Russian Military Technology : Updates and Discussions

The Sokol design bureau near Moscow has developed the first Russian FPV glasses "Filin-1" for controlling drones. When creating FPV goggles, the ability to work in a wide temperature range, from -20°C to +40°C degrees Celsius, was taken into account. A particularly important innovation was the introduction of a remote antenna; now the drone operator will be able to work from cover or while in armored vehicles. In addition, the design of the glasses allows you to adjust the interpupillary distance and diopters to suit the characteristics of each operator. Diopter adjustment occurs from -4 to +2. Glasses image resolution: 640 by 480. Glasses weight 400 grams

 
Repair of DJI drones by Russian military personnel. Russian military personnel not only use Chinese DJI drones, but also repair them. During the work of the workshop, more than a thousand faulty drones of different brands were in the hands of repairmen, most of which were repaired.

 
Russia has increased the efficiency of the S-400 air defense system. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced the appearance of new air defense systems in the troops, which work extremely effectively when hitting targets. It is not reported which air defense systems appeared, and against this background various rumors began. Indeed, it is quite difficult to explain the results of the air defense work that were announced by the Ministry of Defense, since the appearance of new air defense systems in the troops was not reported. Let’s explain briefly, perhaps the reason is that the missiles of the S-400 air defense system have been improved, as sources close to the Ministry of Defense report, now the missiles are aimed at targets by the A-50 long-range radar detection and control aircraft. If this is really the case, then the effectiveness of the S-400 air defense system will indeed increase significantly. What benefits does this provide!? In this mode of operation, the radar of the S-400 air defense system does not need to be turned on, which makes it difficult to detect the complex. In addition, now the missile, using the A-50 aircraft, can be aimed at a low-flying target located hundreds of kilometers away.

 
Russian T-90M tanks began using Telnik shells. The crews of Russian T-90M tanks began to use high-explosive fragmentation shells - 3OF82 "Telnik". To reduce the cost of production, the new Telnik shells are made in the 3OF26 shell body. The Telnik shells, developed by the Uralvagonzavod concern, feature the new ammunition with the ability to explode at a given point. The Telnik projectile can detonate not only above the target, but also in front of it, forming a cone-shaped cloud of fragments. The head of the projectile, instead of a standard fuse, is equipped with a remote contact fuse marked 3B48. Thanks to new shells, the T-90M tank increases its anti-personnel capabilities up to six times. The explosive mass of the projectile is three kilograms; in the nose of the projectile there is a block of 450 destructive elements. The diameter of the affected area by projectile fragments is up to 300 meters.

 
The Russian self-propelled gun Malva entered service with the troops, the work of the artillery crew. The new Russian self-propelled artillery gun 2 S43 "Malva" entered service with the troops. This is the first video with the new Malva self-propelled guns and the work of the installation’s artillery crew. A new artillery gun was supposed to be installed in the Malva self-propelled guns. But as you can see, the old version of the artillery gun is still standing. In this version, the maximum firing range of the Malva self-propelled gun is up to 29 kilometers.

 
Russian mechanics spoke about the features of tank repairs and their breakdowns. Repair teams carry out field repairs of Russian military equipment around the clock. At the moment, this is the most detailed interview about the repair and breakdown of Russian tanks.

 
An aviation technician servicing Russian Ka-52 helicopters shared his impressions of the survivability of the combat vehicle and its VK-2500 engine. The Russian aircraft engine VK-2500 is a further development of the TV3-117 family of engines and differs from the base TV3-117VMA engine by increased power by 15-20%, a new digital automatic control and control system of the FADEC type, as well as an increased engine life. Thanks to the improved characteristics of the VK-2500 engine, the helicopter's flight altitude increased by 30%, its climb rate increased by 50%, and its load capacity increased by 2000 kg. Examples of combat operation of the Ka-52 helicopter, in the links to the video in the comments to the video.

