This is the moment two new unmanned aerial vehicles take to the sky as Russia’s MoD shows off its spying capabilities.
The Russian Ministry of Defence has released footage of their new Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik unmanned combat aerial vehicle and a prototype of the Altius-U military long-range unmanned aerial vehicle which can fly for up to 24 hours.
Video Credit: CEN/Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
The Altius-U is said to be Russia’s answer to America’s unmanned RQ-4 Global Hawk and Predator drones, according to local media.
Controlled remotely, the new Altius-U prototype reportedly reached an altitude of 800 metres (2,625 feet) and successfully circled the Russian airfield for just over half an hour.
According to reports, the unmanned surveillance aircraft was fitted with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance equipment during the test flight.
In the future, the Russian MoD hopes to arm the aerial vehicle to carry up to a ton of bombs and be able to carry out precision attacks on targets, according to local media. It is unclear what type of bombs the aircraft will be able to carry.
The weight of the vehicle is six tonnes and it is reportedly fitted with two turboprop engines and the latest optical, radar and radio systems.
Video Credit: CEN/Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
According to the Ministry of Defence, the Altius-U is capable of a 24-hour flight time and can therefore travel far beyond Russia’s borders.
Reports said that Russia wants to learn lessons from the Syrian conflict and the development of both the Altius-U and the stealth S-70 Okhotnik is said to be a step in the right direction for the country’s MoD.
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Story By: Anna Guran, Sub-Editor: Alex Cope, Agency: Central European News
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