For the first time, the Russian military conducted a series of flights of a heavy attack drone “Okhotnik” in the form of a fighter-interceptor with simulated air-to-air missiles at the Ashuluk training ground, a source in the military-industrial complex told RIA Novosti.
Prior to this, the “Okhotnik” had already performed a number of flights, but in the course of them only its flight qualities and the operation of the main onboard systems were assessed.
“From the strip of the military airfield of the Center for Combat Training and Combat Use of the Russian Aerospace Forces at the Ashuluk training ground, several flights of the Hunter were performed with functional simulators of guided air-to-air missiles. Such missiles in the combat version are designed to destroy other aircraft,”
the source said agencies, noting that the tests were recent.
The source explained that the flights performed “will make it possible to assess the coupling of the drone’s avionics with missile guidance systems and the lead Su-57 aircraft .”
“The simulators have the body and all the electronic stuffing of the corresponding missile, but they lack the engine and warhead,” the source said.
Source: RIA Novosti