Russian-Israeli drones were tested in the cold. Israeli "outpost" UAV is being modernized in Russia Outpost aircraft

The first Diamond DA40 NG light aircraft assembled at the Ural Plant of Civil Aviation OJSC (UZGA, part of Oboronprom OJSC) in Yekaterinburg, the famous expert Denis Fedutinov, specializing in the problems of unmanned aircraft, also visited the assembly line of Israeli aircraft operating at the same UZGA tactical reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles IAI Searcher Mk II and mini-vehicles IAI Bird Eye 400, supplied by the plant to the Russian Armed Forces under the designations “Forpost” and “Zastava”, respectively. Denis Fedutinov kindly provided our blog with a photo report on the assembly of the Forpost (IAI Searcher Mk II) and Zastava (IAI Bird Eye 400) UAVs at UZGA.

A contract worth about $400 million for the assembly in Russia of a UAV developed by the Israeli association Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) was concluded by Oboronprom OJSC in 2010. As part of the implementation of the contract, UZGA organized the assembly of tactical UAVs IAI Searcher Mk II (with the Russian name “Forpost”) and mini-UAV IAI Bird Eye 400 (Russian name “Zastava”). In 2011, the Russian Ministry of Defense issued to UZGA for the supply in 2011-2013 of 10 complexes with Forpost UAVs with a total cost of 9.006 billion rubles (each complex includes a ground control station and three UAVs), and 27 complexes with mini-UAVs of the Zastava type "with a total cost of 1.3392 billion rubles. Tests of the first UAVs “Forpost” and “Zastava” assembled at UZGA in December 2012.

Assembled tactical UAV "Forpost" (IAI Searcher Mk II) in the workshop OJSC "Ural Civil Aviation Plant". Ekaterinburg, 11/11/2013 (c) Denis Fedutinov

Final assembly of the Forpost UAV, docking of wing consoles

Wing consoles of the UAV "Forpost"

Engine of the UAV "Forpost" with a pusher propeller

UAV "Forpost" in the assembly shop of the UZGA company

Compartment for installing payload equipment of the Forpost UAV

Fuselage of the Searcher Mk II UAV, from a batch of unmanned systems previously purchased in Israel, delivered to UZGA for repair

The nose cone of the Searcher Mk II UAV, from a batch of unmanned systems previously purchased in Israel, delivered to UZGA for repair

Transport containers of the Forpost UAV

Communication system of the unmanned complex "Forpost"

Transport trolley UAV "Forpost"

Components of unmanned systems "Zastava"

Containers of unmanned systems "Zastava"

NSU antenna of the Zastava mini-UAV complex

Testing the electronics of the Zastava mini-UAV complex

Elements of the Zastava mini-UAV complex in a transport container

Control panel of the NSU of the Zastava mini-UAV complex

At the Ural Civil Aviation Plant (UZGA, Yekaterinburg), part of the Oboronprom military-industrial complex, flight tests of the first Israeli-developed unmanned aerial vehicles "Forpost" and "Zastava", which are being built under license in Russia for the Russian Ministry of Defense, have begun, the corporation's press service reports. .

“Tests of the Forpost and Zastava unmanned aerial vehicles have been carried out at the Salka flight base near Yekaterinburg since December 2012. Despite extreme weather conditions (on some days the temperature dropped to minus 30 degrees Celsius, and in real flight conditions at altitudes of 2 thousand meters it reached minus 50 degrees Celsius), the systems of the devices function normally and operate without failures,” the statement says. press service message.

The assembly production of systems with UAVs is carried out under a contract concluded in 2010 between the defense industry complex Oboronprom and the Israeli company Israel Aerospace Industries LTD (IAI). As part of this agreement, the Israeli side transferred the necessary technical documentation, technological equipment, test benches and training complexes. In addition, IAI supplies components and assemblies and conducts training for UZGA technical personnel. At the same time, the production technology of unmanned aerial vehicles meets the requirements of Russian regulatory and technological documents, the report says.

It notes that during the implementation of the contract, OPK Oboronprom “gained unique competencies in the development of industrial technologies for the production of modern systems with unmanned aerial vehicles. In the future, the practical experience gained will allow the corporation to increase the level of localization of production of these systems by attracting domestically produced components and assemblies,” the statement says.

