Russia defence & technology updates

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Russian developers TsNIITochmash continue testing the Lotos self-propelled guns; the unit may soon enter service with the troops. Preliminary tests of the airborne 120-mm self-propelled gun 2S42 were carried out back in 2023; the self-propelled gun is being developed for airborne and marine units. The 2S42 Lotos self-propelled gun is designed to replace the existing 2S9 Nona-S self-propelled guns and will complement the family of the new Vena self-propelled guns and Phlox self-propelled guns, which we previously showed. It is worth noting that the Vena self-propelled gun is a more advanced solution, but also more expensive. The Lotos self-propelled gun is made on the basis of the BMD-4M with an extended hull and the addition of two rollers on the chassis, this reduces the cost of production and simplifies maintenance. The self-propelled gun has a 120 mm gun that combines the properties of a cannon, howitzer and mortar; it can also use “Kitolov” guided projectiles. The self-propelled gun turret has a highly automated fighting compartment, the rate of fire of the 2S42 “Lotos” is up to 8 rounds per minute, at a range of up to 13 km, the “simultaneous fire attack” firing mode is used. Ammunition - about 40 shots. To protect the crew, a 7.62 mm Kalashnikov tank machine gun is used. The Lotos self-propelled gun has a mass of 18 tons and reaches a speed of up to 70 km/h, with a cruising range of at least 500 km. The combat crew of the vehicle is four people.

 

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The video shows a Russian homemade 73mm cannon, created from a 2A28 Grom cannon, removed from a BMP-1 and mounted on a wheeled chassis from a 2B9 Vasilek automatic mortar. The maximum firing range of a homemade artillery gun is 4400 meters, the sighting range is up to 1300 meters.

 

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Mobile shelters from nuclear weapons are being created in Russia. The mobile shelter "KUB-M" is a modular type, developed by the scientific organization of the Ministry of Emergency Situations - VNII GOChS. The KUB-M shelter provides protection from the air shock wave and light radiation of a nuclear explosion and its consequences, as well as from the high-explosive and fragmentation effects of conventional weapons. It has an autonomous water supply system of 440 liters, a partial regeneration system for internal air, a 15 kW/h diesel power plant, everything you need, all designed for 48 hours. The shelter can be connected to existing utility networks. It is worth noting that there are many underground shelters in Russia, but most of them are abandoned. The basic “KUB-M” configuration accommodates 54 people and a technical unit; the shelter can be expanded with additional modules. If necessary, the nuclear shelter can be transported by road or rail. The production, transportation and installation of the KUB-M shelter is two times cheaper than the construction of a stationary shelter; its production and installation takes only three months.

 

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The Russian electric unmanned helicopter "Alpha-E" was shown by the company "Quiet Wings". "Alpha-E". The Alpha-E helicopter-type UAV can perform comprehensive horizontal and vertical inspections, aeromagnetic reconnaissance, airborne laser scanning and aerial photography. It is possible that it can also be used by the military, the drone’s carrying capacity is up to 7 kg, which allows it to take a lot of ammunition. The drone can be equipped with a loudspeaker, spotlight, laser scanner, and aerial camera.
For navigation, the drone uses all currently existing satellite navigation systems. The Alpha-E helicopter drone is small enough that it can be transported in a car since the length of the drone is only 3 meters and its weight is 26 kg. The Alpha-E unmanned helicopter can operate at a range of up to 120 km, at altitudes of up to 1,100 meters at speeds of up to 120 km/h. The maximum flight time is 95 minutes. The price and elemental base of the drone are not reported.

