S-70 "Okhotnik" UCAV

LMFS wrote:

https://www.vesti.ru/article/2527042

Complete video:

Sources called the start date for testing the second Hunter drone."

MOSCOW, 17 Mar-RIA Novosti. Construction of the second prototype of the S-70 Okhotnik heavy strike drone, which has received an updated design, will be completed in late summer, at the same time the vehicle will be rolled out of the workshop and its ground tests will begin, two sources in the military-industrial complex told RIA Novosti.
"Completion of construction and roll-out of the second prototype of the Okhotnik unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from the shop of the Chkalov Novosibirsk aviation plant (NAZ) are scheduled for the end of summer. Immediately after that, the stage of ground testing of the UAV will begin, including engine starts, checks of on-Board systems and units of the device, taxiing and Jogging along the runway, and much more, " one of the Agency's interlocutors said.
Another source stressed that the second UAV has significant design differences from the first sample. According to the source, "the first Okhotnik is more of an experimental technology demonstrator, while the second Is an experimental pre-production vehicle."
He confirmed the timing of ground tests of the new Okhotnik and clarified that "it is planned to lift the device into the air for the first time at the end of this or early next year."

The United aircraft Corporation (UAC) did not comment on the information provided by the sources to RIA Novosti.
As RIA Novosti reported in early February, NAZ is building three more prototypes of the Okhotnik heavy attack UAV, which are planned to be connected to flight tests in 2022-2023. Then, in particular, it was noted that changes will be made to the design of the second device based on the operating experience of the first "Hunter".
The s-70 Okhotnik was developed at the Sukhoi design Bureau (part of the rostec state Corporation UAC) and is designed according to the flying wing aerodynamic scheme. According to open sources, the length of the drone is 14 meters, the wingspan is 19 meters, and the take-off weight is 20 tons. "Okhotnik" has a subsonic maximum flight speed and is made using materials that reduce radar visibility.
The first flight of the first "Hunter", as reported in the Ministry of defense, took place on August 3, 2019. During the flight tests, according to RIA Novosti sources, the UAV has already used aviation weapons, including the drone bombed a ground target at the Ashuluk training ground.
Serial deliveries of "Hunters" to The aerospace forces of the Russian Federation, noted earlier in the UAC, should begin in 2024.

Odin in the sky is not a warrior
According to Denis Fedutinov, a leading expert in the field of unmanned aviation, the greatest effect of using the s-70 Okhotnik Can be achieved by organizing its interaction with other manned and unmanned aerial vehicles and forming reconnaissance and strike aviation groups based on them.
"This will require fairly large-scale applied research aimed at increasing the autonomy of the Hunter's actions, as well as organizing effective interaction of heterogeneous reconnaissance and strike assets while minimizing human involvement in this process, "the expert stressed.
He added that "one of the intrigues of the upcoming flight tests, in particular, is how the interaction of the two Hunters will be tested.
Fedutinov clarified that in addition to autonomy, development of communication channels and automation of interaction, the concept of using heavy UAVs and ways to integrate them into the grouping of forces and means is of key importance. According to the expert, serious efforts will be required by research organizations of the Russian defense Ministry to form the concept of embedding and using "Hunters" in the framework of reconnaissance and strike systems, including manned aircraft, UAVs and other forces and means.
He added that progress in these areas is likely to be associated with significant financial and, importantly, time costs that exceed the cost of creating the UAV itself.

https://ria.ru/20210317/bespilotnik-1601569846.html

From the photo material, it is assumed that RAM, Autoclave technology (for dielectric joints) and packaging presses are the same (?) as KNAAPO, which is making the Su-57. So we would have the same degree of finish but with a much but much superior stealth design (no pilot, smaller etc etc etc).

Perhaps (ironically) one of the stealthiest vehicles.

It's funny.

Physical size of an aircraft is very relevant to its RCS vs frequency performance, so it is risky to say Okhotnik is x times stealthier than B-2 just because it is X times smaller, because it could be actually easier to detect with low frequency radars. But of course now the Russians have a plane that fulfils all "internet-expert-level" musts for VLO design, Western haters will make up all sorts of esoteric theories to dismiss it and that is going to be funny to watch

I totally agree.

We have then, a very interesting aspect.
What interests me most is the degree of semi-automatism that S-70 will probably inaugurate and as per the best Russian tradition, will then cascade to all systems that require it.

So the level of programming (of very high quality, demonstrated by the progress and by the projects of new conception that are repeatedly coming out).

UCAVs capable of discreetly patrolling borders and hot spots, ready to intervene.

UCAVs working in teams with predictive algorithms, and always under human supervision ready to intervene.

UCAVs able to depart from (relatively small) surfaces, even in SEA.

UCAVs that will also be refuelable in flight, in order to have a 24/24 operation for days and days. (toilet, restaurant, bed at hundreds/thousands of km on the ground with personnel shifts at the console).

UCAVs in case of expendable combat.

Who needs an F-35? SALES coming soon.

(ops! sorry double post!)...