Testing of unmanned aerial vehicles is carried out as part of the implementation of the state defense order for the supply of systems with unmanned aerial vehicles to the Russian Ministry of Defense, provided for by the state weapons program.

Source: Military-Industrial Courier, January 9, 2013

UAV "Forpost" (IAI Searcher 2)

IAI Searcher II (English: Seeker) is an Israeli tactical reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

Developed by the Israeli company IAI. The Searcher Mk II was first presented to the public at the Singapore Air Show in February 1998. Its main task is battlefield reconnaissance; can be used to control combat operations, target designation and as an artillery gunner. Adopted into service in Israel in June 1998.

It has been exported and is in service in Singapore, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, India and Russia. A total of 100 UAVs and 20 control stations were exported.

Since 2012, the Ural Civil Aviation Plant (UZGA) has begun producing a licensed copy of “Searcher 2” - “Forpost”.

Description of design

The IAI Searcher II UAV is equipped with a UEL AR 68-1000 piston engine with a power of 83 hp. with a three-bladed pusher propeller.

Searcher II is launched either from a conventional unprepared take-off pad or using a pneumatic catapult or JATO rocket boosters.

The UAV is equipped with a MOSP (Multimission Optronic Stabilized Payload) TV/FLIR complex with a real-time transmission system for GCS or a reconnaissance container. It can also be equipped with a color CCD video camera.

Flight characteristics of the Forpost UAV (IAI Searcher II)

• Searcher II modification
• Wingspan, m 8.55
• Length, m 5.85
• Height, m ​​1.16
• Weight, kg:
  - payload 100
  - fuel 110
  - maximum takeoff 426
• Engine type 1 Limbach L 550
• Power, hp 1 x 47
• Maximum speed, km/h 200
• Cruising speed, km/h 196
• Range, km 250
• Flight duration, hours 15-18
• Service ceiling 6100 m

UAV "Zastava" (IAI Bird-Eye 400)

Bird-Eye 400 (“Bird’s Eye”) is a lightweight portable mini-UAV complex, a typical representative of the class of light devices weighing about 5 kg, designed for reconnaissance and surveillance in the lower echelon and within a radius of 10-40 km from the ground control post. The main task of such drones is to provide units with reconnaissance data about the situation “behind the nearest hill (house)” in real time. The Israeli device is a classic lightweight, portable reconnaissance UAV, designed for operations in the squad-platoon link. This drone - the entire complex fits into just two backpacks worn by infantrymen - can also be effectively used by special forces groups.

Despite the small payload, the UAV carries a very effective surveillance and reconnaissance system "Micro POP" (it is built on the principle of open architecture and allows you to replace one sensor unit with another within a few minutes - either a daytime TV camera or an IR camera ), and is also equipped with communication and data exchange equipment - at a line of sight distance. At the same time, such a “two-sleeve” complex, which requires a combat crew of two people, includes three UAVs, a set of target optical-electronic equipment, a portable control panel, a communications complex, power supplies and a repair kit.

Developed by the Israeli company IAI. The first flight took place in 2003. Before landing, the IAI “Bird Eye 400” must make a “somersault” of 180 degrees so as not to damage the equipment. The electric motor is powered by a built-in battery.

Flight characteristics of the Zastava UAV (IAI Bird-Eye 400)

• Radius of action, km 10
• Flight altitude, m 3400
• Flight duration, h 1.2
• RPV take-off weight: 5.6 kg
• Start - rubber (spring) catapult
• Landing - by parachute

Its weekly Internet publication "Military-Industrial Courier" reports. Russian reconnaissance drones will be able to operate day and night in all weather conditions. Forpost unmanned aerial vehicles will be equipped with miniature high-precision radars, the Izvestia newspaper reports.

Weapons of Russia

According to experts, the radar will significantly increase the capabilities of UAVs. Today, Outposts are equipped with powerful optical-electronic stations, which are not always effective in conditions of fog or sandstorm.

As the Ministry of Defense told Izvestia, the military department is forming tactical and technical requirements for an “unmanned” radar station. The decision to develop a radar for the Outpost was made based on the results of the combat use of the UAV in the Syrian operation. It is planned that the radar will be part of the on-board equipment of the existing Outposts. In the future, the modernized Forpost-M drone will also be equipped with such a station.

