MOSCOW – Russia is working on a long-range unmanned strike system, Zvezda,the official television channel of the Russian Ministry of Defense, haslearned.

Speaking to the television channel, Alexander Nemov, deputy chief of theresearch department at the 30th Central Scientific Research Instituteoutside Moscow, confirmedlink> that the largeunmanned aircraft would appear sometime in the next few years.

“Development work is currently underway on a long-range unmanned systemcapable of carrying out unmanned low-altitude supersonic flights, andstriking both stationary and mobile targets at operational-strategicdepth,” the officer explained.

Zvezda clarified that the aircraft will, on the one hand, be capableof performing low-altitude flights, much like a cruise missile, and willfly faster than the speed of sound, providing the Russian militarywith fundamentally new strategic capabilities not currently enjoyed by anyother military in the world.

Asked about the prospective aircraft’s onboard weapons, Nemov was ableto divulge only that the system “will have the ability to carry both guidedand unguided air-launched weapons.”

The 30th Central Scientific Research Institute’s other projects includeplans to create a new strike chopper, combining the capabilities of theKamov Ka-52 and the Mil Mi-28. The new chopper will feature an additionalwing, and be capable of flying over 400 km per hour. The Institute is alsoworking on unmanned helicopter systems, which will interactwith conventional rotary-winged aircraft on the battlefield. Researchersare also engaged in an evaluation of the ergonomics of the new Sukhoi Su-57multi-role fighter’s control systems.

In November, the Kalashnikov Concern reportedlink> that it would startproduction of heavy unmanned aerial vehicles capable of carrying up toseveral tons of cargo and operating for several days at a timewithout needing to recharge. The system is expected to be introduced thissummer. The UAVs will work in a fleet consisting of heavy and light drones.In addition to cargo delivery, the remote-controlled aircraft are expectedto engage in aerial photography, cartography, telecommunications,monitoring of viral diseases, protection of forests and property, weatherconditions, and more.