Russia Reveals Loyal Wingman Concept

08:01 18/9/2020 - Πηγή: Armynow

The Kronstadt Co. is building on the success of Russia’s first modern large unmanned aircraft system Inokhodets-BLA (Orion), revealing a full-scale mockup of its loyal wingman concept aircraft as well as its ambitions to expand in the large UAV market.

Russia’s foray into modern UAV

development began long after that of the U.S. and other countries—and after the war with Georgia in 2008 revealed Russia’s military weaknesses. Moscow has since developed and started production of the Orion, the Russian equivalent of the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator. Behind it, multiple projects are in the pipeline that could be exported to nations that do not want to buy aircraft from Europe, Israel or the U.S.

Russia’s first large UAS, the Inokhodets-BLA (Orion), has entered serviceTrials of the Altius-RU and Okhotnik unmanned aircraft will continue for a few more yearsThe Russian defense ministry is launching additional UAS programs

Kronstadt began with that Predator-replica Orion, mastering design and production of thin-walled ultralight structures made of carbon composites using a vacuum infusion method. Orion is also the first fully electric aircraft of this size in Russia. The company aims to use that experience to stay ahead of other Russian manufacturers and the needs of the nation’s defense ministry and to gain ground in the export market.

At the Army 2020 exhibition in Kubinka near Moscow in August, Kronstadt’s stand was dominated by a full-size mockup of the Grom strike aircraft. The Grom is intended as an unmanned “loyal wingman” that will fly in front of a group of manned aircraft to pave the way through an enemy’s air defense system using anti-radiation missiles.

According to the company, the manned fighter can guide three or four Grom unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The Grom also can destroy surface targets and conduct reconnaissance and electronic jamming. It can carry weapons weighing up to 500 kg (1,100 lb.): two inside the fuselage and two suspended from underwing pylons, up to a total of 2 tons. The Grom is to be powered by two 2,500-kg-thrust (5,500-lb.) AI-222-25 turbofans, also used by the Yak-130 jet combat trainer.

For now, the Grom is being developed using internal funding, with the expectation of a Russian defense ministry contract. “Today, the [defense ministry] has an understanding that a UAV of this class should en masse come into service with the Aerospace Forces,” says Nikolai Dolzhenkov, designer general of Kronstadt.

The Orion is currently Kronstadt’s main product, developed under the defense ministry’s Inokhodets-BLA program. It is the first large UAS in Russia to enter production.

Kronstadt CEO Sergey Bogatikov said during Army 2020 that the first Inokhodets-BLA system had been delivered to the Russian Armed Forces and the company had been awarded a contract for further deliveries. The military also requested additional requirements, and a modernized version with weapons that were not included in the original requirements will be produced. “We are showing a modernize

Source: aviationweek.com

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