According to the publication, the radar created for the drone will be in many ways similar to the radars installed on “large” aircraft. True, taking into account the weight and dimensions of the drone, the new product will be smaller in size. For ease of use, the “unmanned” radar will be mounted in a small container. It can be installed under the wing or fuselage of the drone.

Forpost is produced by the Ural Civil Aviation Plant. One unmanned complex includes a ground control station and three UAVs, each costing about $6 million. The device with a take-off weight of 454 kg can carry up to 100 kg of payload. It is capable of conducting surveillance for 17.5 hours without landing at altitudes up to 5.7 km and at a distance of up to 250 km from the home airfield. Video and infrared equipment allows you to transmit photo and video information to the complex operator. The main task of these UAVs is aerial reconnaissance, including in combat zones. The devices can also be used for target designation, guidance and adjustment of artillery fire.

According to Denis Fedutinov, editor-in-chief of the Unmanned Aviation portal, the decision to equip reconnaissance drones with radar is quite justified.

“Equipping an unmanned vehicle with a radar station in addition to traditionally used optical-electronic surveillance means will improve detection and identification of targets,” explained Denis Fedutinov. - Similar practices exist in other countries. For example, in the Italian Falco devices, which are located in approximately the same weight niche as the Outpost. The Israeli prototype of the Russian UAV, the Searcher drone, also has a version with an on-board radar.”

At the same time, interesting details about the origin of the very concept of the Russian UAV were published by the arms-expo.ru portal. In April 2009, Russia purchased 12 BirdEye-400, I-View Mk150 and Searcher II drones from Israel for a total amount of $53 million. Later, a contract was signed for the supply of another 36 drones worth one hundred million dollars, and in April 2010 It became known about the purchase of another 15 UAVs from Israel. On October 13, 2010, it was reported that the Russian corporation Oboronprom had entered into a contract with IAI for the supply of components for the assembly of drones.

Let us recall, writes arms-expo.ru, that the Forpost UAV is assembled for the Russian Ministry of Defense at the Ural Civil Aviation Plant JSC (UZGA, Yekaterinburg, part of the OPK Oboronprom JSC of the Rostec state corporation) by an Israeli IAI UAV Searcher Mk II.

A photo report on the assembly of the Russian Forpost drone was discovered on the Internet. As it turned out, footage from November 2013 from the Ural Plant of Civil Aviation OJSC (UZGA, part of Oboronprom OJSC) captured the assembly of a drone with serial number 923, which was shot down by the Dnepr-1 regiment in the Donbass today.

Today, soldiers of the Dnepr-1 special forces regiment, as part of a joint operation with the TsSO (Special Operations Center), shot down a Russian Forpost drone with serial number 923 in the Avdeevka area.

As it turned out, in November 2013, the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies published a photo report on the assembly of drones at the Ural Civil Aviation Plant OJSC (UZGA, part of Oboronprom OJSC) in Yekaterinburg. By coincidence, the photo from the factory shows exactly the same drone with serial number 923 that was shot down by the Ukrainian military in Donbass.

“The well-known expert Denis Fedutinov, specializing in the problems of unmanned aircraft, also visited the assembly line of Israeli tactical reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles IAI Searcher Mk II and IAI Bird Eye 400 mini-vehicles, supplied by the plant to the Russian Armed Forces under the designations respectively, operating at the same UZGA.” Outpost" and "Outpost". Denis Fedutinov kindly provided our blog with a photo report on the assembly of the Forpost (IAI Searcher Mk II) and Zastava (IAI Bird Eye 400) UAVs at UZGA,” the blog says.

“A contract worth about $400 million for the assembly in Russia of a UAV developed by the Israeli association Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) was concluded by Oboronprom OJSC in 2010. As part of the implementation of the contract, UZGA organized the assembly of tactical UAVs IAI Searcher Mk II (with the Russian name “Forpost”) and mini-UAV IAI Bird Eye 400 (Russian name “Zastava”). In 2011, the Russian Ministry of Defense issued a contract to UZGA for the supply in 2011-2013 of 10 complexes with Forpost UAVs with a total cost of 9.006 billion rubles (each complex includes a ground control station and three UAVs), and 27 complexes with mini-UAVs of the "Forpost" type. Zastava” with a total cost of 1.3392 billion rubles. Testing of the first UAVs “Forpost” and “Zastava” assembled at UZGA began in December 2012,” experts said.

