Despite Russia being cash-strapped, the Russian military continues its modernization and expansion drive. Its latest effort includes the upgraded S-70 Okhotnik (Hunter) heavy combat drone is on its way to the military for testing.
Hunter is developed by Chkalov’s Novosibirsk aviation plant in western Siberia — a subsidiary of the famous Sukhoi Company.
As always, it’s up to western analysts to separate true capabilities from Kremlin hype.
But, the drone reportedly uses a Russian made-engine — the Al-41F1, which is also used on the Su-57 and the Checkmate aircraft — giving it a range of up to 3728 miles (6,000 kilometers). It also is equipped with a flat nozzle to increase its stealth capability.
The Hunter has a takeoff weight of 20 tons, measures 46 feet (14 meters) long and has a wingspan of 62 feet (19 meters0. This new version can reportedly reach speeds up to 620 mph (1,000 kph).
According to Defense News:
The new S-70 is equipped with technologies “surpassing a few foreign analogues by a number of parameters,” Russian Deputy Defence Minister Alexey Krivoruchko told reporters Wednesday during a visit to the Novosibirsk plant.
A spokesman for the United Aircraft Corporation, which owns Sukhoi, told Defense News that the S-70 is a “promising aviation platform with great potential for the development of a family of unmanned systems of the future.”
The drone is expected to complement Su-57 fighter missions, with one jet able to work in tandem with up to four S-70s, an aviation industry source told state-run news agency Tass. If testing is successful, the drone will enter service in 2024, Krivoruchko said.
Despite the hype, questions remain.
Retired Col. Mikhail Khodoryonok, a senior military analyst for local news site Gazeta.Ru, told Defense News that the drone “has to prove itself in a combat mission,” possibly in Syria. Khodaryonok also has his doubts about Skat’s future.
The head of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, Ruslan Pukhov, said:
One has to wait and see. Will it turn into a flying robot that will be able to fly long distances and to perform combat operations?
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AmericanActionNews.com
I heard about and I’ve made such great money. It’s really user friendly and I’m just so happy that I found out about it. The potential with this is endless.
Here’s what I do… 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝟎𝟏.𝐓𝐤
Dalt biden blames all that has gone wrong since he has been in office on the virus or Trump, what kind of weak ass president do we have? When it comes time to open his mouth with China, Russia, Iran, he becomes a total mute, what a lack of backbone, joe the tough guy has no leadership skills. joe biden the original Christmas scrooge, NOT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, only president of the red states, his title must be changed this prat public farter should be impeached in 2022. Biden the baby killer needs to be thrown out of office. The only thing real joe biden will win in 2022 is formal impeachment, for his abuse of power, corruption, violation of his oath of office, lack of national security on our borders, federal and State law violations, lack of proper protection and correct use of our natural energy resources, failure to protect the public, with run away national organized
crime, self created national shortages, mismanagement of our economy high inflation.
Mismanagement of tax payor monies in too many areas, lets not forget to mention the tragedy Afghanistan losses of our military equipment, along with the unnecessary of loss of life. Accepting gifts money from adversarial countries with pay to play violations.
Turning your back on the Cuban people after they asked for help, promoting electric
battery vehicles use by attacking our current resources when what your seeking, won’t be available till 2050 so says your own energy secretary. biden is not the only one looking towards 2022.
Yes, what he said!!!
“….only president of the BLUE states…” there, I fixed it
In other words, F J Bidet is not such a stunning success, well except for the Vat I can.
Me too, what he said. Let’s go, Branden.
Stole our design to make drone like China does too
Can it be stopped? Well, swill enough vodka into its gas tank and watch it keel over into the snow.