 

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Improved Russian GShG-7.62 machine gun for protection against naval drones. Russian engineer Igor Vasiliev (possibly Ivan Vasiliev), modified the Soviet four-barreled machine gun GShG-7.62, developed in 1968. Now, several machine guns for testing will be installed on helicopters and boats of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Reportedly, the most effective was hitting Ukrainian naval drones with a machine gun in the doorway of helicopters. The GShG-7.62 machine gun was made electro-mechanical, with automatic operation both from a battery and from the energy of powder gases. Quite often the machine gun overheated; the rate of fire of the machine gun was up to 6000 rounds per minute. Igor Vasiliev figured out how to replace a gas engine with an electric one. The four-barreled machine gun GShG-7.62 was modernized - the mechanical automation was removed, an electric motor and mounts for collimator sights were installed. Now you can arbitrarily change the pace from 5 to 100 shots per second. This increased the time of continuous operation. The machine gun was tested in action while the ship was moving and pitching. The weapon easily hit a meter-long target from a distance of 150–200 meters.

 

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Homemade protection against FPV drones, the so-called king-barbecue, began to be installed on Russian BTR-82A. The armored personnel carrier is also equipped with a homemade mine trawl made from chains. The design of the protection is of course archaic, but now it is more effective than the current electronic warfare systems that protect equipment from FPV drones. It is worth noting that the development of protection and weapons against FPV drones is underway in many countries, but there are still no effectively working and mass-produced copies.

 

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Footage of Russian military personnel using a robotic remote-controlled platform designed for cargo delivery. Despite the high center of gravity, judging by the video, the platform is stable. It is not reported whether it is a homemade design or a factory version, the model name is also unknown. The robotic complex on a wheeled platform is driven by electric motors and controlled using a joystick and tablet. The robotic platform can reach speeds of up to 40 km/h and has a range of up to 40 km. The carrying capacity of the transport platform is up to 250 kilograms.

 

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The Kalashnikov concern has begun serial production of the Russian modernized complex with the Granat-4 UAV; the drone is already in use by the troops. The UAV is produced by the Izhmash - Unmanned Systems company and is designed for reconnaissance of terrain using photo, video and thermal imaging equipment and transmission of the received information over a distance of up to 70 km. Upgraded in 2024, the Granat-4 UAV can now illuminate targets for use by artillery, adjustable artillery ammunition "Krasnopol", "Kitolov" and "Gran", target designation range is up to 3 km. There are few details about the new version; it is known that the control point based on the KamAZ truck used since 2022 has been abandoned. Now remote sets of equipment and more mobile vehicles are used. The Granat-4 UAV is made of composite materials and weighs 30 kg. The UAV is equipped with an internal combustion engine and reaches speeds of up to 140 km/h, with a flight altitude of up to 2000 meters, the UAV flight time is up to 6 hours. The Granat-4 UAV is launched from a catapult and lands by parachute.

 

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The Kalashnikov Concern announced the start of production by the Research Institute of Steel, a Russian modified anti-fragmentation blanket "Egida-U". The video shows the testing of the first version of the Aegis anti-fragmentation blanket. The protective blanket is designed to protect against fragmentation and secondary explosion factors and provides both human protection and local protection when the blanket covers doorways, window openings and other objects. The first version of the protective blanket “Aegis-” stopped more than 85% of fragments of F-1 and RGN grenades; the fragments that managed to pierce the blanket could not cause harm because they had lost their damaging power. Also, a Stechkin pistol with a 9 mm caliber could not penetrate it. The reinforced anti-fragmentation blanket "Egida-U" guarantees complete protection against F-1 and RGN grenades from distances of 3 and 5 meters.
Protective capes can be connected with loops to each other and increase the protection area.
The improved Egida-U protective blanket has been modified to protect against detection by night vision devices and thermal imaging sights. It is also radio transparent and can be used to protect radar station nodes. The Egida-U protective blanket is made of high-strength ballistic aramid fabric and UHMWPE and has a weight of 10 kg, the dimensions of the blanket are 1000 by 2000 millimeters. The price of the Egida-U protective blanket is about 170 thousand rubles or 1900 dollars.