“Assembled tactical UAVs “Forpost” (IAI Searcher Mk II) in the workshop of the Ural Civil Aviation Plant OJSC. Ekaterinburg, November 11, 2013 (c) Denis Fedutinov,” caption under the photo.

Tactical UAV "Forpost" with serial number 923.

Engine of the UAV "Forpost" with a pusher propeller. In the background you can see the Outpost with serial number 923

UAV "Forpost" with serial number 923 in the assembly shop of the UZGA company

According to the Center for Analysis of the Global Arms Trade, in April 2009, the Russian side purchased two Israeli Searcher Mk.2 UAVs for $12 million. Based on this, the cost of one UAV can be estimated at approximately $6 million.

Based on the updated data on government procurement of the Russian Federation and the tender for technical supervision of the operation of the Forpost UAV for the needs of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the numbers of military units in service with these aircraft have been determined:

military unit 20924 (Kolomna, Moscow region) – 2 complexes;
military unit 30866 (Chernyakhovsk, Kaliningrad region) – 2 complexes;
military unit 44936 (Budennovsk, Stavropol Territory and Mozdok, Republic of North Ossetia) – 2 complexes;
military unit 49324 (Severomorsk, Murmansk region) – 2 complexes;
military unit 69262 (Elizarovo settlement, Kamchatka Territory) – 2 complexes.

(Note, data with the names of military units were obtained from state procurement documents D_GOZ_22 as amended on April 17, 2015. In paragraph 3.2. “Locations of technical supervision of the operation of complexes with unmanned aerial vehicles “Forpost”” the places of work and recipients are indicated)

Let us recall that in the InformNapalm material dated May 8, 2015, “On the adventures of the UAV company of the 19th motorized rifle brigade in Ukraine,” the profile of Russian serviceman Nikolai Belokobylenko, who appeared in a photo near the Donbass Arena stadium (Donetsk, Ukraine) with several other military personnel, already appeared with weapon. It is noteworthy that this serviceman was trained at the Center for Training Specialists of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (military unit 20924, Kolomna, Moscow region, which is among the military units armed with the Forpost UAV).

Thus, the InformNapalm team, in the course of analysis and reconnaissance of open sources of information (OSINT), obtained specific names of military units, whose military personnel can take part in providing reconnaissance of the area for the work of artillery and sabotage and reconnaissance groups of the joint Russian-separatist forces.

UAV "Forpost" / Photo: bastion-opk.ru

“According to some information, the contract for the assembly of the Forpost UAV with the Israeli side was subsequently extended”

In 2011, the Russian Ministry of Defense issued a contract to UZGA for the supply in 2011-2013 of 10 complexes with Forpost UAVs with a total cost of 9.006 billion rubles (each complex includes a ground control station and three UAVs), and 27 complexes with mini-UAVs of the "Forpost" type. Zastava" (IAI BirdEye 400) with a total cost of 1.3392 billion rubles.

Testing of the first UAVs “Forpost” and “Zastava” assembled at UZGA began in December 2012. According to some information, the contract for the assembly of the Forpost UAV with the Israeli side was subsequently extended, LIVEJORNAL reported.

Technical information

UAV "Forpost"

A Russian system created on the basis of foreign components, primarily Israeli-made.

Photo: IA "ARMS OF RUSSIA", Alexey Kitaev

Already in 2011, the Forpost UAV was demonstrated at the arms exhibition in Nizhny Tagil and at MAKS-2011, it was presented by the Ural Civil Aviation Plant OJSC. In 2011, the Russian Ministry of Defense issued a contract to UZGA for the supply in 2011-2013 of 10 complexes with the Forpost UAV with a total value of 9.006 billion rubles.

The assembly of the Forpost UAV (IAI Searcher Mk II) for the Russian Ministry of Defense was carried out at the Ural Civil Aviation Plant OJSC. Tests of the Forpost UAV (IAI Searcher Mk II), assembled at the Ural Civil Aviation Plant OJSC for the Russian Ministry of Defense, were carried out at the Salka flight base near Yekaterinburg in December 2012.