 
Russian homing drones, Veresk complex. The Russian company Veresk has launched production and began supplying software systems based on artificial intelligence for FPV drones. The company showed the results of testing drones equipped with a homing system. After detecting and capturing a target, the complex independently directs the drone to the target and destroys it. The guidance system is capable of completing the task of aiming at a target in conditions of a loss of communication with the drone, its autonomous flight, or when the operation of the drone is interfered with by electronic warfare equipment. The complex receives data via communication channels with the drone; the system can operate autonomously if the control unit is installed on the drone. In fact, the drone itself is aimed at the target, the system allows even untrained drone operators to effectively hit targets. Target acquisition range up to 2000 meters

 
An episode of the operation of the Terminator combat vehicle in Ukraine in the Serebryansky forestry near Kremennaya has been published. The crew of the combat vehicle fires from a 30-mm 2A42 automatic cannon and a 130-mm Ataka-T anti-tank guided missile. The semi-automatic ATGM 9M120 "Ataka-T" has a radio command missile control system and can hit targets at a range of up to 6000 meters. The 9M120-1 guided anti-tank missile has a tandem cumulative warhead and is capable of penetrating up to 950 mm of armor. Archival video.

 
Russia is preparing a modernized T-90M Proryv tank. Despite the fairly good protection of the T-90M Proryv tanks and their low losses from anti-tank mines and ATGMs, the T-90M tank continues to be modernized. In the 2024 version of the T-90M tank, there will be new protection on the turret and other upper parts of the tank from attacks from FPV drones. New coating and mesh will be installed on and around the tower to prevent internal shrapnel damage. The main innovation is the strengthening of the frontal armor with new dynamic protection units, which are thicker. Thanks to the new protection, tanks will be able to participate in frontal attacks with fewer losses. Changes will also be made to the fire control system, thermal imaging cameras, night vision cameras, and rangefinder. There are no details on these systems. The aiming systems and various suspension and engine parts will also change. It is reported that a pilot batch of 36 tanks is already being tested. Whether all this will go into series is still unknown.

 
A Russian serviceman spoke about equipping the Russian Kornet ATGM with a homemade remote control system. It is not clear why the Russian military industry has not yet established mass production of such control systems. The troops are constantly talking about the need for them.

 
Russian troops received the first kamikaze Scalpel drones, this is the first video with real drones. It is believed that the Scalpel kamikaze drone was created as a cheap analogue of the Lancet drones. The kamikaze drone "Scalpel" can accelerate to 120 km/h, and its flight range using a command-telemetry channel is up to 40 km. The payload weight is up to 5 kilograms; the peculiarity of the drone is that the warhead of the drone can be changed before takeoff. The elemental part of the Scalpel drone is partially imported.

 
A Russian serviceman shared his impressions of foreign-made grenade launchers. The video shows the RPG-75 M grenade launcher developed in 1970 in Czechoslovakia, with an effective firing range of 300 meters and a maximum range of 1000 meters. RGW-90 “MATADOR” grenade launcher. developed in the 2000s by Singapore and Italy based on the German Armbrustс grenade launcher. With an aiming range of up to 500 meters and a maximum range of 1000 meters. With a pin that extends forward, which activates the cumulative part of the grenade launcher. Also shown is the NLAW Grenade Launcher, which can partially be called an ATGM, developed in Sweden in 2002, with a firing range of up to 800 meters and hitting equipment from above and on the side. And the popular Swedish AT-4 grenade launcher, developed in 1987 and having an effective firing range of up to 800 meters.

 
Russian R-33 missiles of Mig-31 aircraft. Footage of the Russian Mig-31BM aircraft preparing for takeoff, armed with R-33 air-to-air missiles, has been published. The R-33 missile entered service in 1981 in response to the appearance in the United States of the AIM-54 Phoenix missiles used by F-14 aircraft. Unlike American missiles that cost about a million dollars, the Russian missile turned out to be cheaper and is still in use today. The missile is designed for interception and air targets, at a distance of up to 160 km and altitudes from 25 meters to 28 kilometers. The R-33 missile has inertial control and semi-active radar homing during the final flight phase. The MiG-31 is equipped with an on-board radar with a phased array antenna, capable of simultaneously guiding 4 such missiles at 4 targets flying at different altitudes. On August 28, 1978, for the first time in the world, a flight experiment took place, with four R-33 missiles, a MiG-31 aircraft, with the Zaslon weapons control system, the missiles hit 4 targets simultaneously. The weight of the rocket is 490 kilograms, the weight of the warhead is 49 kilograms.

