Loitering Munition and Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle | "Zero Casualty" Weapon System Technologies
hello everyone welcome to today's comprehensive overview of weapons in the 1990s unmanned combat aircraft made their first appearance driven by the wave of Information Technology and the concept of zero casualties in combat these aircraft generally possess features such as stealth versatility and artificial intelligence allowing them to conduct continuous reconnaissance and Rapid strikes against high value and time-sensitive Targets this has had a significant impact on the traditional operational model of the Air Force in Europe countries like France the United Kingdom and Germany representing Aviation Powers have launched technical demonstration projects for unmanned combat aircraft models such as the neuron and the thunderfish have emerged igniting a wave of development in unmanned combat aircraft today let's explore the world of drones together unmanned aerial vehicles uavs or drones generally refer to aircraft that can fly without a human pilot on board capable of autonomous propulsion and single or repetitive use the history of of drones is almost as long as that of man aircraft but early limitations in automatic control technology and navigation hindered their development for a long time the primary use of drones was as Target drones it was not until the 1960s the drones were first extensively used in Warfare most of the drones during this period were modified Target drones by equipping them with aerial cameras electronic jamming systems or signal intelligence equipment they replaced manned aircraft in performing high-risk tasks such as reconnaissance surveillance and air defense suppression however due to technological limitations at the time the role played by drones remained marginal until the 1990s with the popularization of computer and navigation technology fundamental issues restricting the development of drones were resolved unlocking more roles for them in 2001 drones with integrated reconnaissance and strike capabilities successfully launched air to ground missiles in the Afghan war marking the beginning of their engagement in attack missions in the late 1990s a more advanced type of unmanned combat aircraft emerged these drones equipped with artificial intelligence-based flight control task management Cooperative engagement and automatic Target recognition systems were designed to adapt to the rapidly changing battlefield of information Warfare they achieved autonomous takeoff flight decision-making and attack ushering in a new stage of drone development in the late 1990s major military Powers around the world began implementing technology demonstration inv validation for unmanned combat aircraft leading to a surge in their development in Europe the development of unmanned combat aircraft was particularly urgent in 1999 daa Aviation of France took the lead in launching an unmanned combat aircraft project subsequently the French Ministry of Defense awarded daa Aviation a contract worth3 billion EUR for the development of large-sized unmanned combat aircraft including the later neuron drone Germany has begun promoting the swordfish unman aerial vehicle project the swordfish is an autonomous midsize drone with a conventional aerodynamic layout featuring twin outward tilting vertical Tails its body is constructed from composite materials and measures 8.25 m in length with a wingspan of 7.22 M the maximum takeoff weight is 3.25 tons and
it can achieve a maximum flight speed of 0.85 Mach the operational range of the swordfish exceeds 200 km in 2006 the swordfish successfully completed its inaugural flight in the same year the United Kingdom which serves as one of Europe's Aerospace industry centers also initiated an unmanned combat aircraft project Cod named Thunder God the Thunder God drone has a length of approximately 12 M and a wingspan of around 10 m it weighs 6 tons in the air with a maximum takeoff weight of 8 tons it adopts a flying wing configuration similar to the neuron drone the Thunder God's maximum flight speed can surpass pass the speed of sound its primary Armament consists of two internally mounted missiles a significant mission of fifth generation stealth Fighters is to utilize their stealth capabilities to penetrate enemy defense systems and conduct attacks on critical ground targets highend unmanned combat aircraft can not only fulfill this Mission but also possess their unique advantages firstly unmanned combat aircraft have extended ranges and longer loitering times they can flexibly select attack routes during operations of avoiding detection by enemy air defense systems secondly unmanned combat aircraft operate without a pilot they are not subject to the physiological limitations imposed on human operators therefore the survival rate of unmanned combat aircraft is higher after being locked onto by enemy missiles while large-scale drones have been continuously evolving a seemingly inconspicuous Revolution is brewing in the form of smallscale drones a revolution centered around individual Soldier equipment these small drones are no larger than a squat automatic weapon and can fit in the palm of a hand however they possess the ability to deceive and swiftly react during reconnaissance missions they can replace soldiers and infiltrate enemy camps providing firsthand intelligence during firefights they can function as soldiers ensuring accurate and precise Firepower they are becoming the most trusted Companions of soldiers how many types of small drones are there let's continue exploring Kalashnikov the renowned firearm manufacturer has produced countless AK series rifles earning them the deserved title of gun King however it seems that the gun King has now turned its attention elsewhere in June 2019 Kalashnikov introduced its latest product and this time it's not the famous AK rifle but a small individual unmanned aerial vehicle called the leaftop Drone the leaf toop drone is available in two sizes the smaller Leaf top drone with a takeoff weight in