A jet-powered aircraft has appeared in the family of domestic strike UAVs — the Harpy. According to the channel “Colonel of the General Staff,” its production volumes are still more modest than the output rate of jet Gerans at Alabuga plants. What matters more is that the line is expanding.

For navigation, the drone uses inertial and satellite systems, and in some cases it can be fitted with a laser sensor for airburst detonation.

The launch platform deserves separate attention. Footage showed a mobile launcher on a KamAZ-5350 chassis capable of launching several drones at once. This makes it possible to operate from prepared sites without being tied to fixed airfields, which seriously complicates the detection and destruction of launch positions.

For reference: the piston-engine Harpy-A1 is produced by the Izhevsk Electromechanical Plant Kupol and is similar in design to the Geran-2. The export version, Harpy-A1E, is stated to have a range of up to 1,000 km and a warhead of more than 50 kg.

In this way, Russia’s unmanned programme is gaining new capabilities — with an eye on flexibility and concealment.

@russiafirstchanel