 
The use of Russian Motiv-3M ammunition in Ukraine. A short episode of the use of Russian Motiv-3M combat elements in Ukraine has been published. Motiv-3M self-aiming combat elements are installed in Smerch MLRS, Tornado-S MLRS rockets, RBK-500 aerial bombs, PBK-500U bombs and other weapons. The operating principle of the Motiv-3M element is as follows: when a rocket or bomb explodes over a target, the Motiv-3M combat elements are scattered in the air. Descending by parachute, the combat element equipped with an infrared sensor scans the area in search of heat signatures; when a target is detected, the charge is activated from a height of about 150 meters. The cumulative charge of the Motiv-3M combat element is capable of penetrating armor up to 110 mm thick.

 
Russian craftsmen of the “Convoy” battalion have modernized the ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft guns, making it possible to operate anti-aircraft guns in groups. A module with a sight and an electric drive is installed on the ZU-23 anti-aircraft gun, which allows you to remotely control the ZU-23 anti-aircraft gun. The system they developed allows you to simultaneously control three ZU-23 anti-aircraft guns. The advantage of this solution is that the crew of the anti-aircraft gun is located in a safe place, the system is serviced by an operator and two loaders. This solution allows you to more effectively hit drones and ground targets, which has already been tested. The complex is not yet mass-produced, as government support is required. The ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft gun has a firing rate of up to 2000 rounds per minute and can hit targets at a range of up to 3 km.

 
The Russian army has adopted the Desertcross 1000-3 buggy made in China. The purchases are quite large; 537 Desertcross 1000-3 all-terrain vehicles have already been purchased and are in combat units; it is planned to purchase another 1,500 of these all-terrain vehicles in the near future. The AODES all-terrain vehicle is designed for conducting patrol and reconnaissance operations; it can also be used as a raid vehicle and an all-terrain vehicle for search and rescue units. As the Russian Minister of Defense explained, the all-terrain vehicle is in great demand among the troops. The all-terrain vehicle has been modified for use in Russian winter conditions. All-terrain vehicles Desertcross 1000–3 weighing 1050 kg are equipped with an 87 hp engine. and have a load capacity of 550 kg. The AODES buggy can carry 3 people. The price of the Desertcross 1000–3 buggy in the basic configuration is 1,600,000 rubles or 17 thousand dollars.

 
The Russian heavy military transport aircraft Il-76MD-90A, as part of the test program, successfully completed its first landing and then takeoff from a dirt runway. The new aircraft is designed for transportation and parachute landing of military equipment, personnel and cargo. Il-76MD-90A is a deeply modernized version of the Il-76MD aircraft. The aircraft received more powerful PS-90A-76 engines

 
Russian Su-57 fighters have been equipped with new compact cruise missiles located inside the fuselage; at the moment there are no video footage of the new missiles. Presumably the missile was created on the basis of the Kh-101 and Kh-102 cruise missiles, which are used on the Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers. The estimated range of hitting targets with these missiles is from 1000 to 3500 kilometers, the missiles are guided inertially and by satellite. Many people immediately wonder how these missiles can be placed inside the Su-57 fuselage. According to the developers, a significant reduction in the dimensions of the new missile was achieved due to the perfectly refined design of the folding wing and internal layout, as well as the use of a new small-sized bypass turbojet engine. Equipping the Su-57 with cruise missiles effectively turns the aircraft into a stealth strategic bomber that is difficult to track. According to Western experts, NATO has already assessed the new threat and is developing a set of measures to counter it.

 
The Rostec State Corporation announced the start of preparations for the production of fifth-generation light fighters Su-75 Checkmate. Reportedly, after the announcement and presentation of the Checkmate aircraft in 2021, the company collected feedback from potential buyers, based on them it was possible to make changes to the technical solutions used in the fighter and reduce the final cost of the aircraft, making it more attractive to potential customers. The estimated start date of production is 2025; foreign customers are actively interested in the aircraft. The Russian Su-75 Checkmate fighter will be produced in three versions: a single-seat, a two-seat and an unmanned version of the aircraft. The declared characteristics of the aircraft: speed - up to 2450 km/h, flight range - up to 3 thousand kilometers, at an altitude of up to 16500 meters, combat load weight - 7.5 thousand kg. Flight range up to 2900 kilometers. The aircraft is equipped with a radar with an active phased array antenna, a 360-degree optical and radio reconnaissance system, a built-in electronic jamming system, an optical sighting system, and a wide-range communications system. The cost of a flight hour of the Su-75 is expected to be six to seven times lower than that of the F-35, for which it reaches 35 thousand dollars. The estimated cost of the Su-75 Checkmate aircraft is about $25 million.