kilog has an operational range of 40 km a loitering time of 30 minutes and a flight speed ranging from 80 to 110 kmph the larger leaftop drone called Leaf toop drone 3 has a takeoff weight of 12 kg identical operational range and flight speed to the leaf toop drone one and a slightly longer loitering time of 40 minutes the leaf toop drone has a completely different appearance compared to the common drones we are familiar with it features two pairs of exaggerated x-shaped Wings resembling a missile the reason for this is design choice is that the x-shaped configuration can generate significant lift while maintaining a compact size resulting in excellent maneuverability Germany has initiated the propulsion of the swordfish unmanned aerial vehicle project the swordfish is an autonomous hollow body drone that follows a conventional aerodynamic layout it features twin outward tilting vertical tails and is constructed using Advanced Composite Materials the Drone measures 8.25 m in length and has a wingspan of 7.22 M with a maximum takeoff weight of 3.25 tons it can achieve a Top Flight speed of 0.85 Mach and has an operational range of over 200 km in 2006 the swordfish successfully conducted its inaugural flight marking a significant milestone for the project during the same year the United Kingdom recognized as one of Europe's Aerospace industry centers launched the Thunder God unmanned combat aircraft project the Thunder God drone has an approximate length of 12 M and a wingspan of around 10 m weighing 6 tons in the air and reaching a maximum takeoff weight of 8 tons it adopts a flying link configuration inspired by neural networks this design enables the Thunder God drone to achieve supersonic speeds and its primary mission is to utilize its stealth capabilities to infiltrate enemy defense systems and conduct Precision strikes on critical ground targets the advantages of unmanned combat aircraft are not limited to their ability to fulfill critical missions firstly they offer extended range capabilities and longer loitering times providing flexibility in selecting optimal attack routes and evading enemy radar and air defense systems secondly unman combat aircraft eliminate the physiological limitations that human Pilots face allowing them to withstand extreme g-forces and execute Maneuvers that would render a human pilot unconscious consequently their survivability against enemy missiles is significantly enhanced making them indispensable assets on the battlefield while large scale unmanned drones continue to evolve the realm of small drones is undergoing a quiet Revolution particularly in the domain of individual Soldier equipment these small drones despite their unassuming size play a significant role in reshaping the battlefield measuring no larger than a squat automatic weapon and fitting comfortably in the palm of a solders hand they possess remarkable capabilities these drones excel in reconnaissance and surveillance missions infiltrating enemy encampments and Gathering crucial intelligence in moments of intense combat they unleash precise and lethal Firepower upon the enemy akin to a soldier with impeccable Marksmanship the trust that soldiers place in these small drones as steadfast companions is unwavering the realm of small drones encompasses a diverse ecosystem offering a wide range of options to cater to various operational needs one notable example is the leaf toop drone developed by the renowned firearm manufacturer Kalashnikov departing from their iconic AK series rifles Kalashnikov ventured into the realm of unmanned aerial vehicles and introduced The Leaf toop drone in June 2019 the leaf toop drone is available in two sizes with the smaller variant Leaf toop drone one weighing a few kog it features an operational range of 40 km a loitering time of 30 minutes and a flight speed ranging from 80 to 110 km/ hour the larger variant Leaf doop drone 3 weighs a mere 12 kg but offers identical operational range flight speed and an extended loitering time of 40 minutes both variants feature a unique design with two pairs of of exaggerated x-shaped Wings resembling a missile in flight this unconventional design Choice allows the drones to achieve a delicate balance between compactness and remarkable lift resulting in unparalleled maneuverability and performance as the evolution of unmanned aerial Vehicles continues encompassing large- scale combat aircraft and small yet powerful drones it becomes evident that we are witnessing the future of Aviation unfold before our eyes technological advancements Innovative designs and strategic applications converge to Usher in a new era where unmanned systems seamlessly integrate into our daily lives and redefine the possibilities of aerial operations furthermore to meet the requirements of individual soldiers portability the construction materials of the leaf toop drone predominantly consist of plastic and composite materials the engine is a small electric motor and the Drone can be launched into the air with the help of a small catapult device the payload of the leaf toop drone includes a high Precision strike unit and a reconnaissance navigation communication module during combat soldiers utilize handheld terminals to access real-time video footage captured by the drones electrooptical system enabling them to command and guide the Drone in executing devastating attacks the name Leaf toop for kalashnikov's own individual Soldier drone was chosen to convey the notion that this drone can perform surgical strikes akin to the Precision of a surgeon's scalpel at the Forefront of the leaf toop drone one can observe a large-sized electrooptical array that incorporates both Optical cameras and infrared detectors the infrar detectors utilize temperature differentials from the surroundings to create images rendering them impervious to the influence of day and night thus enabling their employment in all weather conditions and even against camouflage attempts the infrared detectors are also capable of distinguishing genuine targets from decoys ensuring accurate target identification