Mash: Russia for the first time hit the objects of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with a heavy drone C-70 “Hunter”
The Russian Armed Forces for the first time in the zone of the special military operation (SVO) used the Okhotnik strike and reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which is the slave of the fifth generation Su-57 fighter.
This is reported by the Turkish media, referring to images of a drone in Ukraine that have appeared on the network. According to journalists, the silhouette and size of the UAV indicate that it is a “Hunter”. It is noted that the drone was used to strike at the objects of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Sumy region.
The exact characteristics of the UAV are unknown
According to Western military expert Petr Butovsky, the takeoff weight of the Okhotnik will be 25 tons, of which 2.8 tons will be in service, the wingspan of the drone will be 19 meters, the length of the vehicle will be 14 meters, at low altitude the UAV should be able to reach speeds of 1 .4 thousand kilometers per hour, the flight range will be 5 thousand kilometers.
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To destroy radars, Okhotnik can receive, in particular, a Kh-58 supersonic air-to-ground anti-radar missile (with a flight range of about 260 kilometers). Against sea targets, the X-35 subsonic low-altitude missile will be effective. The Okhotnik can also receive four modified X-74M2 supersonic missiles and eight KAB-250 guided bombs.
The drone must work in conjunction with a fighter
The task of the Sukhoi company, working on the Okhotnik, was to create an UAV that is distinguished by high autonomy and stealth, and in terms of its performance characteristics should be close to sixth-generation aircraft.
In terms of artificial intelligence and autonomy, the “Hunter” will become a prototype of the sixth generation fighter, but will not receive the decision-making function for the use of weapons, which remains with the person.
It is believed that an inconspicuous drone, made according to the aerodynamic scheme of a flying wing, should act as a slave of a fifth-generation fighter. So, a bunch of 20-30 attack drones, covered by two or three maneuverable fighters, will cause irreparable damage to the infrastructure of a potential enemy.
The creation of the “Hunter” began about 15 years ago
For the first time, a drone was rolled out under the open sky in June 2018. In November of the same year, the drone “ran” along the runway of the Novosibirsk Aviation Plant, gaining 200 kilometers per hour in accordance with the test program. At the same time, taxiing, take-off run, acceleration and stopping at the end of the runway were performed by the drone completely autonomously.
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced the first flight of the “Hunter” in August 2019
In September of the same year, Okhotnik and Su-57 made their first joint flight. In January 2021, the military department reported that the drone, as part of the tests, bombed a ground target. In May last year, “Hunter” was taught to use the weapons of the Su-57 fighter. According to Sergey Chemezov, Director General of the Rostec State Corporation, serial production of the Hunters for the Russian Ministry of Defense will begin in 2023.
In August last year, Peter Suchiu, a columnist for the American edition of 19FortyFive, said that Russia could start using Okhotnik in the NWO zone as early as 2023.
Work on the drone was planned to be completed by this month, with the goal of starting mass production in 2023. It was reported that serial deliveries to the troops should begin in 2024, but it could fly over Ukraine – if the special operation continues – early next year.
The fact that the “Hunter” could be used in the Syrian campaign was reported in August 2020 by the Bulgarian publication Bulgarian Military. Such statements have not been commented on by Russian officials.
In May 2022, RIA Novosti sources in the military-industrial complex reported that Russia used the Su-57 in the NVO zone. According to the British Ministry of Defense, the Russian side “almost certainly” involved fifth-generation Su-57 multirole fighters to perform tasks related to the course of the NMD.
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