The Forpost unmanned aerial vehicle complex is designed to search, detect and identify ground objects. It carries a modular electro-optical payload.

The device performs a remotely controlled flight from the ground in autonomous mode or according to a preset program, and also navigates with the support of a ground control station and a differential global positioning system.

Photo: IA "ARMS OF RUSSIA", Alexey Kitaev

Transmits data on flight parameters and payload status to the ground control station. The UAV maintains constant communication with the ground control station via duplicate channels in full duplex mode.

The Outpost, like the Searcher II prototype, is launched from an ordinary unprepared takeoff site. The Israeli prototype can take off using a pneumatic catapult or JATO rocket boosters. The long flight time makes this UAV a convenient means of patrolling and control. The UAV is equipped with a MOSP (Multimission Optronic Stabilized Payload) TV/FLIR complex with a real-time transmission system for GCS or an EL/M-2055 SAR/MTI reconnaissance container. It can also be equipped with a 1200 mm color CCD video camera. Universal in terms of launch method and economical.

At the joint operational exercise “Shield of the Union-2011”, which took place from September 16 to 22, 2011 at the Ashuluk training ground (Astrakhan region), the use of Israeli-made IAI Searcher Mk 2 unmanned tactical reconnaissance aircraft, appearing in Russia under the designation “Outpost”, was observed. " In particular, a UAV with tail number “785” was filmed on the ground, and “788” in the air.

The Ural Civil Aviation Plant (Ekaterinburg), as part of the state defense order for 2013, supplied the Russian Ministry of Defense with more than 10 aviation complexes with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) “Forpost”, a serial model of which was demonstrated at the Russia Arms EXPO-2013 arms exhibition in Nizhny Tagil.

“At the previous international exhibition of weapons, military equipment and ammunition, Russia Arms EXPO, we demonstrated a sample of the Forpost UAV that we had just assembled, but it had not yet been tested. At the current exhibition, we are presenting a serial unmanned aerial vehicle on the ground and in the air, which will be delivered to the troops immediately after the exhibition. The customer of these complexes is the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. We have already delivered more than 10 such complexes this year,” Vadim Badekha, general director of the Ural Civil Aviation Plant, told Interfax-AVN.

Photo: IA "ARMS OF RUSSIA", Alexey Kitaev

He recalled that serial production of the Forpost UAV began in the middle of last year.

“This device is based on technologies that we received from the Israeli company Israel Aerospace Industries LTD (IAI) under a previously concluded contract. At the first stage, the Ministry of Defense bought ready-made systems from Israel, at the second, Israel transferred technology to us to organize full-cycle production in Russia. As part of the second stage, we mastered the production of an unmanned complex in Yekaterinburg at our plant,” said V. Batekha.

In April 2015, a tender “Performing work on technical supervision of the operation of complexes with unmanned aerial vehicles “Forpost” and “Zastava” for the needs of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation” was published on the government procurement website.

Photo: IA "ARMS OF RUSSIA", Alexey Kitaev

The documentation lists the military units of the RF Armed Forces that are armed with these aircraft, indicates what work needs to be done with these UAVs (in particular, replacement of air and electronic equipment, replacement of the automatic landing system, replacement of the landing gear system and UAV system, replacement of engine components of the cooling truck, replacement of components engine, replacement of UNSU components, replacement of control and measuring equipment).

In total, in 2015 it is required to service 10 Forpost unmanned aerial vehicle complexes and 27 Zastava unmanned aerial vehicle complexes:

• military unit 20924 (Kolomna, Moscow region) - 2 “Outposts”, 1 “Zastava”
• military unit 30866 (Chernyakhovsk, Kaliningrad region) - 2 “Outposts”
• military unit 44936 (Budennovsk, Stavropol Territory and Mozdok, Republic of North Ossetia) - 2 “Outposts”
• military unit 49324 (Severomorsk, Murmansk region) - 2 “Outposts”
• military unit 69262 (Elizarovo settlement, Kamchatka Territory) - 2 “Outposts”
  
  

The cost of spare parts for technical supervision during operation of Forpost unmanned aerial vehicle systems should not exceed RUB 5,243,568.23. (including VAT) for 1 complex of unmanned aerial vehicles.

Photo: IA "ARMS OF RUSSIA", Alexey Kitaev

Tactical and technical indicators