additionally the leaf toop drone employs the manin the loop engagement method meaning that the Drone operator utilizes real-time video feedback from the Drone to aim and engage targets if unexpected changes occur on the battlefield such as the presence of civilians near the target the operator can cancel the attack command causing the Drone to enter a standby cruising State the individual Soldier drone system has garnered significant attention from countries worldwide and has already made appearances in conflicts in certain regions in April 2020 a photo of the wreckage of a small drone circulated on social media showing damage to its head and wings while the shape charge Warhead remained intact the photo was taken in Libya and later the Pol WB group confirmed that the Drone depicted in the photo was their production the Buddy individual Soldier drone the Buddy drone was first unveiled in September 2014 measuring 1.1 m in length with a
wingspan of 1.6 M it has a maximum takeoff weight of 5.3 kg and can carry a maximum payload of 1.4 kg the power
system consists of an electric propeller enabling it to achieve speeds between 50 and 150 km per hour during flight it's operational altitude ranges from 100 to 500 M and it has a maximum endurance of 70 to 90 minutes one notable feature that distinguishes the Buddy drone from other individual Soldier drones is its modular payload design during reconnaissance and surveillance missions the Buddy drone's head can integrate three digital Zoom cameras with one providing a forward field of view and the other two providing side views during offensive operations it can be equipped with high explosive Warheads pre-formed fragmentation Warheads or shaped charge Warheads the control station for the Drone consists of a ruggedized laptop and a bidirectional encrypted data link transceiver enabling the continuous transmission of flight parameters such as speed altitude and time to the operator it also possesses the capability to alter attack directions and cancel Mission tasks during combat while simultaneously providing Battlefield video In traditional Warfare individual soldiers primarily rely on their own eyes to gather Battlefield information another valuable source of of intelligence comes from higher level departments however both of these approaches have their evident disadvantages relying solely on visual observation limits the solders field of view depending on intelligence provided by higher-ups with longer cycles and poor timeliness there is a high possibility of missing crucial Targets this is where the emergence of individual Soldier drones effectively resolves this issue by deploying unmanned drones soldiers can gain a high vantage point and acquire extensive real-time battle Feld information additionally individual Soldier drones can serve as artillery in the hands of soldiers in Modern Warfare soldiers primarily rely on Firearms as their main weapons but when encountering armored vehicles or distant targets they can only call for fire support however equipping Soldiers with individual Soldier drones gives them direct control over their own artillery don't underestimate these handheld cannons despite their small size they possess considerable range high accuracy and significant Firepower similar to the companion drones used by comrades the concentrated energy armor-piercing Warhead of the individual Soldier drone is capable of penetrating the top armor of some tanks to swiftly Recon noer or engage targets at a greater distance a new type of individual Soldier drone the patrol flying missile has been developed for soldiers to carry and rapidly launch in the field the patrol flying missile is a combination of drone technology and intelligent ammunition since it's a introduction in 1994 the patrol flying missile has garnered widespread attention worldwide compared to Conventional drone flight modes Patrol flying missiles are mostly launched from cannons or tubes considering the size restrictions imposed by tube launchers folding wings are often the optimal choice for patrol flying missiles take the spring blade Patrol flying missile as an example it adopts a retractable tail Wing that can be folded and launched from a transport tube carried by an individual Soldier once launched it automatically extends its wings on the ground and propels itself using an electric propeller it has a maximum range of 20 km during flight the guided head of the spring blade Patrol flying missile transmits real-time color video signals back to the operator the operator confirms the target through the imagery and sends the strike command if the situation changes the mission can be canceled or a new Target can be selected Patrol flying missiles are closely related to drones and were initially known as kamic drones or loitering ammunition in the early 1990s Patrol flying missiles began to emerge as independent weapons currently Patrol flying missiles mostly utilize mature commercial Technologies with costs ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars they can be mass-produced and widely consumed existing air defense systems on the other hand face considerable challenges because intercepting a patrol flying missile worth tens of thousands of dollars with a multi-million dollar surface to AAR missile is simp L not cost effective moreover modern Radars such as Doppler Radars are highly sensitive to the speed of targets therefore low- speeed low altitude targets like Patrol flying missiles are easily filtered out by Radars as a result in recent years we have often witnessed Advanced Russian armored defense systems being destroyed by these small Patrol flying missiles on the battlefields in Syria with the continuous development of electronic technology the level of miniaturization and integration of sensors has been increasing one such technology that has gained popularity among several military Powers is the micro unmanned aerial vehicle UAV used by individual soldiers micro uavs also known as Nano drones are generally defined as having Dimensions within 15 cm in length width