Can flying wings fly slow ? Like really slow ? Or not so much. Just wondering cuz for loitering , it would be more efficient to fly slower

Looks like the new add on that T-50-3 got below the nose

For the first time, the Ministry of Defense only on "Russia 24" discloses super-secret domestic military developments: you will see the Hunter stealth drone and the combat use of the Orion UAV in Syria against terrorist targets. Special report by Alexander Rogatkin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPIaf5PUOxk

Look at the above video from TS and 33 seconds into the video as the drone is rolled out of the hangar you can see two of those tubes that look like guns... one identified above in the photo and at 33 seconds in the above video just above the red 071 on the air intake side there is another tube exposed that looks the same... in fact both are visible in that frame:



I would say it is not a gun because there is no blast shielded metal around the muzzle and the rear model further back I identified above is a small pod and does not have the length to be an actual gun.

Look the changes at the T-50 053, above the nose instead of IRST and below:

New generation optical system?

The diameter is tiny consider it is an optical system which would benefit from width of sensors most of the time.

Very interesting find.

There is a Russian video showing thermal imagers in different frequency ranges... long, medium, and short, where the short wave is the newest and has near normal vision properties like it can see through normal glass and through water, unlike longer wave IR devices, so it would be less effected by rain and cloud and smoke presumably, but the SWIR camera was about 1/8th the size of the other thermal cameras so the technology is small and does not need cooling either.

Will be interesting to see what these are...

(note the IR is used in three frequency areas because the other frequencies of IR energy is absorbed by moisture and that results in uselessly short ranges of use.)

LWIR and MWIR can see further than SWIR but their image quality is not as sharp so it is harder to identify things or people.

LMFS wrote:Look the changes at the T-50 053, above the nose instead of IRST and below:

Nice find! Looks sharp! Only issue I would see is that the turret does not seem to have any movement to it. Only thing I can assume is it was some sensor tied directly to the use of the s-70. Btw I wish they would paint all su-57 in a similar scheme.

GarryB wrote:Look at the above video from TS and 33 seconds into the video as the drone is rolled out of the hangar you can see two of those tubes that look like guns... one identified above in the photo and at 33 seconds in the above video just above the red 071 on the air intake side there is another tube exposed that looks the same... in fact both are visible in that frame:



I would say it is not a gun because there is no blast shielded metal around the muzzle and the rear model further back I identified above is a small pod and does not have the length to be an actual gun.

The lens looks similar to the one affixed to the end of the side lobe missile bay on the su-57. Could this have similar ability? Some kind of flir system to help it land?

I wonder when the S-70 will get a stealthy flat nozzle. Since acceleration is not a huge issue, and maximum stealth including from the rear is, there's no reason not to put one on, especially since russia already has tested such nozzles. I wonder how many times a flat nozzle will reduce rear RCS.

limb wrote:I wonder when the S-70 will get a stealthy flat nozzle. Since acceleration is not a huge issue, and maximum stealth including from the rear is, there's no reason not to put one on, especially since russia already has tested such nozzles. I wonder how many times a flat nozzle will reduce rear RCS.

Third prototype

With the MiG-1.42 and the MiG-1.44 one was the flight testing model for aerodynamic testing and the other was the stealthy model with all the secret stuff to minimise RCS that was never shown to the public.

It might be that they keep the stealthy model secret and just train and work with and export the less stealthy model and keep the uberstealthy version for themselves...

They could easily build up the aircraft structure around the engine nozzle to reduce IR signature.... I rather suspect they left it open like that so TVC nozzles could be tested to improve manouver performance perhaps... your average fighter is g limited so dodging incoming missiles is just dreaming really, but a drone perhaps able to pull 20-30 g probably could evade a few missile weapons realistically...

I seem to remember them saying the rectangular engine nozzle they tested on the Su-27 reduced the IR signature by rapidly mixing the hot air going through the hot section of the jet engine with the cold bypass air so the IR signature was significantly reduced but at the cost of something like 15-20% of thrust performance which they deemed to be not worth it.

New models of engines for the Su-57 could be used on the S-70 for commonality but I would expect that they could use the older engines currently being used on Su-57s in their S-70s and use the new engines in the manned aircraft to boost their performance more radically.

Looking at the angle of sweep of the S-70 I kinda thought it is a sharp sweep for something that is intended to be subsonic.... compare it with the wing sweep of the B-2 for instance.

Perhaps with the new engine it might supercruise...

LMFS wrote:Look the changes at the T-50 053, above the nose instead of IRST and below:

A closer image shows that the s-70 irst thingy was what was seen on the third t-50 prototype. Interesting.

@GarryB

I was said that the Okhotnik would use the non-afterburning version of the PAK-FA's izd. 117

If you look at the photo above of the Su-57 and the S-70 they both have two of them... one on top and one below the nose.

If they were for cameras then mounting two side by side 60-80mm apart you could use the combined view for a 3D stereoscopic view forward so the operator would have normal depth perception to judge distance to objects in the field of view.

The way they are located would not be useful except seeing above and below the nose of the aircraft.

I was said that the Okhotnik would use the non-afterburning version of the PAK-FA's izd. 117

If they intend to use non after burning engines then it would be purely subsonic only... which would mean why no use the engines currently being used... I doubt the difference in performance would be enormous and it would be a useful way of using these engines in current Su-57s that are to be replaced as soon as the new engine is deemed to be ready.