Russia’s Okhotnik unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV)
has reportedly been flight-tested with air-to-air missiles for the first time.
As reported by Russia’s state-run media outlet RIA Novosti,
recent series of weapons trials saw the unmanned aircraft used in a “fighter-interceptor role”.
The outlet said that the tests had taken place
over the Ashuluk training range in southwestern Russia.
Though the details are sketchy and limited, this if true, is a significant development.
In this video, Defense updates analyze why Russia’s Okhotnik armed attack drone could
change an aerial battle? Let us get started.
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On March 9th, 2018, the US Air Force officially retired Predator, a platform that initiated
a new era of unmanned air combat. Predator was best known for their
ability to deliver precision strikes as their controllers sat halfway around the world
in small and discreet bunkers. MQ1 Predator will be replaced
by the second generation of combat drone MQ-9 Reaper which is much more capable.
Reaper has an endurance of, 27 hours, a service ceiling of 50,000 ft, a range of 1,151 mi
or 1,852 km and a max speed of 300 mph or 482 km/h The Reaper's hard-points give it the ability to
deploy a combination of AGM-114 Hellfire, GBU-12 Paveway, and GBU-38 JDAM munitions.
Israel also has several drones in its arsenal
like Heron which can operate up to 52 hours and reach altitudes of 35,000 ft.
China has also spent a huge amount of resources in developing an attack drone.
China has unveiled a drone name Dark Sword that could fly at supersonic speeds.
Russia till now didn’t have an attack drone.
Earlier, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin had told Russian News outlet Sputnik
that Russia had swiftly reduced, and is expected to completely eliminate,
it's lag behind the United States and Israel in the creation of UAVs.
"Concerning the UAVs, I should only say that there is no point of speaking about some lagging behind.
It has been rapidly reduced and will be completely eliminated soon," Rogozin said in an interview.
He had specified that he was speaking about both combat and reconnaissance drones.
The image of the Russian strike drone emerged on the internet in 2018.
The Okhotnik meaning 'Hunter', is a Russian stealth heavy unmanned combat aerial vehicle
(UCAV) being developed by Sukhoi and Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG as a sixth-generation
aircraft project. The drone is based on the earlier Mikoyan Skat, designed by MiG,
and encompassing some technologies of the fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jet.
It is expected to enter service with the Russian Armed Forces by 2025.
In late May 2019, Okhotnik performed a series of flight tests during which the drone flew
several meters above a runway of the NAPO plant.
On 3 August 2019, Okhotnik performed its maiden flight. The drone flew for about 20 minutes at
an altitude of 600 meters above Chkalov State Flight Test Center in Akhtubinsk,
and made several circles around the airfield. On August 7, the Russian Defence Ministry released
a video of the first flight. On 27 September 2019,
Russian MoD released a video showcasing the first flight of Okhotnik alongside Su-57.
Reportedly the UAV operated autonomously and flew for more than 30 minutes interacting with
the Su-57 to test extending the fighter’s radar and target designation range
for use of long-range air-launched weapons from the outside of enemy air defenses
The Okhotnik's design is based on the flying-wing scheme and incorporates the use
of composite materials and stealth coatings, making the drone low-observable in flight.
It has a weight of about 20 tons and a wingspan around 65 feet or 20 m. The drone is powered
either by a single AL-31F turbofan, as used on the Sukhoi Su-27 fighter aircraft, or by the improved
AL-41F derivative installed on Su-35S fighters and Su-57 prototypes.
Although the first prototype's exhaust nozzle was conventional
and could increase the drone's radar signature, a future upgrade could see improved exhaust as
well as engine inlet as shown by a mock up at the 2019 MAKS International Aviation and Space Salon.
The maximum speed of the drone is reportedly 1,000 km/h
621 miles/h while carrying its payload internally.
It is likely the Okhotnik was designed to act as a "loyal wingman" controlled by the Su-57.
According to unconfirmed reports, the range of the drone will stand at about 6000 km or 3750 miles.
The drone is expected to carry diverse weapons payload
like free-fall gravity bombs, air to surface missiles and air to air missiles.
A source within Russia's “military-industrial complex,” told RIA Novosti.
“From the airstrip of the military airfield of the Russian Aerospace Forces’ Combat
Training and Combat Application Center at the Ashuluk training range, the Okhotnik
performed several flights with functional simulators of guided air-to-air missiles.
In the combat version [of the drone], such missiles are designed to destroy other aircraft.”
As per reports, Okhotnik was said to have been armed with simulated air-to-air missiles (AAMs):
inert weapons with both infrared and radar-homing seeker heads but without engines and warheads.
Russia has multiple AAMs with which they can arm the platform.
The R-27 missile is a medium-to-long-range air-to-air missile developed by the Soviet Union
The R-27 is manufactured in infrared-homing (R-27T) having a range of 40 km or 25 miles,
semi-active-radar-homing (R-27R) having a range of 80 km or 50 miles, and active-radar-homing
(R-27EA) having a range of 130 km or 80 miles.
The R-73 is a short-range air-to-air missile
developed by Vympel NPO that entered service in 1984
The R-73 is an infrared homing missile with a sensitive, cryogenic cooled
seeker with a substantial "off-boresight" capability: the seeker can actually "see"
targets up to 40° off the missile's centerline. The minimum engagement range is about 300 meters,
with a maximum aerodynamic range of nearly 30 km or 19 miles at altitude.
The R77-1 missile is the upgraded variant of the R77 missile. It adds an active radar seeker head,
and newly designed fins for better aerodynamic.
The R-77-1 has fire and forget capability with a range of 110 km or 68 miles.
The missile is very resistant to countermeasures making it hard to fend off.
The drill is intended to closely replicate combat conditions which include enemy aircraft,
air defense, and electronic warfare elements. The pairing of Okhotnik with Sukhoi Su 57
will mean that Russia will have a powerful duo in the skies in the coming days.
The two platforms are expected to coordinate with one another
with deep integration and this is likely to result in force multiplication.
With this kind of technology, the Russian military planners
will be in a much better position to carry out both defensive and offensive missions.
For example, in a heavily defended air space, Okhotnik can be assigned the risky task
of taking out the air defenses before Su 57 launches its own offense.
It remains to be seen how things pan out in the coming days.