 

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Rare footage of the Russian 120-mm towed gun 2B16 “Nona-K”. The towed gun is quite rare, there are about 100 of them in the Russian army. Previously, we showed the use of the gun by the Ukrainian army, but it was taken from a museum. The Nona-K gun was produced from 1986 to 1989 and combines the capabilities of a cannon, howitzer and mortar; the gun was designed taking into account combat operations in Afghanistan, but was not used there. The 2B16 gun is a towed version of the 2A51 gun, mounted on the 2S9 Nona-S self-propelled artillery gun. The Nona-K gun can fire conventional rifled shells and mines, which are also suitable for a conventional 120-mm mortar. Table of shells and their data on the screen. In terms of their effectiveness, some types of 120-mm shells of this gun are close to 152-mm howitzer shells. The firing range of the Nona-K gun with an active-missile projectile is up to 12,800 meters; it is also possible to use Kitolov-2 guided projectiles. The rate of fire of the 2B16 “Nona-K” gun is up to 10 rounds per minute, the crew of the gun is up to 5 people, the weight is 1200 kg.

 

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Russian military transport aviation ceases operation of the world's largest turboprop transport aircraft, the An-22 Antey. From 2024, the operation of An-22 aircraft will cease, as announced by the commander of the Military Transport Aviation, Lieutenant General Vladimir Benediktov. The lieutenant general clarified that during the existence of the project, a total of 67 An-22 aircraft were produced, some of them are located in Ukraine. According to Benediktov, the 12th Military Transport Aviation Division currently uses the world’s largest mass-produced aircraft, the An-124 Ruslan. The AN-22 made its first flight in 1965; it was produced at the Tashkent aircraft plant; in 1976, turboprop engines began to be considered obsolete and AN-22 aircraft were no longer produced. Instead, they began to produce the Il-76 turbojet military transport aircraft. The AN-22 has a mass of 114,000 kg and is capable of transporting up to 60 tons of cargo over a range of up to 5,250 km, developing a cruising speed of up to 560 km/h and a maximum speed of up to 760 km/h, with a flight altitude of up to 9,000 meters. The practical flight range of the An-22 is up to 10,950 km, crew up to 7 people. The height of the An-22 aircraft is more than 12.5 meters, length is 57 meters, wingspan is 64.4 meters. At the moment, the only air unit using these aircraft in Russia was the 12th Military Transport Aviation Mginskaya Red Banner Division, based at the Migalovo airfield in Tver. As of 2024, it included four An-22s.

 

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Footage of a demonstration in Russia, protecting an object with a network from drone attacks. It is worth noting that factory-made protective networks against drones have already begun to be sold. Protecting objects with a network is a fairly simple solution, but it is also the most effective if there are no group attacks by drones.

 

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The Russian and Syrian armies conducted exercises to repel an attack by a mock enemy at the Tartus base. According to the exercise scenario, the enemy attacked using UAVs and sea drones. The exercises used the S-300 air defense system, the Pantsir-S1 air defense system and the Strela-10 air defense system, and the military personnel used Verba man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems. Anti-sabotage boats of the Black Sea Fleet "Cadet" and small missile boats of the Syrian Navy were also involved.
As part of the exercise, crews of the Bastion coastal missile systems repelled an attempt to attack surface ships of a mock enemy from the sea. According to the exercise scenario, enemy landing ships advanced to the Syrian coast to land forces and seize a bridgehead. The crews of the missile systems arrived in advance at the position areas where they deployed the Bastion missile launchers.

 

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The Ukrainian T-72AMT tank was equipped with radio control in Russia. Russian military personnel tested the T-72AMT radio-controlled tank. The T-72AMT was previously used by the Ukrainian army. Operators control the tank like an FPV drone, using a remote control and FPV glasses. The radio control range is not reported, presumably it can be the same as that of FPV drones up to 15 km, but the tank can be equipped with a more powerful transmitter, and communication repeaters can also be used. T-72AMT is a Ukrainian modification of the T-72A tanks produced in 2017 at the Kiev Armored Plant. The tank has undergone many upgrades. In terms of protection, the tank is close to the Russian T-72B3 tanks. Today, the Ukrainian army has about 40 T-72AMT tanks, some of which have not received all the improvements included in the project.

