Soviet drones

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Yes, we have been successfully working on the creation of unmanned systems for various purposes for more than three decades. Created in domestic design bureaus, they have been in service for many years, carrying military service to protect our country. Their production was thousands of units. The history of Soviet unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) deserves a separate story.

The first experiments to create unmanned aerial vehicles were carried out back in the 30s of the last century. However, despite individual successes, they hardly received any practical application at that time. Technologies were too primitive for that at the time.

The situation changed only in the second half of the 50s. Almost simultaneously in the USA and the USSR, work began on UAVs, which were able to carry out reconnaissance behind enemy lines and perform other functions. In our country, the development was carried out by the Tupolev design bureau.

Here, in 1957-58, they began to create a number of reconnaissance and strike unmanned aerial vehicles. The first were the TU-121 and TU-130DP (Dalny planning) vehicles. They were intended to deliver nuclear strikes against targets on enemy territory. Work in this direction has progressed far enough, even prototypes have been tested. However, due to the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles, both projects were closed at the very beginning of the 60s.

The second direction for Tupolevs turned out to be much more successful. The result was the creation of the first Soviet supersonic unmanned reconnaissance aircraft TU-123 "Yastreb". On May 23, 1964, after state tests, the UAV was adopted by the Soviet Army. A total of 52 vehicles of this type were produced, which were deployed in the western districts of the country. Their service continued until the early 1980s. The flight range of the vehicles allowed them to perform reconnaissance flights over most of Europe (about 3600 km). And the maximum speed of 2700 km / h gave every chance to escape from the air defense of a potential enemy.

TU-123 on the launcher

In the mid-60s, the Tupolev Design Bureau began work on the creation of tactical and operational-tactical UAVs. The new aircraft were named Tu-143 "Flight" and Tu-141 "Strizh". Their main purpose was to be photography and television reconnaissance at a distance from several tens to several hundred kilometers from the launch site. The TU-143 complex was the first to be tested in 1972. Four years of tests have shown the high flying qualities of this aircraft. As a result, the Reis unmanned reconnaissance complex was put into service in 1976. He became the most massive UAV, which at that time was in service around the world. Until the end of serial production in 1989, 950 of these machines were produced. It is a reliable and highly effective tactical reconnaissance tool that has proven itself well during operation.

UAV Tu-143 "Flight"

"Flight" in the launch container

Some TTD apparatus:

Maximum speed: 950 km / h

Practical range: 180 km.

Flight altitude: from 10 to 1000 m.

It should be added that the TU-143 were in service with other states. They were also transferred to Czechoslovakia, Romania, Syria and Iraq.

TU-141 tests began a little later - in December 1974. Five years later, in 1979, its mass production began, which lasted until 1989. The device is a more powerful system that allows reconnaissance to a depth of several hundred kilometers. For 10 years, the Armed Forces of the USSR received 152 such vehicles.

"Strizh" on the launcher

TTD:

Maximum speed: 1100 km / h

Practical range: 1000 km.

Flight altitude: from 50 to 6000 m.

Both models could carry containers of photographic or television equipment. The reconnaissance equipment could include radiation detectors.

In the early 80s, work began on the modernization of existing reconnaissance UAVs. The technical requirements for it were approved in February 1983. After four years of work, the first prototype of the new machine took off in July 1987. It received the name TU-243, becoming a deep modernization of its predecessor - TU-143. As a result of the installation of a new generation of reconnaissance equipment, as well as a number of improvements in the design of the vehicle itself, its efficiency has increased 2.5 - 3 times. In addition to military purposes, the UAV could also be used for the needs of the national economy - the detection of forest fires, accidents of oil and gas pipelines, etc. Thanks to the new infrared system Zima-M, reconnaissance could be carried out at any time of the day.

Start Tu-243

TTD apparatus:

Maximum speed: 950 km / h

Practical range: 360 km.

Flight altitude: from 50 to 5000 m.

The UAV was successfully tested and in 1994 it was adopted by the Russian army. However, for some reason, the number of mass-produced cars was not reported in open sources.

Also at the end of the 80s, the Tupolev Design Bureau developed another model of an operational-tactical UAV - the TU-300 "Korshun". At the international air show MAKS-95, prototypes of the machine were demonstrated. Its feature was the ability to upgrade into a shock version with a suspension of various types of aircraft weapons. However, the matter did not go further. As it turned out, Yeltsin's Russia had no money for new equipment.

TU-300 "Korshun"

The 1982 war in Lebanon showed the high practical effectiveness of small-sized operational short-range UAVs. According to its results, KB them. Yakovleva began the development of a new model of the drone, which was named "Bee-1". This vehicle formed the basis of the Stroy-P reconnaissance complex, which was created by TV in 1990. Subsequently, in addition to the basic model, various options were created, including for joint use with artillery, MLRS and aviation. The device was used during the war in the Caucasus in 1999-2000.

UAV "Bee-1"

On the launcher

TTD:

Weight: 138 kg

Maximum speed: 160 km / h

Radius of action: 60 km.

Flight altitude: from 100 to 2000 m.

Exploration duration: up to 2 hours

So, as you can see, such the most promising field of aviation technology in our time, like the UAV, successfully developed in the Soviet Union. And even despite the failure of the 90s, our design bureaus still had sufficient groundwork to resume the development and production of unmanned aerial vehicles for various purposes for the needs of the army and navy. Some developments were presented at the air shows of the 2000s ("Skat" and a number of other models). However, for the majority of representatives of the comprador authorities, it turned out to be much more profitable to rely on the purchase of devices of this class (and far from the newest!) Abroad. Perhaps because it is much more profitable for them to finance the foreign aircraft industry personally than the domestic one?

Still, let's hope that the situation in this area will change for the better. But for this, a lot must change in the country. I really wanted this to happen without new upheavals, such as those that destroyed our homeland two decades ago.

Sergey Yaremenko