The newest Russian kamikaze drones “Privet-82” will soon begin to perform their tasks on the front line. According to RIA Novosti Vadim Zhernov, CEO and co-owner of Oko Design Bureau, responsible for the development of the device, drones will be launched from single rear hubs.
Operators will be able to join the control of drones already at the forefront, and then direct them to enemy targets.
Due to the long range of the drone (about 30 km), its deployment is possible not on the line of contact, but in a safe rear. Zhernov noted that this approach allows one launch point to serve several units at once. As a result, there is no need to store drones and a catapult on the front lines. It is enough to have glasses, a control panel and an operator who connects to the drone in flight and uses it to hit the selected target.
From a single hub, it is possible to send from one to several drones to a specific unit. Depending on the number of operators, they can be used alternately or for a coordinated strike against the same or different targets. The developer also pointed to the possibility of transferring control of the drone from one operator to another if necessary.
Zhernov stressed that during the transition flight from the launch site to the front line, the drone is in radio silence to prevent interception by the enemy.
According to Zhernov, tests of the drones and the Podkhvat system have already been completed, and the first batch of dozens of drones will go to the front lines within a month. During the first sorties, the developers will be close to the operators to receive operational feedback.
The Privet-82 UAV is capable of carrying a warhead weighing more than five kilograms over a distance of up to 30 km and costs about one hundred thousand rubles. This makes it a highly effective and affordable tool for various combat missions.
“Since our drone has a long range, about 30 kilometers [18.6 miles], it can be based not on the line of contact, but in the rear. That is, the launch of the UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle] is carried out 15-20 kilometers from the front line from a launch point that can serve several units at the same time. Thus, within the front line units themselves, there is no need to keep drones and a catapult, you only need goggles, a control panel and an operator, who will connect to the drone in flight and use it on the selected target,”
“But a change of course in flight from the launch point to the front line is not possible: the drone travels this section of the route in complete radio silence, it does not emit anything, and goes with the video transmitter turned off so that it cannot be intercepted by the enemy,”
The introduction of Hi-82 kamikaze drones into the Russian armed forces is an important step in the development of modern technologies and combat tactics. Thanks to their use, the effectiveness of strikes against the enemy can increase, and the risks for operators and units on the front line are reduced.
The use of Hi-82 kamikaze drones implies the possibility of rapid adaptation to changing combat conditions, which is an important factor in modern armed conflicts. It is likely that in the future such technologies will complement and possibly, in some cases, replace traditional means of warfare.
According to the developer, the tests of the new kamikaze drones have already been completed, and the first batch of about ten Privet-82 UAVs will be sent to the front line within a month.