Air Force Academy. Zhukovsky and Gagarin (Voronezh) presented at the Interpolitech-2019 exhibition the project of the unmanned combat aircraft complex “Flock-93”. The weapon is designed to engage a wide range of ground targets - air defense, tanks, artillery, armored vehicles and enemy manpower.
The Flock 93 is a swarm of dozens of small bomber drones. Each unit is capable of carrying a small-sized aerial bomb weighing 2.5 kg. Experts note that with a massive swarm of UAV swarm, a serious damaging effect can be achieved. A monocular vision system is used to aim the ammunition on the target. It allows you to achieve accuracy up to several tens of centimeters.
In an interview with RT, the founder of the Military Russia portal Dmitry Kornev said that the "Pack-93" will be a very formidable weapon. The complex will not be able to destroy large and well-fortified objects, but its firepower is enough to strike a convoy of vehicles or armored vehicles.
“One 2.5 kg bomb may well destroy a tank if it falls into any vulnerable part, and there are plenty of such places if the defeat comes from the air. An army SUV will smash such ammunition to pieces. Therefore, I would not underestimate the combat capabilities of unmanned bombers, ”said Kornev.
Specialists of the Air Force Academy. Zhukovsky is developing the "Flock-93" together with colleagues from the Scientific-Production Enterprise "Autonomous Aerospace Systems - GeoService" (Krasnoyarsk) and LLC "Kronstadt Group" (St. Petersburg).
The complex is made on the domestic electronic component base. The suppliers of laser emitters are NPP Inject (Saratov), Research Institute Polyus (Moscow), NPF Dilaz (Moscow); video cameras - Sarapulsky Radio Plant JSC (Udmurtia), NPP Silar (Moscow); filters - “Schwabe - Defense and Defense” (Novosibirsk); digital computers - JSC "MCST" (Moscow).
Swarm tactics
The UAV of the Flock-93 complex will take the form of a flying wing. The absence of protruding aerodynamic surfaces will reduce the radar visibility of the device. Another advantage of the drone will be high energy efficiency.
The developer expects the swarm of UAVs to be able to carry out combat missions at ranges up to 140-150 km. The length of the drone is 1.2 m, the payload mass is 10 kg. The device takes off and lands vertically. The swarm can be lifted into the air, including from unprepared sites.
- Russian serviceman launches unmanned aerial vehicle
- © Press Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
"Flock-93" is implemented on the principle of swarm tactics. It assumes an arbitrary nature of UAV flight, while the drones are "oriented" to the leading device. Now the world uses the drill type UAV control, in which the device clearly “knows” its place in the rank. As explained by RT at the Air Force Academy, airborne vehicles are an uncomplicated target for modern air defense systems, while the swarm is highly survivable.
“EW (electronic warfare) systems cannot disable a flock of drones. If the lead drone is destroyed by enemy fire or lost for one reason or another, then its functions are transferred to another device that was previously a slave. Thus, reconfiguration takes place, and so on until the loss of the last two devices, ”the academy said.
A swarm can count up to 100 drones. The number of drones is limited by the bandwidth of the optoelectronic equipment. The exchange of signals between UAVs occurs using laser and infrared tags installed in the tail of each device.
“Also drones have photodetectors and video cameras. The photodetector instructs the camera to open the diaphragm, two infrared emitters are received, and then the coordinates (location) are calculated. Further, according to the given algorithms, the information is transmitted to the flight controller, where the control system is engaged in stabilizing the UAV position in the ranks, ”the developers noted.
A swarm of drones-bombers is controlled in several ways. In particular, drones can carry out a combat mission in automatic mode, hitting targets at predetermined coordinates.
“Also,“ Flock-93 ”in certain time periods will be able to go to the optical radio channel. Thus, the operator has the opportunity to control drones. Teams are sent by so-called packages, ”the academy explained.
Management of drones "in manual mode" can be carried out from the command post of the A-50 long-range radar detection aircraft and operational-tactical aviation combat vehicles. In addition, it is possible to control from ground platforms.
"Air Defense Disorganization"
Dmitry Kornev believes that the "Pack-93" will be in demand, primarily in local conflicts. The use of the complex will allow for air operations without the risk of personnel loss. Unmanned aerial vehicles will be able to effectively destroy militant units and inflict precision strikes on ringleaders of gangs.
“In my opinion, the Pack-93 is suitable for special operations, including anti-terrorist ones. The ability to control drones from the side of the operator solves the problem of hitting moving targets - I mean, for example, SUVs on which militants often move. Our pilots in Syria faced difficulties in defeating the mobile forces of terrorists. This is a difficult target for aviation, ”explained Kornev.
- Promising strike drone "Hunter" (background) and fifth-generation aircraft Su-57
- © Frame: video of the Ministry of Defense of Russia
Major General Vladimir Popov, Honored Pilot of the Russian Federation, holds a different point of view. According to him, the "Pack-93" is created to break through the layered air defense. A swarm of drones is capable of "creating chaos in the enemy’s air defense system."
The first echelon of the UAV flock, according to the expert, will put passive and active obstacles to the enemy radar equipment, and the rest of the devices will strike.
“I admit that the low-powered ammunition of the Pack-93 cannot be guaranteed to destroy all targets. But the idea of the developers of the complex is not that. It should weaken the enemy’s air defense capabilities as much as possible. Even the most advanced air defense system has restrictions on the detection, tracking and destruction of air targets. It’s almost impossible to deal with a swarm of 100 UAVs, ”said Popov.
The expert also suggested that the "Pack-93" can be used as a distraction in the theater of operations. At that moment, when the enemy will try to eliminate drones, it can be hit by manned aircraft or missile weapons.
“The main task of the Pack-93 is the disorganization of air defense. Drones may well clear the way for attack and bomber aircraft, which is vulnerable to anti-aircraft systems. Of course, the complex can be used against militants, but its main significance is the fight against a high-tech enemy, ”Popov emphasized.