and height weighing up to 500 G and flying at speeds of 10 to 20 m/s with a maximum range of around 10 km one notable example of a micro UAV is the black hornet individual Soldier drone manufactured by Flur systems the black hornet measures 16.8 cm in length with a rotor diameter of 12.3 cm and weighs less than 33 g equivalent to six or seven sheets of printing paper at first glance one might mistake it for a toy helicopter as individual Soldier equipment the black hornet UAV is portable with the entire system fitting into a small box with just a power source it can be deployed in as little as 30 seconds typically a soldier is equipped with two black hornet drones with one used for Mission execution while the other remains in a charging State during missions the black hornet can be operated through ground remote control or set to autonomous flight mode with a fully charged battery it can sustain flight for up to 25 minutes covering a maximum radius of 2 km and achieving a speed of 21.5 kmph the front section of the black hornet UAV is equipped with two small cameras that provide images and videos to soldiers through a data link on their handheld terminals due to its compact size the black hornet UAV is particularly suitable for use in dense jungles crowded Villages and other confined environments additionally its electric motor and dualblade rotor make it exceptionally quiet making it difficult for targets to detect even when flying directly overhead however its lightweight nature can sometimes lead to unexpected challenges in a training incident British soldiers preparing to launch a black hornet UAV had it blown away by a sudden gust of wind immediately after it left their fingers Des its size the black hornet UAV comes with a hefty price tag costing approximately $125,000 per unit though small it is fully equipped with all necessary components which presents numerous practical challenges in its design for example the power supply and Signal processor of the sensors need to be lightweight and compact while maintaining Fast Response low power consumption High reliability and low cost these issues although relatively manageable are still demanding the most significant ific difficulty in developing Nano drones lies in their aerodynamic design and flight control for instance in the case of fixed wi Nano drones their small size limits their flight speed the current Wing shapes and control surfaces cannot generate sufficient lift for Nano drones without sufficient lift even a gust of wind can blow you away before you can carry out the mission therefore to further develop Nano drones the challenge of flight control must be solved the black hornet drone with its small size is capable of discreetly carrying out various tasks but its distinctive appearance stands out is it possible to give drones a layer of camouflage to better conceal them bionic drones are artificially designed aircraft that mimic the structural appearance and flight methods of natural organisms combining techniques from fluid dynamics Material Science Microsystems control and other fields these aircraft can generate pressure differentials on the upper and lower body by flapping their wings similar to birds to achieve lift and descent the smart heartb bird drone developed by festo in Germany is currently a master in the field of bionic drones as its size and appearance closely resemble that of birds its wings can not only flap up and down but also imitate the twisting angles of birds another nanobionic drone called the hummingbird can also achieve remarkable realism it measures 16 cm in length and closely resembles a real hummingbird this tiny drone is equipped with a miniature camera and a remote control device allowing it to fly in and out of Windows or other small open ings to carry out covert surveillance missions in addition to bionic Birds bionic insects have also attracted attention due to their military potential unlike birds or insects with complex body structures flying insects have relatively simple Wing structures without a complex nervous system however they integrate the systems required for flight such as power lift and control into a single unit and can instantly adjust the wing oscillations in response to changes in air flow and sudden obstacles for example the hawk moth can and flap its wings over a thousand times per second making it the fastest flapping insect in the world when it touches something during flight it can quickly stabilize itself with just one Wing beat this has significant military application potential as bionic drones possess high levels of deception during reconnaissance imagine a scenario where there are many birds perched on telephone poles outside a military command post chirping and whispering to each other would you notice anything unusual now imagine a flock of geese F slowly over an anti-aircraft position you may see them and your radar May detect them but would you find anything strange if they were not there well sorry to say but your military intelligence has already been completely compromised That's The Power of bionic drones you can clearly see them but you won't find anything bionic insects will further expand this Advantage not only can they infiltrate the periphery of command posts but they can also fly inside the command post and boldly land on your operational map listening to and observing your intelligence from Gathering Military Intelligence in dangerous situations to launching precise attacks various types of individual drones have emerged leading to new combat tactics and many disruptive operational Styles the emergence of individual drones further enhances the characteristics of Modern Warfare being non-con as elusive drones will replace human soldiers in Frontline combat completing highly dangerous missions in our upcoming program we will continue to explore the field of and discover new combat Styles what impact will they have on future warfare well that's all for today's program thank you for watching stay tuned for the next episode of weapons revealed goodbye
2023-10-23 20:41
