According to Newsweek, the Cube UAV’s improved warhead will turn this device into “a more formidable nightmare for the enemy.” According to the publication, the ammunition is made from an explosive that, in this case, is 1.7 times more powerful than the traditional mixture of TNT and hexogen.
As Denis Fedutinov, editor-in-chief of Unmanned Aviation magazine, told socialbites.ca: The “Cube” UAV is the first product created in the “kamikaze drone” segment by the developers of the Izhevsk company ZALA Aero, which later became known thanks to the successful development of the Lancet mobile ammunition. (ZALA Lancet, article 51/52).
Mobile munitions are devices with various types of warheads that can perform a long flight over a certain area or to a certain point, search for and then destroy detected ground targets.
“Cube” UAV is designed according to the “tailless” design. The device uses a delta wing equipped with wingtips with variable sweep along the leading edge.
The developers managed to make a relatively inexpensive product that can carry out targeted attacks on enemy targets.
An electric motor is used as the power plant by rotating a driving screw. To some extent, the silhouette of the drone resembles the well-known “Geranium”, but only on a reduced scale – the mass of the “Cube” is about 15 kg and the wingspan is about 120 cm.
Advantages and disadvantages
As emphasized by Denis Fedutinov, the Cube UAV is difficult to detect and hit with conventional anti-aircraft missiles due to its small weight and dimensions, use of composite materials and an electric motor that creates a low acoustic and thermal signature. These conditions, together with the stealth launch provided by the use of a portable catapult, make it a very good solution in its segment.
At the same time, as is often the case with first developments, the Cube UAV also has disadvantages:
*one. Firstly, it is a rather short flight time – about 30 minutes and, as a result, the UAV’s range of action is short. Increasing this parameter will make it possible to move the launch site deeper into the territory controlled by Russian troops, which will reduce risks for operators. And if launched near the combat line of contact, it will make it possible to hit targets located deeper behind enemy lines.
*2. Secondly, it has a small carrying capacity – the mass of the onboard cargo is about 3 kg. Its increase will lead to the use of a wider range of combat units, which will increase the flexibility of use of the Kub UAV and expand the range of targets hit.
*3. Thirdly, the product was initially deprived of optical surveillance and target guidance system. In fact, its flight was carried out according to the coordinates of a target previously detected in the control system, detected by other reconnaissance instruments.
As Denis Fedutinov believes, the addition of a fully functional optical-electronic system will inevitably lead to a significant increase in the cost of the entire complex as a whole. However, compromise solutions are possible here, such as those associated with the use of relatively inexpensive optics with subsequent on-board intelligent video processing to set the route and automatically guide the last leg of the flight.
Work on the project continues at the Kalashnikov concern. Experts can correct the above-mentioned points, taking into account the experience of combat use accumulated since the first public demonstration of the complex at the IDEX 2019 defense exhibition in Abu Dhabi, including the framework of the military defense system.
In addition, taking into account the possibilities of group use of UAVs as part of mixed groups containing reconnaissance and kamikaze drones, as well as various mobile ammunition to increase the effectiveness of hitting targets, the “Cube” case of similar solutions.
So, the main problems with the combat use of Russian stray ammunition for the Armed Forces of Ukraine have already begun, and problems of an immeasurably larger scale await the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The author’s opinion may not coincide with the editors’ opinion.
Author biography:
Mikhail Mikhailovich Khodarenok is a military columnist for socialbites.ca, a retired colonel.
Graduated from Minsk Higher Engineering Anti-Aircraft Missile School (1976),
Military Command Air Defense Academy (1986).
Commander of the S-75 anti-aircraft missile division (1980–1983).
Deputy commander of the anti-aircraft missile regiment (1986–1988).
Senior officer of the Main Staff of the Air Defense Forces (1988–1992).
Officer of the General Staff Main Operations Department (1992–2000).
Graduate of the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces (1998).
Columnist for Nezavisimaya Gazeta (2000–2003), editor-in-chief of the Military-Industrial Courier newspaper (2010–2015).