This video is likely some marketing propaganda for a Russian defense firm in search of government funding. But I do find it to be an interesting take on how ground drones may evolve in the near future. At least for urban warfare. Outside of cities, nothing that small and light is going to be able to maneuver well cross-country. Nor would it be able to get close enough to an MBT to launch whatever version of the RPG this thing is supposed to be carrying in its scorpion tail. Still, it's interesting to think about.
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I love how the American soldiers are completely inept and the Russian drone operators have perfect and instantaneous Situational Awareness in that video. Also, what the hell are the drones armed with? Magic quick-firing rockets?
ReplyDeleteSilly.
It's no sillier than a Northrop Grumman video would be showing incompetent Russian solders that can't deal with American 'super' tech. Propaganda is propaganda, after all. :)
DeleteLet's be charitable and assume that the (too small for this) scorpion tail has 3 RPG-29s (best at anti-tank), and 3 RPG-7V2s (High-Explosive Fragmentation Version). At close range, those could penetrate an MBT's armor (already proven), kill infantry, and a lucky hit could take down a chopper (like in Somalia).
The unlimited-ammo smoke launcher is really pushing it though. In reality, that and the 'stretcher' would be on different drones. Not combined into one.
An electric hybrid or fully electric drive on that chassis would be crazy silent compared to an Abrams though, and have little in the way of a heat signature. That's much more doable, and dangerous.
I find the perfect comms in an urban canyon to be the most amusing part, particularly with the operators sitting in an AFV with no external antennae.
DeleteHeh, good point.
DeleteMaybe the prop-drone circling the area is acting as a communications relay. The US has decimated its own close-in AAA capabilities, so *maybe* they might get away with something like that. At least in a city.
Though I can also imagine a truck full of US operators (half way around the world) doing everything they can to jam or take-over those Russian drones (Iran-style). Do the Russian operators even need to be on-site? Or would the trucks just have a deployment/maintenance team on-board? Seems like the operators should just stay in a nice air-conditioned bunker someplace.
It’s also possible that the drones might have some autonomous capabilities that makes operating them more like:
1) Set waypoints & casualty location
2) Set combat mode (aggressive, reactionary, passive, etc.)
3) Monitor performance as enemy jamming allows
4) Update waypoints and combat modes as needed
5) If jamming is light/nil, take over controls for difficult situations.
So you could jam operator updates, but the drones could still function autonomously to some extent. Including having conditions that would cause them to retreat back to their deployment area.
it's ridiculously easy to shoot down drones, the idea of having one loitering around the city is almost as crazy as a fully intact military base right on the doorstep of a major urban conflict.
DeleteShoot it down with what? The most efficient method is with AA cannons (think 40K Hydra), but the US has very little of that kind of gear left. Other countries are rushing to build cheap low-level AA platforms to shoot down drones, but not us.
DeleteThat leaves stinger missiles, other aircraft, etc. But prop drones don't give off much in the way of heat, and expecting an F35 to accurately drop an air-to-air missile on a low-level drone is a fantasy. Particularly in an urban environment.
http://kdvr.com/2014/06/15/video-unruly-crowd-takes-down-lapd-drone-following-kings-stanley-cup-win/
DeletePro tip: Don't hover lower when people are throwing things at your drone :-)
HAHA!!! Poor... poor... LAPD. ;)
DeleteIs it powered by vodka? Tell me it's powered by vodka.
ReplyDeleteIt's um... powered by Vodka?
DeleteExcellent.
ReplyDelete