 

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Military personnel of the Russian repair and restoration battalion began to assemble small-scale homemade all-terrain vehicles. The all-terrain vehicle can be assembled on the basis of any car; at the moment it does not have its own name. The all-terrain vehicle reaches a speed of 80 km/h and has a range of 400 kilometers; it can carry up to 5 people. In terms of driving performance, the all-terrain vehicle is not inferior to a buggy, details in the video.

 

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The Russian frigate Admiral Gorshkov of Project 22350 arrived in Cuba. Before arrival, the frigate carried out artillery firing in the Atlantic Ocean, using the 130 mm AK-192M artillery system and the 30 mm Broadsword anti-aircraft missile and artillery system. The frigate is equipped with Kalibr-NK and Oniks missiles and Zircon hypersonic missiles. Following the Admiral Gorshkov, the tanker Akademik Pashin and the rescue tug Nikolai Chiker, also part of the detachment of the Russian Northern Fleet, will come to Cuba. The detachment of ships is accompanied by the Project 885M Yasen-M multi-purpose nuclear submarine "Kazan", the submarine is now supposedly off the coast of Florida, two US destroyers have gone to look for it. The submarine also has Caliber, Onyx missiles and Zircon hypersonic missiles. It is reported that the visit is related to the historical friendly relations between Cuba and Russia, and the ships do not carry nuclear weapons on board.

 

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The first footage of the use of the Russian portable electronic warfare system "Fumigator" developed by the PPSh Laboratory company. Technical information is not provided; the complex is designed to combat drones. The Fumigator electronic warfare system consists of two modules and is designed to be carried by two soldiers. The Fumigator module creates a dome with a diameter of up to 300 meters, protecting the squad from dropping ammunition from drones, the second Fumigator-FPV module is intended for assault groups and neutralizes FPV drones. The complex can operate up to seven hours on one battery

 

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The second stage of joint training of units of the armed forces of Russia and Belarus for the combat use of non-strategic nuclear weapons took place in Belarus. We previously showed the first stage of the exercises, the military worked on receiving special training ammunition for the Iskander tactical missile system, equipping launch vehicles with them and covertly advancing to the designated position area. The exercises used Iskander missile systems with Iskander-K and Iskander-M missiles, Tu-22M3 aircraft with Kh-22 and Kh-32 missiles, and MiG-31 aircraft with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles.
The exercises are aimed at maintaining the readiness of personnel and equipment of units to use non-strategic nuclear weapons.

 

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Installation of standard protection, anti-cumulative grilles and protection against drones on a Russian armored personnel carrier.

 

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Tests of an improved prototype of the heavy robotic demining complex MGR-4 "Shmel" took place in Russia. The robot minesweeper MGR-4 was developed by the High-Precision Complexes enterprises: Kovrov Electromechanical Plant (KEMZ) and VNII Signal. The mine-sapping robot MGR-4 was created on the basis of the Ant-1000 mini-loader; unification with the loader makes it possible to reduce the cost of serial production of the robot. The main purpose of the MGR-4 robot is to detect and eliminate anti-personnel mines.
The complex is controlled at a range of 1000 meters, it is provided by the Prometheus control system developed by the VNII Signal, which is also used in Russian combat vehicles. The robot is equipped with a hydraulically driven winch and a chain hammer trawl. The modernized model of the MGR-4 robotic complex uses a mine trawl with an increased soil loosening depth of up to 250 mm, the shape of the impact hammers has been replaced, and the length of the chain has been adjusted. A new scheme for moving the trawl above the ground has been introduced; when the trawl is in a floating position, it bends around the terrain. The mass of the MGR-4 “Shmelya” is 4 tons, the speed of movement when clearing mines is 1 km/h, the width of the cleared surface with this trawl is 2.2 meters.