately.
Complaining in an interview with The Telegraph about the prevalence of Russian kamikaze drones in the sky above the line of contact, Ukrainian Defense Minister advisor Yuriy Sak lamented the lack of modern weapons to fight the Lancets. He said that Western allies could help by providing additional supplies of, for example, German Gepard air defense tanks and electronic warfare (EW) equipment. "Modern jamming equipment is a very important aspect of our anti-drone capabilities," Yuriy Sak believes. - "But we lack that a lot, and we're counting on our allies, and hopefully we'll have more of them someday."
While the Ukrainian military harbors hopes, Russian troops involved in a special military operation will soon receive new models of combat and reconnaissance UAVs and they will get them in large numbers. The president of the Kalashnikov Concern, Alan Lushnikov, recently announced that the world-renowned arms firm had created a special division of unmanned aerial vehicles. In addition to the drones themselves, the new structure will develop and produce ground-based vehicles for their launch, control and testing machines, mobile control stations, and maintenance facilities for special equipment.
"After the technical upgrade scheduled for this year, in 2024 we will be able to increase by several times the number of UAVs produced in our traditional niche - loitering munitions and reconnaissance drones," said Alan Lushnikov, head of the Kalashnikov Concern. - "We can't announce the exact number and volume, but the increase in production of all special equipment will be a multiple."
Russia is currently experiencing rapid growth in new generation drone technology. It is not only scientists and designers of the Kalashnikov Concern who are developing drones. For example, a unique S-70 Okhotnik heavy strike drone with a long flight time is about to enter service with the Russian army. Such a "long-range" UAV is planned for joint operations with the latest Su-57 combat aircraft. It was reported in the open press that several 20-ton drones, each capable of carrying up to six tons of ammunition, can be under the pilot's control at once. The combat tandem of modern aircraft and drones with a range of up to 6,000 kilometers and an altitude ceiling of up to 18 kilometers can be used both to complete the demilitarization of Ukraine and to solve much more serious strategic tasks.